Control Architecture for Power Distribution Systems
Based on IEC 61850, IEC 61499 and Holonic
Concepts
Valentin Vlad, Cezar D. Popa, Radu D. Pentiuc, Corneliu Buzduga
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department
Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava
Suceava, Romania
{vladv | cezarp | radup | cbuzduga}@eed.usv.ro
Abstract—This paper proposes a control architecture for future
power distribution systems, which combines the specifications of
the international standards IEC 61850 and IEC 61499 with
concepts from the field of multi-agent systems. Models for
substation automation systems are proposed, relying on IEC
61499 function blocks for the implementation of the control logic
and on IEC 61850 abstract services for communication and
information exchange between the intelligent electronic devices.
For efficient structuring and distribution of control, holonic
models were proposed and exemplified for power substations.
Keywords- power grid, holonic, function blocks, IEC 61850,
IEC 61499
I. INTRODUCTION
The power distribution systems are becoming more and
more complex due to the increasing number of composing
entities (with various control opportunities) both on the energy
production and consumption sides. As example one can
consider the future homes with local grid-connected energy
sources, plug-in vehicles, battery storage and smart meters for
monitoring the energy consumption and production. The
efficient management of energy in this complex and dynamical
context impose an increasing of the power grid automation and
the development of new control architectures based on
intelligent and distributed control paradigms.
An important step in power grid automation was the
development of the international standard IEC 61850, initially
focused on the communication between the intelligent
electronic devices (IEDs) within substations [1], [2]. The
standard specifies how the data should be organized in IEDs,
defines a list of services for reading and modifying these data,
and proposes a mapping of the data and services to a specific
communication protocol. However, the standard do not impose
a specific type of implementation for the control logic within
IEDs, nor how different control components in the same IED
should communicate with each other, but rather the external
behavior of the control devices.
A convenient solution for developing distributed and
reconfigurable control applications is the one proposed by the
IEC 61499 standard [3], which is focused on applying function
blocks in the design of distributed industrial-process
measurement and control systems. IEC 61499 includes
advanced software technologies, such as the encapsulation of
functionality, component-based design, event-driven execution
and distribution, and is considered a complementary standard
to the IEC 61131 standard for PLCs.
Ongoing research is also carried out on the development of
intelligent and distributed control architectures for efficient
integration and management of the energy sources and
consumers within the grid, at different aggregation levels. Most
of the proposed control architectures are based on concepts
from multi-agent systems and standards like FIPA (Foundation
for Intelligent Physical Agents), the representative examples
including [4], [5], [6], [7] and [8]. A popular agent-based
paradigm is also the holonic control [9], applied by researchers
in both the area of manufacturing and electric power
distribution.
In this paper we present our work on developing a control
architecture for power distribution systems, combining the
specifications of the IEC 61850 standard (for communications),
the function block models defined by IEC 61499 (for
encapsulation of the control logic) and holonic concepts, for
behavioral and organizational aspects. The rest of the paper is
organized as follows. The next chapter presents a control
architecture for substation automation systems based on the
standards IEC 61850 and IEC 61499. The third chapter defines
holonic models for power distribution control systems and the
last one presents implementation aspects for the control
architecture introduced in chapter two.
II. CONTROL ARCHITECTURE FOR SUBSTATION
AUTOMATION SYSTEMS BASED ON IEC 61850 AND IEC 61499
In presenting the proposed architecture we assume that the
reader has already basic knowledge of the IEC 61850 and IEC
61499 standards, the previously mentioned references being
useful in this regard.
As anticipated in introduction, our approach for
implementing control applications for substation automation
relies on IEC 61499 models for the control logic and on IEC
61850 specifications for communication and information
exchange between IEDs. As illustrated in Fig. 1, we propose a
logical node be modeled and implemented as a network of
function blocks mapped to an IEC 61499 resource. The
function blocks network will contain a principal function block
encapsulating the data of the logical node (as specified in the
IEC 61850 standard) and function blocks for internal
communications (with logical nodes in the same device) or for
interfacing with the primary equipment of the power system.
The principal function block of a logical node will receive
information from the process or from other logical nodes, and
will generate actions and/or will update its internal data
according to the encapsulated control algorithms. In the
example in Fig. 1 we considered a protection IED with three
logical nodes: LLN0 (containing device information), PTOC
(Protection Time Overcurrent) and PTRC (Protection Trip
Conditioning). The principal function blocks of the logical
nodes can be implemented as IEC 61499 service interface
function blocks (SIFBs).
As to the communication part, an IEC 61850 server should
be implemented as specified in part 7-2 of the standard. The
server will exhibit outside the data indicated in the IED
configuration file (defined according to the IEC 61850
Substation Configuration description Language – SCL),
updated continuously from the function blocks implementing
the control logic. In our approach the synchronization of data
between the control logic and the server is realized through a Figure 1. Logical nodes modeled as networks of function blocks, mapped to
modified IEC 61499 remote device, including functions for resources
accessing data in principal function blocks, based on their IEC
61850-compliant references. This mechanism, along with the The transmission of GOOSE (Generic Object Oriented
control architecture, is illustrated in Fig. 2, considering the Substation Events) messages or sampled values using multicast
example of a breaker IED. can be realized with specialized service interface function
blocks, transmitting the data at regular intervals or when
In the example in Fig. 2 the circuit breaker is modeled as a requested by principal function blocks. In the example
logical node of type XCBR, implemented in the XCBR illustrated in Fig. 2 the GOCB service interface function blocks
Resource as a network of function blocks, the principal models a Goose Control Block.
function block (XCBR SIFB) encapsulating the data of the
logical node.

