2006-07-26 - Swiss lab recognized as test facility for global IEC 61850 standard
Zurich, Switzerland, July 26, 2006 – ABB, the leading power and automation technology company, said today that it has been recognized as a qualified test center to certify products as compliant with the new global standard for communication in substation automation, IEC 61850.
ABB is the first manufacturer to achieve official Conformance Test Center status as determined by the UCA International Users Group, an organization of utilities, vendors and users of communications for utility automation.
The certification authorizes ABB's System Verification and Validation Center in Baden, Switzerland, to perform IEC 61850 Conformance Testing in accordance with the group's Quality Assurance Testing Program Procedures.
“We’re very proud to be the first equipment manufacturer and system integrator to earn this important qualification,” says Samir Brikho, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “Such recognition reaffirms both our position as a market leader and our commitment to standards like IEC 61850 that will move our industry forward.”
The IEC 61850 standard makes it easier for various substation automation devices such as protection relays and bay controllers, as well as their engineering tools, to exchange data among each other. Recognition as a test center for products seeking compliance certification depends on meeting the strict procedures, guidelines and requirements laid down by UCA.
“Having a recognized test center enables us to give customers the assurance that our products are of high quality,” adds Brikho. “This will become more important as the IEC 61850 standard is applied even more widely and the demand for compliant products increases.”
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 105,000 people.