Cisco and Hitachi collaborate on digitizing substation protection and control

Cisco and Hitachi Ltd. are collaborating to revolutionize substation protection and control through digitization. This transformation involves replacing traditional copper cables with fiber optic ethernet, boosting throughput to enable more critical substation data while significantly reducing installation and maintenance complexity and cost through cabling simplification. Hitachi selected Cisco based on their extensive experience in industrial ethernet, and their purpose-built utility certified switches including the Catalyst IE9300, which make substation digitization compliant with IEC 61850 standards. Additionally, Cisco’s Validated Designs serve as a blueprint demonstrating the effectiveness of their industrial networking products in real-world substation environments. The adoption of these standardized solutions streamlines deployments, providing a more efficient and reliable approach to infrastructure management. 

 Key benefits of substation digitization  

1. Reduced Cable Usage: By using fiber cables, the number of physical cables is minimized, leading to easier installation and reduced maintenance efforts. 
2. Enhanced Communication: Digitization improves communication within substations, covering both protection and control functions. The system centralizes data transmission, enhancing operational reliability and safety. 
3. Centralized Control: Hitachi’s Centralized Protection and Control (CPC) system consolidates multiple Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) into a single unit, reducing equipment costs and improving system redundancy. 
4. Improved Reliability: The process bus, which carries critical data for asset protection and safety, requires high reliability. Compliance with the IEC 61850 standard ensures precise synchronization and data integrity across devices. 
5. Increased Throughput: Meeting the need for a modern digital substation with its increased number of devices such as synchrophasers, cameras, and other new devices that require substantially more bandwidth  
6. Environmental Impact: Fewer cables mean reduced material use, leading to lower CO2 emissions during production. 

Innovative technologies enhancing the efficiency and reliability of electric utilities for the long term

• Cisco’s Catalyst Industrial Ethernet Switches: Built to meet IEC 61850 standards, these switches facilitate reliable communication through GOOSE and SV control, ensuring the system’s robustness. 
• Hitachi’s Centralized Protection and Control (CPC): By bundling IEDs, Hitachi enhances redundancy, ensuring continuous operation even if one control unit fails. This approach prevents prolonged outages, ensuring a stable power supply. 
  • Virtualization ready: Once a substation is digitized, it paves the way for future efficiency and reliability through virtualization. Moving to fiber optic ethernet is a step towards full substation virtualization, and all the benefits it provides.  

Figure 1. Current substation with traditional copper cables vs. Cisco and Hitachi’s digital substation system

Strategic collaboration 

Cisco and Hitachi chose to collaborate due to complementary strengths that increase customer value. Cisco’s expertise in industrial networking technology combined with Hitachi’s leadership in protection and control offers a comprehensive digitization solution for utilities and other industries. This partnership aims to promote the widespread adoption of standardized Ethernet technology across electric utilities.  

 Future prospects 

The collaboration’s focus extends beyond Japan, aiming to enhance substation and infrastructure digitization globally. The digitization efforts promise numerous benefits, including improved safety, reduced labor shortages, and environmental advantages. Cisco and Hitachi are looking to expand these solutions to various industries, including railroads and high-voltage facilities, by highlighting benefits like maintainability, safety, and cost-effectiveness. 

 Conclusion 

Through this partnership, Cisco and Hitachi offer a path toward more efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly power management systems. This initiative not only addresses current industry challenges but also paves the way for future advancements in infrastructure management worldwide. 

The collaboration focuses on your substation digitization needs not only in the protection and control of the substation, but also in the WAN and grid security. Cisco offers industry leading purpose-built industrial networking products, as well as Utility Cisco Validated Designs (CVDs) that accelerate time to value and provide a validated blueprint as a secure and reliable network foundation for digitizing industrial operations. These Cisco Validated Designs cover a wide variety of utility use cases, including Substation Automation, Distribution Automation, Grid Security and Renewables Generation. Learn more.  

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