Engineering for substations and switchgear – standards-compliant, consistent, from one data basis

Grid operators face two tasks at once. Existing substations have grown over decades and their documentation is inconsistent. At the same time, the number of new-build and conversion projects is rising due to grid expansion and the energy transition. TechnologiX takes care of both. We transfer your existing secondary systems documentation into Engineering Base and bring it up to the actual as-built state. For new builds and conversions, we design the secondary systems from the circuit diagram to the wiring diagram of the protection cabinet. Everything is created in line with the standards and in one shared data model that you use throughout the entire life cycle of your plants.

Our services

From transferring your existing documentation to complete engineering of the secondary systems.

1. 1

   Transferring existing documentation into Engineering Base

   Many municipal utilities know the situation: circuit diagrams from different CAD generations, red-line mark-ups on paper, terminal diagrams as scans. TechnologiX turns this into a reliable as-is status.

   • Review and assessment of the existing substation and secondary systems documentation
   • Data migration from legacy systems and formats such as ELCAD, RUPLAN and PDF
   • On-site as-built reconciliation: we compare the documentation with what is actually installed.
   • Incorporation of red-line mark-ups and undocumented changes
   • Uniform structuring and equipment designation across all substations
2. 2

   Project control, tendering and award

   • Project management and engineering management for new-build and conversion projects
   • Enquiry and tender specifications for protection and control, control cabinets and devices
   • Technical evaluation of offers as a basis for the award decision
   • Bills of quantities for installation and commissioning
3. 3

   Secondary systems for new builds and conversions

   • Circuit diagrams and schematic documents for the secondary systems
   • Functional descriptions for protection, control and interlocking functions
   • Terminal and wiring diagrams for protection, control and automation cabinets
   • Device and terminal lists
   • Cable lists and cable plans, including cable tray planning in the 3D model
   • Design of low-voltage power distribution, e.g. for the station auxiliary supply
   • Control cabinet design as manufacturing documents for the panel builder
   • Typical-based design for recurring bays, protection and control cabinets and substation types
   • Conversion planning during operation: we document interim states and construction phases traceably.
   • Support with commissioning and site supervision
4. 4

   Protection and control in accordance with IEC 61850

   In digital substations, hardware design and control system configuration are closely intertwined. We design both together.

   • Definition of protection and control in accordance with IEC 61850 in the same data model as the secondary systems hardware
   • Standards-compliant plant description as the basis for configuring protection and control
   • A continuous chain from circuit diagram to device configuration, without manual transfer between tools
5. 5

   Standards-compliant structure as a quality foundation

   Standards ensure that your documentation is still readable in 30 years, including by third parties. We apply them consistently:

   • IEC 81346Plant structure and reference designation (function-, product- and location-oriented)
   • IEC 81355Classification and designation of documents and information (successor to IEC 61355)
   • IEC 61082Standards-compliant structure of electrotechnical documents
   • IEC 61850Description and communication of protection and control

   • On request, we implement your company's internal designation guidelines, in addition to or building on the standards.
6. 6

   Operation and maintenance

   • Ongoing updating of the documentation when the grid changes
   • Modifications, functional extensions and minor conversions, e.g. new feeders, protection device replacement or control system retrofit
   • Provision of up-to-date documents for inspections, maintenance and fault clearance
   • Provision of plant data for your maintenance and servicing systems

Quality assurance: documentation that stands up to inspection

In grid operation, the documentation must be right, for operational safety, for switching-authorised personnel and for auditors. That is why quality assurance is an integral part of our process and not a check added at the end.

• Revision and change management: for every change, it is traceable who made it, when and why.
• Review and release workflows: changes only take effect after a defined review, according to the four-eyes principle or your internal release rules.
• Consistent versioning: every status has a unique revision index. Earlier states remain retrievable.
• Impact analysis: before a change, we show which documents, cabinets and disciplines are affected, so nothing is forgotten.
• Reconciling documentation and reality: regular as-built reconciliation ensures that the documented status matches what is actually installed.
• Standards-compliant designation: uniform structures in accordance with IEC 81346 make the documentation readable and verifiable for any qualified person.

The result is documentation that is technically correct and can be verified traceably at any time.