DISTRIBUTION PROTECTION
Advanced Distribution Protection
Increases System Resiliency
ComEd employs an advanced distribution protection scheme to reduce momentary outages
and speed up protection.
By SCOTT WETHY, JOHN PREHN III, STEVEN WALKER and DALE PLAYER, Commonwealth Edison Co.
A
s the electric distribution system transforms into a smarter
network, Commonwealth Edison Co.’s distribution auto-
mation team has embarked on a step-change journey that
will transform distribution operations. Engineering per-
sonnel with specialized skill sets are advancing distribution grid
capabilities through the expansion of distribution automation
(DA) and next-generation equipment that supports communica-
tion-assisted grid protection and restoration. This advancement
in distribution protection philosophy is key to ComEd’s focus on
providing a premier customer experience by improving power
quality and limiting momentary outages.
Because of the limitations of existing communication systems,
DA systems traditionally have relied on time-based coordination
between distribution reclosers and substation devices for distri-
bution grid protection functionality. However, DA continues to
gain widespread acceptance by moving to a low-latency, high-
speed communication network, enabling the deployment of an
advanced communication-assisted protection philosophy. This
28 T&D World | June 2021
enhances the efficiency of fault identification and isolation by
providing greater selectivity in device operation, allowing faster
clearing times for fault energy removal and driving down un-
necessary momentary outages.
Limitations And Challenges
Historic DA practices rely on time-based protection coordina-
tion between devices. Time-based coordination requires the DA
recloser time curve to coordinate with the station breaker relay-
ing time curve. Time overcurrent protection typically has the
speed needed to isolate distribution faults with minimal damage.
However, the problem lies in overcurrent coordination with other
downstream devices, which inherently slows down protection.
To coordinate, the station breaker relay’s time curve typically is
slowed from the pre-distribution automation settings that allow
the DA devices to operate faster, isolating faults downstream
before the station breaker clears the whole circuit. Although this
accomplishes device coordination, it requires a slower trip curve

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1,000
100
Above avalailable fault current
Time in seconds
10
1.0 With DA
No DA
0.1
0.01
1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000
Current in Amperes
Station relaying phase time overcurrent comparison requirements.
at the station, which creates undesired increased fault times and
stress on system components.
To effectively realize the full potential of communication-
assisted distribution protection schemes, a couple of essential
components are required:
• Protection speed communication network that is acces-
sible to link the DA and substation devices together. Power
quality, upstream conductor slap and equipment health
from fault stress are all factors to consider when determin-
ing a clearing time for faults, which has relay, communica-
tion and breaker speed components. For power quality of
industrial loads and equipment health,
a clearing time of 10 cycles would be ideal. Considering
distribution breaker operating times typically are five
cycles, this only leaves five cycles for the relaying and
communication scheme to operate for the identified fault.
• Common communication protocol to use for communica-
tion between devices. The DA devices must be capable of
communicating through the selected protocol. The IEC
61850 generic object-oriented substation events (GOOSE)
messaging protocol is one of the more effective solutions.
A challenge the industry faces is not all manufactured DA
devices currently support IEC 61850.
Advanced Protection Scheme
Fiber communication enables DA devices to deploy an advanced
protection scheme incorporating the IEC 61850 communication
protocol. Use of the GOOSE messaging protocol enables the
vendor-agnostic, low-latency transmission of digital data between
DA devices and station protection relays. The IEC 61850 standard
is a scalable and future-proof solution for DA schemes, which is
vital for a sustainable solution. The two focus areas in developing
an advanced protection scheme that will provide a significant
improvement to the system are as follows:
• Reduction in momentary outages
 DISTRIBUTION PROTECTION

latency requirement of 10 msec as the

Avoid Momentary Outage
Station DA DA
breaker device device
1 2
IEC 61850 protection scheme one-line diagram.
• Ability to speed up protection set points to remove fault
energy from the system faster.
Reduce Momentary Outages
The configuration of distribution protection systems does not
allow enough margin to stack multiple distribution recloser
time current curves, which is needed for proper coordination.
Normally closed reclosers are programmed to operate on the
same overcurrent set points, resulting in distribution reclosers
overtripping for a fault that ultimately is outside its zone of protec-
tion. This creates unnecessary momentary outages for customer
segments that are avoidable if these intelligent devices could
communicate, in protection speed, with each other.
In developing its communication network, ComEd set a
maximum allowable latency between
devices. This communication speed
Trip enables an IEC 61850 GOOSE peer-
to-peer messaging scheme to be used
for improving both protection and res-
toration efforts. The initial protection
DA DA tie
device device use case entailed momentary outage
3
reduction and faster clearing times.
During a fault condition, the ex-
pected outcome from the scheme is
to isolate the faulted segment with
the closest interrupting device and
avoid operation of all upstream de-
vices. This avoidance of upstream DA device operations is not
accomplished if all reclosers have the same overcurrent curve
settings without communication. An IEC 61850 advanced com-
munication-assisted protection scheme results in an avoided
momentary outage for customers fed within those segments.
Through IEC 61850, GOOSE messages are transmitted and
received in near-real time to ensure proper coordination be-
tween the devices. On detection of abnormal current on the
line, the devices publish a GOOSE message onto the network
to inform subscribers it experienced an overcurrent event.
The scheme is set up so that only neighboring devices sub-
scribe to the published message in the normal configuration.
This enables the source direction to change, but the scheme
remains functional. If an overcurrent condition is detected,

