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Challenges

1. No centralized protection asset information

OETC had no unified repository for relay configurations, fault records, or asset health data. Engineers had to manually visit sites to retrieve event and disturbance files, often travelling long distances to remote substations.

2. Manual, time-consuming fault record collection

Fault data could only be extracted by physically connecting to each relay onsite. This caused delays, high operational costs, cybersecurity challenges, and significant downtime during critical incidents.

3. Multi-vendor, multi-protocol complexity

OETC operates protection relays from ABB, Siemens, GE, Toshiba and others, using protocols such as IEC 61850, IEC 60870-5-103, and legacy serial interfaces. Many older relays required manual processes or driver updates to access fault data.

4. Limited visibility during outages and incidents

When equipment tripped or transformers were under maintenance, engineers could not immediately diagnose the cause without travelling to the substation, delaying restoration efforts.

5. Need for advanced incident analysis and relay setting governance

Relay setting changes needed tracking, notifications, version control, and integration with centralized cybersecurity policies.

Selected applications

ETAP eProtect

• Automatic retrieval and storage of fault and event records
• Health monitoring, alarms, and notifications
• Remote upload/download of relay configurations (per cybersecurity policies)
• Remote management of protection

ETAP Digital Twin model

• Comprehensive digital twin of protection assets, synchronized with physical infrastructure and GIS
• Relay configuration history, change tracking, alarms, and data visualization
• Integration with ETAP Power Simulator for analysis and verification

ETAP AFAS

• Centralized fault record repository
• Root cause analysis support
• Asset performance indexing

ETAP STAR™

• Automated protection coordination (STAR Auto-Evaluation, STAR Zone, STAR Distance)
• Relay settings transferred directly from eProtect to the ETAP system model for validation
  

Main customer benefits

• Creation of a unified digital twin of the entire protection network. A complete view of all relay assets, configurations, alarms, and health status, accessible securely from anywhere.
• Massive reduction in site visits and operational delays. Engineers can access relay files, settings, and fault records remotely, eliminating time-consuming travel to distant substations.
• Improved incident response through automated fault record collection. Fault data is instantly centralized and available for analysis, improving restoration time and operational reliability.
• Full lifecycle management of relay settings. Version control, change notifications, approval workflows and secure remote updates ensure consistent and safe protection practices.
• Integration with GIS and scalable architecture. Relay locations and health indicators can be visualized geographically, with future integration to SCADA already planned.
• Foundation for advanced protection automation. This architecture enables future load-shedding schemes, Remedial Action Scheme (RAS) applications, and high-speed IEC 61850 GOOSE-based remedial actions.

In summary, ETAP eProtect enabled OETC to centralize all protection asset data, automate fault record retrieval, ensure relay health monitoring, and maintain a fully synchronized digital twin of the protection network. This system is connected through IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-103 protocol to link relays, events, and fault records. Fault records are stored in a database for detailed analysis and validation. The solution integrates seamlessly with the ETAP Power System Model for analysis, relay coordination, and incident investigation.

Customer perspectives