IEEE Okays University’s Pilot Testbed for Grid Interoperability

The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) has announced the Power Profile Certification pilot programme.

Manufacturers of IoT and smart grid devices can make use of the pilot to test their products against the Test Suite Specification.

The Test Suite Specification was developed by UNH-IOL, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the IEEE 1588 Power Profile Conformity Assessment Steering Committee.

The UNH-IOL is the first test house authorised by IEEE to offer Power Profile Certification Testing.

The programme will ensure networks meet requirements for the Power Utility Automation Profile (IEC/IEEE 61850-9-3) and the Power System Applications Profile (IEEE C37.238) to support precise timing in substations and between substations, in large geographical areas.

Bob Noseworthy, Chief Engineer at UNH-IOL, said: “Under the guidance of a community of experts from industry and NIST, we have developed the first IEEE 1588 Power Profile Certification programme to aid in the adoption and validation of this technology in the Smart Grid, be it applied to distributed measurement and control applications such as synchrophasors, distribution grid and microgrid control, or event and data recording, the criticality of reliable and accurate time within the grid has never been higher continues.

“We expect this effort to continue to grow and expand to meet the needs of utilities today and in the future, and welcome involvement from all stakeholders and interested parties.”

Eric Oh, P.Eng. Senior SCADA Engineer and Technical Lead at AltaLink, added:  “As a utility serving more than three million customers, we need a device to conform to the standard and behave in a predictable manner.

“By engaging with the IEEE 1588 Power Profile Conformity Assessment Programme, we are able to influence and drive standardised testing, improving our ability to qualify equipment more efficiently.”

For more information about the pilot, visit the UNH-IOL IEEE 1588 Testing Program web page.