Türkiye’s first digital substation pilot

As utilities, power transmission and distribution operators continue to digitalize their electrical infrastructure, many global operators have embraced digital substation technology as a core enabler to increase safety, productivity and reliability of the grid.

As part of its efforts to modernize its electric grid, Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEİAŞ) is working with Hitachi Energy on a pilot project to implement Türkiye’s first digital substation.

Digital substations remove the last electrical connection between the high voltage equipment in the substation and the protection and control systems, creating a safer work environment, while reducing the costs for building, land, engineering, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the system. As a key component toward smarter grids, where utilities continue to integrate increasing amounts of intermittent renewable energy sources, digital substations offer improved data quality and a shorter decision time.

This collaborative initiative is part of the long-term relationship between TEİAŞ and Hitachi Energy, and responds to the Turkish Transmission System Operator’s (TSO) efforts to introduce digitalization into its substation operations to improve the reliability and efficiency of its overall network processes.

The project involved installing advanced digital substation equipment by creating a parallel feeder’s control & protection bay using process-bus technology designed under the IEC 61850 international standard. It aims to analyze and evaluate the performance of the digital solution compared to the existing conventional system in operation. This parallel operation enables a comprehensive, real-world comparison of performance and reliability, demonstrating the feasibility and advantages of digital transformation in critical energy infrastructure.

"This project is an important step in the digitalization of Türkiye's power transmission grid," said Yasemin Hosder Oztekin, Country Managing Director, Türkiye, at Hitachi Energy. "We're pleased to demonstrate the potential of digital substation technology and its key benefits for the industry."

This pilot project offers an important demonstrator for proving the potential of digital substation technology, from data collection and processing to its analysis capabilities. It is the first real-world application within an electrical utility in Türkiye, signifying a technological advancement for the nation's power transmission sector and setting the stage for future digitalization efforts.

"Modernizing our national grid is essential for ensuring a reliable, efficient, and future-ready energy supply for all of Türkiye," stated Orkun Kaya, Department of Substation Facilities, Automation Branch Office, Deputy Branch Manager: "This collaboration with Hitachi Energy on the first digital substation pilot allows us to thoroughly evaluate innovative solutions that can enhance our operational capabilities and support our move toward a more intelligent and sustainable power infrastructure."

"The successful implementation of this digital substation pilot shows our team's expertise and dedication," added Yasemin Hosder Oztekin, Country Managing Director at Hitachi Energy. "We look forward to seeing further implementations of digital technology in the power grid and its broader adoption across Türkiye, based on the insights gained from this project."

Hitachi Energy's approach to digitalizing substations, central to modern energy systems, is demonstrated through this project. This pilot effectively shows the practical feasibility and potential advantages of digital substation solutions in a live operational setting, building on Hitachi Energy's extensive global experience with hundreds of digital substation installations worldwide.