32 T&D World | June 2021

 DISTRIBUTION PROTECTION

the device publishes a block to signal, they restrain operation of

its adjacent devices: the fast overcurrent element. This
For all devices except the configuration ensures protection
station breaker: is always enabled, independent of
• If two block signals are the communication network. For
received, then do not trip. fault-on-fault scenarios, it also en-
• If one block signal is sures an upstream DA device can
received, then trip. operate during the fault prior to
For the station breaker: the substation breaker.
• If one block signal is
received, then do not trip. Speed Up Protection
• If no block signals are The second focus area in an ad-
received, then trip. vanced protection scheme is the
For a normally open tie: ability to speed up protection.
• If the device is open at the As DA devices are installed on
time of fault, then no action the system, it results in having
is required. to slow down the protective ele-
• If the device is abnormally ments at the substation to ensure
closed: proper coordination. This is not
• And two block signals are ideal but necessary, given the ex-
received, then do not trip. isting communication constraints.
• And one block signal is With an IEC 61850 communica-
received, then trip. tion scheme, it is now possible to
The device settings are created communicate directly into the
to enable multiple overcurrent ComEd’s lab setup. substation, providing the ability
elements: one is a communication-supervised fast overcur- to speed up protection.
rent element and the other a non-supervised slow overcur- With GOOSE messages, the fast, supervised element at the
rent element. When the subscribing devices receive a block substation does not have to follow typical coordination margin

June 2021 | T&D World 33

 DISTRIBUTION PROTECTION

Existing Coordination Enhanced Coordination

1,000 1,000
140 k 140 k

DA Substation DA Substation
100 100

Above avalailable fault current

Above avalailable fault current

Time in seconds
Time in seconds

10 10
3,000 amp fault clears 3,000 amp fault clears
in 1.059 seconds • 1. Relayed circuit breaker - phase in 0.45 seconds
Amps: 3028.952
Seconds: 1.059
• 1. Relayed circ
circuit
rc
cuuit br
u breaker
reake
er - phase
e
1.0 1.0 Amps: 3028
A 3028.952
9522
Seconds: 0.45
S

0.1 0.1

0.01 0.01
1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000
Current in Amperes Current in Amperes

Protection comparison of existing coordination (left) vs. enhanced coordination (right).

principles, because of the substation relay subscribing to its This results in fault energy being removed from the system
neighboring DA device. On receipt of a block message, the fast 57% faster, which reduces material failures as cable insulation,
element is restrained from operating, which results in significant transformer windings, conductors, switchgear and other related
improvement in speeding up protection on the circuit. For ex- equipment experience shorter periods of fault current, reduc-
ample, a 3000-A fault is cleared 57% faster than with the current ing the stress on that equipment. Communication between the
communication infrastructure. substation DA devices provides additional benefits, specifically
regarding advanced restoration efforts.

Next Steps
ComEd’s next steps in deploying an ad-
vanced protection scheme is to continue
implementing and increasing in-service
recloser exposure to gain additional ben-
efits. As devices are operated under fault
condition and system conditions provide
additional information, schemes will con-
tinue to be improved and incorporate
lessons learned. In parallel, ComEd will
continue to leverage the fiber network for
recloser scheme advancement beyond its
initial use cases.

SCOTT WETHY (scott.wethy@comed.com), serves on the

distribution automation team at Commonwealth Edison.

JOHN PREHN III (john.prehniii@comed.com), serves

on the distribution automation team at Commonwealth
Edison.

STEVEN WALKER (steven.walker@comed.com),

serves on the distribution automation team at
Commonwealth Edison.

DALE PLAYER (dale.player@comed.com), serves on the

distribution automation team at Commonwealth Edison.

34 T&D World | June 2021