Energy management system data acquisition and performance testing

Summary form only given. Often simulating power system activity when testing a SCADA system relies on computer simulations that run on the vendors equipment and a true loading of the system cannot occur until the system has been installed and fully integrated. Using recently available technology, Tacoma Power developed a 98 RTU, 80000 plus point tester called "Master Blaster" for the purpose of fully testing data acquisition performance at the vendor's facility on a pre-contract award basis all the way through FAT and possible system upgrades. Four scenarios were tested, two of these prior to award a contract. The basic; test scenarios included up to 98 RTUs (serial and Ethernet depending on the scenario tested) communicating with the energy management system (EMS) front end processors (FEP) using DNP protocol, spread across the 98 RTUs was approximately 40000 each of status and analog inputs with over 5000 status alarms generated per minute, 25% of all analog inputs (10000 points) change every 2 seconds (and scanned at least at this frequency) and 37.5% of all analog inputs (15000 points) change every 6 seconds. This paper discusses the benefits gained from the testing, results of the testing and issues that arose during the testing including the use of DNP over Ethernet.