Overview
IEC TR 61850-90-3:2016 - “Communication networks and systems for power utility automation - Part 90-3: Using IEC 61850 for condition monitoring diagnosis and analysis” is a Technical Report from the IEC that describes how to apply IEC 61850 for condition monitoring (CM), diagnosis and analysis across power utility assets. The report focuses on communication aspects of sensor networks and the information exchange required between field sensors and asset management systems. This edition includes the November 2020 corrigendum.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope & approach
- Application-specific viewpoint covering multiple IEC 61850 parts; intended results to feed amendments into the standard family (similar to IEC 61850-90-1).
- Use cases and asset coverage
- Detailed CMD (condition monitoring and diagnosis) use cases for major assets: GIS, power transformers, load tap changers (LTC), underground cables, transmission lines, auxiliary power systems, and more.
- Data modelling & logical nodes
- Recommendations for modelling sensor data, new and extended Logical Nodes (LNs) and abstract LN classes to represent CM items (tanks, towers, sensors).
- IEC 61850 services
- How to use Dataset, Log, Report, Polling, SCSM and other IEC 61850 services to support CM workflows and diagnostics.
- Communication and performance
- Requirements for response behavior, data integrity, WAN communications, performance and plug-and-play considerations for sensor integration.
- Asset management integration
- Information exchange patterns between CM systems and asset management / ERP systems, maintenance workflow support and data lifecycle considerations.
- Practical CM techniques referenced
- Examples include partial discharge (PD) monitoring, dissolved gas analysis, temperature and bushing monitoring, and sensor-network topologies - with guidance on mapping these items into IEC 61850 models.
Practical applications and users
Who benefits:
- Power utilities implementing condition-based maintenance and asset management.
- Substation and grid automation engineers designing IEC 61850-based CM systems.
- OEMs and sensor vendors mapping sensor outputs to IEC 61850 Logical Nodes and services.
- System integrators and software developers building gateways, SCADA, or CM analytics that exchange CM data using IEC 61850.
- Asset managers and maintenance planners using standardized CM data for diagnostics, maintenance scheduling and ERP updates.
Practical value:
- Enables interoperability between sensors, protection and asset management systems.
- Standardizes CM data models to support remote diagnosis, alarm/reporting and historical analysis.
- Provides guidance for reliable WAN and substation communications to meet performance and data-integrity needs.
Related standards
- IEC 61850 (core standard for substation automation)
- IEC 61850-90-1 (communication between substations - similar application-driven approach)
- IEC 61850-5 (performance and system requirements referenced in the report)
Keywords: IEC TR 61850-90-3, IEC 61850, condition monitoring, power utility automation, asset management, sensor networks, partial discharge, GIS, transformer monitoring, logical nodes, data modelling, interoperability.