Eight weeks have passed since Amprion’s process coupling solution Power-PAD went live successfully. Thanks to PowerPAD the transmission system operator (TSO) Amprion not only supports a wider range of IEC telecontrol protocols and integrated functions, but also benefits from increased reliability and functionality due to various redundancies. The launch of this communi-cation solution, developed in close cooperation with SOPTIM, was preceded by extensive tests and pilot runs with TSOs across Europe.

With the recent commissioning of the first PowerPAD, Amprion has significantly expanded its ability to integrate real time data from different sources and making it available throughout its organization and to partners. In addition to enhanced capabilities for monitoring and controlling its own as well as partner grid infra-structure, the new solution can handle a wide range of communication protocols in accordance with IEC standards. Multiple protocols can run simultaneously on a single PowerPAD device. Similarly, a large number of serial links can be sup-ported by a single PowerPAD. Finally, the PowerPAD allows the use of different redundancy procedures, resulting in a very high availability of the communication.

Amprion is currently installing the SOPTIM solution on around 100 devices. “The technology makes it possible to collect and systematically process a wide range of information from various market participants in the grid and our partners” says Rüdiger Schaden, project manager at Amprion. “The greater resilience of the new technology means we are better prepared for the challenges of energy system transformation and the increasingly complex task of system management.”

Simulation of external partners

To ensure that messages, measurements and control commands are handled and sent correctly, PowerPAD offers an integrated simulation tool. This can be used, for example, to test or check the configuration of new substations before com-missioning.

Close Cooperation

“The PowerPAD process coupling solution, which is now in production at Amprion, is the result of very close cooperation between the experts at Brauweiler and our in-house team. From the specification of detailed requirements all the way to commissioning” says Christian Valder, Head of Network Control Systems at SOP-TIM. “With the help of the integrated wide range of simulation options, we were not only able to implement our specific requirements precisely, but also had the certainty that they would run reliably in demanding everyday operation” says Rüdiger Schaden.