CIGRE 2012, Paris, France – August 28, 2012 – Alstom Grid and Cisco today announced the signing of a commercial and technology agreement to develop the next generation of digital substation solutions for electrical grids. This collaboration utilizes Alstom's smart grid expertise in digital substation solutions with Cisco's leadership in connected grid solutions and Internet Protocol (IP) communication technologies; together providing a solution that further supports the industry's grid modernization efforts.
The solution, which integrates Cisco's ruggedized substation-grade Connected Grid™ routers and switches with communications and cyber-security functions along with Alstom's cutting edge DS Agile™ control system for substation automation, will create a new level of IP-based communication performance for integrated cyber security, distributed monitoring and controls. This will provide key energy and information transfer hubs within modern grid architectures.
The benefits for electric utilities and substation operators include:
- Enhanced security in smart grid-enabled digital substations: The Alstom-Cisco solution can enable utility operators to provide comprehensive protection to address security policies, manage user access to critical resources, and the ability to detect and mitigate possible cyber attacks across the entire grid infrastructure. The digital substation architecture incorporates comprehensive security controls based on NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) recommendations.
- Enhanced operational efficiency through optimized automation architecture: This layered architectural approach can provide optimal deployment for substation automation and the design phase of technology implementation. It also allows easy design and integration of communication infrastructure with the critical protection and control, asset monitoring and grid management equipment. The intelligence within the validated digital substation schemes can allow close monitoring of the load capacity of plant equipment and permits operation of grid equipment closer to their limits. Additionally, the substation network supports existing and new communication standards such as IEC 61850, as well as the prioritization of control data traffic over non-operations data traffic.
- Reduced operations and maintenance costs: The digital substation solution, based on Cisco's multi-service network and Alstom's next generation IEDs, will provide utilities the flexibility to deploy multiple applications over a common network infrastructure. The solution uses a layered architecture approach, enabling it to support both wired and wireless communications over the same converged network. The solution allows asset managers to implement preventive maintenance programs resulting in longer asset life and lower maintenance costs. The solution also provides intelligent systems for substation operators to monitor and control all substation assets for optimizing operations costs.
Patrick Plas, Senior Vice-President Grid Power and Automation, Alstom Grid said, "this collaboration between Alstom and Cisco brings our digital substation offering to yet another level of performance and reliability for our customers. We very much look forward to implementing its next steps and move towards the commercial roll-out of the solutions."
"Cisco has always recognized the need to develop sustainable agreements in the effort to achieve a smarter grid. Cisco's collaboration with Alstom makes available two sets of complementary technologies that will help our customers to secure their operations, achieve cost savings and extract greater value from existing technology infrastructure. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Alstom in developing the most effective substation solutions for the industry," declared Lionel Chocron, Vice-President and General Manager, Connected Energy Networks, Cisco.
About Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 92,000 people in around 100 countries. It had sales of €20 billion and booked close to €22 billion in orders in 2011/12.
Alstom Grid has over 100 years of expertise in electrical grids. Whether for utilities or electro-intensive industries or facilitating the trading of energy, Alstom Grid brings power to its customers' projects. Alstom Grid ranks among the top 3 in electrical transmission sector with an annual sales turnover of more than €4 billion. It has 20,000 employees and over 90 manufacturing and engineering sites worldwide. At the heart of the development of Smart Grid, Alstom Grid offers products, services and integrated energy management solutions across the full energy value chain—from power generation, through transmission and distribution grids and to the large end user.
Websites www.alstom.com, www.alstom.com/grid
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking, is helping the energy industry modernize the electrical grid from generation to distribution to consumption - with highly secure, reliable and scalable communications solutions. The Cisco Connected Grid solutions include: Transmission and Substation, Field Area Network, Grid Security, Data Center and Grid Operations. To learn more, please visit www.cisco.com/go/utilities.
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