New technology helps utility, industrial operators overcome power network challenges

The demand for intelligent devices in substations has increased. This is mainly due to the changes that have taken place in the energy landscape. We are seeing increasing amounts of distributed energy resources over the last few years, such as solar and wind, being connected to the electrical grid to meet the government’s sustainability targets. The only viable solution for integrating these renewable resources to the grid is via automation. As a result, different electronic devices from different vendors are filling up space in substations. This introduces a maintenance challenge as all these different devices need constant care.

ABB Vietnam launched ABB AbilityTM Smart Substation Control and Protection for electrical systems SSC600 in HoChiMinh City

ABB in Vietnam is now launching ABB Ability^TM Smart Substation Control and Protection for electrical systems SSC600, an innovative, centralized approach to protection and control in distribution networks. Although representing a new way of thinking, SSC600 builds on ABB’s solid and proven technological foundation manifested in the renowned Relion® protection and control relay family.

Combining SSC600 with other ABB products and solutions offers a new way of looking at substation life cycle management. The SSC600 advanced connectivity capabilities enable seamless integration with additional services.

SSC600 offers extensive application coverage with a single device for convenient station-wide visibility, minimal engineering, easy and cost-efficient process management, and advanced life cycle management for digital substations. Combining SSC600 with merging units, which provide the measurements and physical interface between the primary equipment in the switchgear and SSC600, creates a unique, IEC 61850-compliant, centralized protection and control solution.

Centralizing all protection and control functionality in a single, IEC 61850-compliant device on substation level, SSC600 helps reduce network complexity and supports optimal, lifelong asset management for the digital substation.

“Vietnam is experiencing accelerating urbanization and trends such as renewables, data centers because of digitalization and the surge in digital data demand, and also E-mobility which evolves growing demand for improved reliability and availability of power supply and greater adaption to the changing network protection requirements.” said Hien DoanVan, President, Electrification Distribution Solutions, ABB Vietnam. “The introduction of ABB’s SSC600 in Vietnam comes at a vital time to meet the market’s needs for greater efficiency, flexibility and scalability. It represents a modern and cost-effective way to detect, locate and isolate faults for the benefit of our customers. Furthermore, adding new functionality to meet future network requirements is easy”.

The modular software allows customization at the initial ordering stage and flexible modification for the lifetime of the digital substation. SSC600 is ready to evolve alongside the grid to adapt to changing protection requirements. Continuous access to new software developments guarantees an always up-to-date substation system. The advantage of only having to modify one device instead of all bay-level protection and control devices makes upgrading the entire substation system easier than ever.

Taking the concept of centralized protection for distribution substations to the next level, ABB’s SS600 device is now also available as a standalone software version, SSC600 SW. The virtualized product enables customers to use the hardware of their choice and gain access to same proven protection and control functionality as with ABB’s turnkey solution.