[Techtaffy Newsdesk]

IEEE has announced five new standards, as well as a modified standards-development project for  smart grid worldwide. “The new standards approved by the IEEE-SA Standards Board are the byproduct of intensifying smart-grid deployment around the world,” said Judith Gorman, managing director, IEEE-SA.

‘Smart grid’ generally refers to a class of technology people are using to bring utility electricity delivery systems into the 21st century, using computer-based remote control and automation.

Smart-grid standards newly published by IEEE-SA include the following:

• IEEE C37.118.1-2011 – Standard for Synchrophasor Measurements for Power Systems – is intended to define synchronized phasors and frequency measurements in substations, along with methods and requirements for verifying such measurements in power system analysis and operations under both static and dynamic conditions.
• IEEE C37.118.2-2011 – Standard for Synchrophasor Data Transfer for Power Systems – is intended to specify a method (including messaging types, use, contents and data formats) for real-time communications among phasor measurement units (PMUs), phasor data concentrators (PDCs) and other power-system applications.
• IEEE C37.238-2011 – Standard Profile for Use of IEEE Std. 1588 Precision Time Protocol in Power System Applications – is designed to provide precise time synchronization within and among substations across wide geographic areas via Ethernet communications networks. The standard is intended to extend proven techniques for precise time distribution to applications such as mission-critical power-system protection, control, automation and data communication.
• IEEE C37.232-2011 – Standard for Common Format for Naming Time Sequence Data Files (COMNAME) – is designed to define the naming of time sequence data (TSD) files that originate from digital-protection and -measurement devices. The standard procedure—gaining in popularity among major utilities, independent system operators and manufacturers and recommended for use by North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC)—helps resolve problems associated with reporting, saving, exchanging, archiving and retrieving large numbers of files.
• IEEE 1020-2011 – Guide for Control of Small (100 kVA to 5 MVA) Hydroelectric Power Plants – updates an existing IEEE standard to address significant technology changes impacting small hydro-plant control issues and monitoring requirements that have emerged since the guide’s original publication.

Additionally, IEEE-SA recently modified the scope and purpose of an existing standards-development project related to the smart grid. IEEE P1409– Draft Guide for the Application of Power Electronics for Power Quality Improvement on Distribution Systems Rated 1 kV Through 38 kV – is being developed to introduce and define the emerging technology of “custom power” and detail guidelines and performance expectations for its application in improving power quality and control.

[Image Courtesy: Energy.Gov]