The expansion of wind energy, photovoltaic and battery storage systems requires powerful network infrastructure and short implementation times. Conventional substation concepts are increasingly reaching their limits, as high assembly costs and an increasing shortage of skilled workers can slow down expansion. For the Iven West substation, a solution was therefore sought that would enable significantly faster construction and at the same time meet the highest requirements for availability, digitization and future security. The system combines the 380 kV, 110 kV and 33 kV voltage levels and, when completed, is used to supply more than 1 GW of power.

WT Energiesysteme built the 110 kV digital plant at the Iven West substation based on modern Siemens technologies. The focus was on the consistent use of a process bus architecture with digital protection, automation and communication technology. Thanks to the complete prefabrication and testing of the protection and control technology in the factory and a high degree of prefabrication of the system, installation and start-up costs on site were significantly reduced. The 110 kV plant was also used as an innovation platform to use and further develop modern technologies under real operating conditions. Particular attention was paid to a highly available system architecture with redundant protection and communication concepts as well as an optimized number of devices through the intelligent use of SIPROTEC 5 functionalities.

Project scope:

• SIPROTEC 5: 7SS85 busbar protection, 6MU85 merging units, 7SX85 universal devices
• Reserve protection with 7SX85 universal device for multiple fields
• SICAM control and remote control technology
• IEEE 1588 Grandmaster Clock with SIPROTEC 5
• RUGGEDCOM communication infrastructure
• Redundant communication and protection concepts, SIPROTEC 5 devices with redundant power supply
• 8DA10 medium-voltage switchgear