Smart substation control and protection SSC600

After 30 years of research and development, ABB’s SSC600 is a new approach for distribution networks that centralizes all substation protection and control functionality in just one digital device.

An electrical substation is an essential part of a complex system that delivers electric power from where it is produced to where it is consumed. Within a substation a wide range of equipment, such as switchgear, transformers, power system protection, communication equipment, voltage regulators and energy meters, all interact to ensure the availability of power in a safe and efficient manner. Substations come in different sizes to be used for different purposes. For example, a small substation can provide power to only a couple of homes, whereas a large substation can feed power to a small town or a large car manufacturing factory.

The safe operation of a substation is critical for both the people who work in or even pass near such a facility. Protecting the equipment installed within it is also critical to ensure power is distributed without interruptions. To ensure this safe operation, numerous devices and systems, such as protection relays and circuit breakers, need to be installed in the substation. However, providing adequate safety systems can result in numerous devices are installed in the substation, making the protection system complex. And a complex system is more difficult for a substation operator to maintain.

To help reduce the complexity, ABB introduced an innovative approach with the smart digital substation control and protection device SSC600, which has all the protection and control functionality needed for managing the substation centralized into one device, instead of using multiple devices. For example, a single SSC600 device, which is about the size of a DVD player, can handle the tasks of 30 protection relays.

Just as a smartphone needs to be updated regularly, it is also necessary to update the software of protection devices and introduce new features. With the SSC600 device all the protection and control functionalities can be updated as needed. With the upgrade of the protection system made easier the reliability of the substation in everyday operations increases as well.

Up to 15 percent savings can be achieved during the approximately 40-year-lifetime of a substation because the digital SSC600 device can take on new functionalities as needed. With SSC600 handling the protection functionality of several separate protection devices, further cost savings are achieved. For instance, instead of having separate protection devices for over-current, earth fault, and differential protection, and a standalone device for disturbance recordings, one SSC600 is all that is needed.

Key facts:

• One device covers the functionalities of 30 devices
• Up to 15% savings in life cycle costs
• Result of 30 years of research

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