Figure 2. Proposed control and communication architecture (example for a Breaker IED)
 III. HOLONIC MODELS FOR POWER DISTRIBUTION
CONTROL SYSTEMS
The power distribution systems include a large and

Substation Level
diversified range of equipment, from equipment within power
substations to the domestic renewable energy sources and
smart appliances. In defining the architecture of holons we
focused on the area of power substations, but the proposed

Bay Level
models can easily be extended to other areas.
A holon is an intelligent entity with decision-making
capabilities, which can interact with other holons to collect
information for his decisions or provide information to them. In

Process Level
structuring the control of the power substations according to
the holonic principles, we tried to keep the architecture and
models defined by the IEC 61850 specifications. As showed in
Fig. 3, the standard groups control functions and data in logical
nodes (LNs) placed on different control levels (process, bay,
and station) and distributed among several IEDs.
Figure 3. Substation architecture according to IEC 61850
The process level is dedicated mainly to the acquisition of
data from the primary equipment, transmission of this data to
the devices on the upper levels, and execution of the received
control commands. The devices on the bay level include logical
nodes for protection and control of the primary equipment,
which in some cases collect information from other bays for
their decisions. Due to these control responsibilities, we
decided to define the simple holons at the bay level. A simple
holon will include in this case the primary equipment of a bay,
the modules for acquisition and transmission of data, the IEC
61850 logical nodes for protection and control of the bay, and
an intelligent component for local decision and interaction with
other holons. Fig. 4 depicts the proposed general architecture of
a simple holon.
Fig. 5 contains the example of a simple holon modeling a
transformer bay. The meanings of the acronyms for the IEC
61850 logical nodes are given Table 1.

TABLE I. EXPLANATION OF THE LOGICAL NODES ACRONYMS

LN Acronym LN Description
XSWI Circuit switch
Figure 4. Architecture of a simple holon
XCBR Circuit breaker

TCTR Current transformer

YLTC Tap changer

CSWI Switch controller

CILO Interlocking

MMXU Measurement

PTOC Protection time overcurrent

ATCC Automatic tap changer controller

The simple bay holons can be grouped along with station-

level control components in a complex holon, representing the
whole substation. The communication between the bay holons
is done through the station bus, as illustrated in Fig. 6.
Figure 5. Example of a simple holon for a transformer bay
 Figure 6. Simple bay holons grouped in a complex station holon

Different substation holons in a region can be further The control logic was implemented as an IEC 61499
grouped in a complex holon with high-level goals such as system with five devices, as illustrated in Fig. 9. The function
optimizing the distribution of energy in that region and blocks modeling the logical nodes were encapsulated in IEC
reducing the effects of perturbations. 61499 resources, named according to the syntax defined by the
IEC 61850 standard for the logical node names. For each
IV. IMPLEMENTATION ASPECTS OF THE CONTROL device, an IEC 61850 server was started, assuring a
ARCHITECTURE FOR SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEMS communication interface described in a SCL file. It can be
noted that there must exists direct correspondence between the
The proposed control architecture for substation automation data type templates defined in the SCL file and the data
systems was implemented and tested in a simple fault implemented in the FB-based logical nodes. For the
protection scenario, with simulated power equipment. The implementation of the IEC 61850 server we used the open
protection scenario (illustrated in Fig. 7) involves the source library presented at [10].
transmission of GOOSE messages between several IEC 61850
logical nodes for tripping a circuit breaker and for publishing
its new position.
The values measured by the current transformer (CT) are
transmitted to a PTOC logical node. When an overcurrent is
detected, PTOC communicates the anomalous condition to the
PTRC LN, which issues a trip command (in form of a GOOSE
message) to the XCBR LN. As a result the circuit breaker (CB)
is open and the new status is transmitted (also through GOOSE Circuit breaker is open
due to the overcurrent
messages) to the PTRC and RREC (Auto-reclosing) logical
nodes. After a short time, RREC issues a reclose command to
the XCBR LN, which closes the circuit breaker and publishes
its new status. The current through the feeder can be modified
Figure 8. User interface simulating the power system
through a user interface simulating the power system,
presented in Fig. 8.

Figure 7. Fault protection scenario

Figure 9. The IEC 61499 system implementing the control logic
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This paper has been financially supported within the project
entitled „SOCERT. Knowledge society, dynamism through
research”, contract number POSDRU/159/1.5/S/ 132406. This
project is co-financed by European Social Fund through
Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resources
Development 2007-2013. Investing in people!”
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