Procedures for testing control and protection scheme based on GOOSE messages-methodology and constraints from engineering perspective

In last few years, almost all substations commissioned worldwide are having the IEC 61850-8-1 based Substation Automation System (SAS) which includes the SCADA, control and protection system. The protection and control schemes (mostly the control schemes) commissioned include the inter bay/ inter device communication in the form of GOOSE (Generic Object Oriented Substation Events) messages. In the conventional systems the inter bay/ inter device communication was only through hard wiring as such the testing/ validation of schemes was very easy and was done by shorting the output contacts of device initiating the scheme and verifying the DC positive voltage at the intended input terminals of the receiving device. However in case of schemes involving GOOSE messages the verification of scheme or diagnosis of a problem requires simulation or tracing of GOOSE messages. Almost all the relay test kits, now, have the IEC 61850 ports for testing the protection and control schemes through simulation of GOOSE messages. This paper reports the findings based on a case study as an illustration of requirements of testing methodology for schemes based on GOOSE messages.