What is IEC 61850?
IEC 61850 is the international standard for communication in substations and smart grids. We explain the data model, GOOSE, MMS and the key benefits.
In this article
IEC 61850 is an international standard for communication and interoperability in substation and grid automation. It defines how devices from different manufacturers exchange data in substations – and increasingly in smart grids – based on a common data model and standardized communication services.
What is IEC 61850 used for?
Originally developed for substation automation, IEC 61850 today covers a broad range of applications:
- Protection and control in substations
- Communication between intelligent electronic devices (IEDs)
- Integration of distributed energy resources such as wind and PV into smart grids
- Condition monitoring, measurement and digital substations
How is IEC 61850 structured?
The standard separates the actual function from the communication technology. Three building blocks are central:
- A data model based on logical nodes: standardized, self-describing building blocks for functions such as protection, measurement or switching.
- Communication services with protocol mappings: MMS for client/server communication, GOOSE for fast event messaging in protection, and Sampled Values (SV) for transmitting measured values.
- The Substation Configuration Language SCL (XML files such as ICD, CID and SCD): enables vendor-independent, end-to-end engineering.
What are the benefits of IEC 61850?
- Interoperability across vendors – devices from different manufacturers work together.
- Less wiring, as GOOSE messages run over Ethernet instead of copper cabling.
- Uniform, self-describing data models instead of proprietary point lists.
- Future-proof for smart grids and the digitalization of substations.
How secure is IEC 61850?
Because IEC 61850 communicates over standard Ethernet and TCP/IP, cybersecurity is increasingly important. The IEC 62351 series complements IEC 61850 with security mechanisms such as authentication and encryption (e.g. TLS) – essential for protecting critical infrastructure.
IEC 61850 in practice – how IESOFT supports you
As a specialist for communication protocols in the energy sector, we support you with IEC 61850 from concept to secure operation: development, consulting and training, the right products such as AXS4 61850 and the IEC 61850 Server Simulator, as well as certification of your devices to IEC 61850-10. Get in touch.
Published on:
