Abstract
The present paper presents the implementation of next-generation centralized Protection, Automation, and Control (PAC) solution for Medium Voltage (MV) power grids, developed in the scope of the SCALE project [1]. The main goals of the project are the development, testing, and field pilot deployment of an innovative, fully digital PAC system for Substation Automation (SAS), centralizing in a single device the functionalities of several bay-level Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED). The envisioned system, comprised of a Centralized Protection and Control (CPC) device and Merging Units (MU)/Process Interface Units (PIU), constitutes a highly flexible, resilient, future-proof solution that relies both on modern IEC 61850 standards and on legacy industrial protocols to guarantee multi-vendor interoperability and continued integration with multi-generation devices inside and outside of the substation. Centralizing SAS functionalities in a single device provides access to a wide range of data and measurements that unlocks technologically advanced substation-centric network automation applications. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2023.