In 2023 Rivian commissioned an IEC 61850 digital switchgear lineup which included voltage and current sensors instead of conventional PTs (potential transformers) and CTs (current transformers). These sensors necessitated the integration of IEC 61850 Sampled Values and IEC 61850 GOOSE messaging to achieve the required protection and control schemes.
POWER Engineers reviewed the schemes, created commissioning test plans, and executed those test plans at the plant. Testing included the use of IEC 61850 specific testing tools from multiple vendors. Automated test plans were created in the testing tools which allowed us to perform this testing extremely efficiently.
One challenge for this testing was that at least one of the two buses had to remain in service during testing to feed the plant. Great care was taken to develop the test plans in a way that one bus could be tested without disturbing the other. The team relied heavily on the virtual isolation features of IEC 61850 to accomplish this goal.
This paper provides an in-depth review of how the switchgear was tested, testing equipment and software tools used, how each tool was used and the rationale for each tool selection. It also describes how the verification of proper operation was done, system behavior under failure conditions, and how the simulation of contingencies was performed.
Finally, the paper will capture key takeaways and lessons learned from the project.