Digital Substations: Optimization Opportunities from Communication Architectures and Emerging Technologies

Digital electrical substations (DESs) represent a significant development for the electrical industry. New communication technologies and architectures have emerged alongside the development of DESs. This paper presents an analysis of typical communication architectures used in DESs. In addition, some optimization alternatives are identified, assessing the possible impacts on companies. Experimental tests were conducted in a laboratory to support the analysis performed in this research. Finally, some emerging topics and technologies supporting infrastructure optimization and technological adaptability are included. This study has revealed various impacts that companies must consider to effectively incorporate these architectures into the design and implementation processes of DESs. Finally, effective cybersecurity and access control policies should be implemented across all components of a DES to ensure successful implementations.