Implementation of a Virtualized PMU in a CPC Platform Based on IEC61850 Sampled Values

This article presents the implementation of phasor measurement units (PMUs) using IEC61850 sampled values (SVs) in a centralized protection and control (CPC) platform called EPICS platform. The SV-PMU microservice is developed and implemented via software on an EDGE Server. Two versions of the SV-PMU microservice were implemented and evaluated, the first one uses a two-cycle finite impulse response (FIR) filter, and the second one uses a one-cycle FIR filter. Both implementations use the signals generated by a stand-alone merging unit (SAMU) as input. The SV-PMU microservice performance is evaluated in the laboratory in both steady and transient states according to IEEE/IEC 60255-118-1:2018 standard. The evaluation tests were executed using a real-time digital simulator (RTDS). Two methods for the evaluation of the behavior of the PMUs in terms of total vector error (TVE), frequency error (FE), and RFE were implemented. The tests results demonstrate the microservice’s compliance with the synchrophasor standards requirements in terms of TVE, FE, RFE, and latency. Future improvements are required to warrantee the TVE values during 10% rated current magnitude test. This implementation enhances the EPICS platform’s capabilities as a CPC system in digital substations and to contribute to the deployment of wide area monitoring, protection, and control (WAMPAC) systems in the power grid. This work includes the comparison of the behavior of SV-PMU microservice with a commercial PMU to validate its real-world applicability.