SIST EN 61850-6:2010

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2010
1DGRPHãþD
SIST EN 61850-6:2005
Komunikacijska omrežja in sistemi v postajah - 6. del: Jezik za opisovanje
konfiguracije za komunikacijo v postajah z inteligentnimi elektronskimi napravami
(IED) (IEC 61850-6:2009)
Communication networks and systems for power utility automation - Part 6: Configuration
description language for communication in electrical substations related to IEDs (IEC
61850-6:2009)
Kommunikationsnetze und -systeme für die Automatisierung in der elektrischen
Energieversorgung - Teil 6: Sprache für die Beschreibung der Konfiguration für die
Kommunikation in Stationen mit intelligenten elektronischen Geräten (IED) (IEC 61850-
6:2009)
Systèmes et réseaux de communication pour l'automatisation des services de
distribution d'énergie - - Partie 6: Langage pour la description de configuration pour la
communication dans les postes électriques, entre les dispositifs électroniques intelligents
(IED) (CEI 61850-6:2009)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 61850-6:2010
ICS:
29.240.30 Krmilna oprema za Control equipment for electric
elektroenergetske sisteme power systems
33.200 Daljinsko krmiljenje, daljinske Telecontrol. Telemetering
meritve (telemetrija)
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 61850-6
NORME EUROPÉENNE
February 2010
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 33.200 Supersedes EN 61850-6:2004

English version
Communication networks and systems for power utility automation -
Part 6: Configuration description language for communication in
electrical substations related to IEDs
(IEC 61850-6:2009)
Systèmes et réseaux de communication Kommunikationsnetze und -systeme
pour l'automatisation des services für die Automatisierung in der elektrischen
de distribution d'énergie - Energieversorgung -
Partie 6: Langage pour la description Teil 6: Sprache für die Beschreibung
de configuration pour la communication der Konfiguration für die Kommunikation
dans les postes électriques, in Stationen mit intelligenten
entre les dispositifs électroniques elektronischen Geräten (IED)
intelligents (IED) (IEC 61850-6:2009)
(CEI 61850-6:2009)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2010-02-01. CENELEC members are bound to comply
with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard
the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on
application to the Central Secretariat or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified
to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung

Central Secretariat: Avenue Marnix 17, B - 1000 Brussels

© 2010 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.
Ref. No. EN 61850-6:2010 E
Foreword
The text of document 57/1025/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 61850-6, prepared by IEC TC 57, Power
systems management and associated information exchange, was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC
parallel vote and was approved by CENELEC as EN 61850-6 on 2010-02-01.
This European Standard supersedes EN 61850-6:2004.
The main changes with respect to EN 61850-6:2004 are as follows:
– functional extensions added based on changes in other Parts, especially Parts 7-2 and 7-3;
– functional extensions concerning the engineering process, especially for configuration data exchange
between system configuration tools, added;
– provision of clarifications and corrections. Issues that require clarification are published in a database
available at www.tissue.iec61850.com. Arising incompatibilities are listed in 8.2.3.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN and CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights.
The following dates were fixed:
– latest date by which the EN has to be implemented
at national level by publication of an identical
(dop) 2010-11-01
national standard or by endorsement
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting
(dow) 2013-02-01
with the EN have to be withdrawn
Annex ZA has been added by CENELEC.
__________
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 61850-6:2009 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standards indicated:
IEC 61131-3 NOTE  Harmonized as EN 61131-3.
IEC 81346-2 NOTE  Harmonized as EN 81346-2.
__________
- 3 - EN 61850-6:2010
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.

NOTE  When an international publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the relevant EN/HD
applies.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year

IEC/TS 61850-2 - Communication networks and systems in - -
substations -
Part 2: Glossary
IEC 61850-5 - Communication networks and systems in EN 61850-5 -
substations -
Part 5: Communication requirements for
functions and device models
IEC 61850-7-1 - Communication networks and systems in EN 61850-7-1 -
substations -
Part 7-1: Basic communication structure for
substation and feeder equipment - Principles
and models
IEC 61850-7-2 - Communication networks and systems in EN 61850-7-2 -
substations -
Part 7-2: Basic communication structure for
substation and feeder equipment - Abstract
communication service interface (ACSI)

IEC 61850-7-3 - Communication networks and systems in EN 61850-7-3 -
substations -
Part 7-3: Basic communication structure for
substation and feeder equipment - Common
data classes
IEC 61850-7-4 - Communication networks and systems in EN 61850-7-4 -
substations -
Part 7-4: Basic communication structure for
substation and feeder equipment - Compatible
logical node classes and data classes

IEC 61850-8-1 - Communication networks and systems in EN 61850-8-1 -
substations -
Part 8-1: Specific Communication Service
Mapping (SCSM) - Mappings to MMS
(ISO 9506-1 and ISO 9506-2) and
to ISO/IEC 8802-3
IEC 61850-9-2 - Communication networks and systems in EN 61850-9-2 -
substations -
Part 9-2: Specific Communication Service
Mapping (SCSM) - Sampled values over
ISO/IEC 8802-3
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year

IEC 81346-1 - Industrial systems, installations and EN 81346-1 -
equipment and industrial products -
Structuring principles and reference
designations -
Part 1: Basic rules
ISO/IEC 8859-1 - Information technology - 8-bit single-byte - -
coded graphic character sets -
Part 1: Latin alphabet No.1
RFC 1952 - GZIP file format specification version 4.3 - -

RFC 2045 - Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) - -
Part 1: Format of Internet Message Bodies

- - Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 - -

- - XML Schema Part 1: Structures - -

- - XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes - -

IEC 61850-6 ®
Edition 2.0 2009-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Communication networks and systems for power utility automation –
Part 6: Configuration description language for communication in electrical
substations related to IEDs
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
PRICE CODE
XK
ICS 33.200 ISBN 2-8318-1069-7
– 2 – 61850-6 © IEC:2009(E)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.5
INTRODUCTION.7
1 Scope.8
2 Normative references.8
3 Terms and definitions .9
4 Abbreviations.10
5 Intended engineering process with SCL.11
5.1 General .11
5.2 Scope of SCL .11
5.3 Use of SCL in the Engineering process .12
5.4 IED modifications .15
5.5 Data exchange between projects .16
6 The SCL object model .18
6.1 General .18
6.2 The substation model .22
6.3 The product (IED) model.23
6.4 The communication system model .24
6.5 Modelling of redundancy .25
6.6 Data flow modelling .25
7 SCL description file types.26
8 SCL language.28
8.1 Specification method .28
8.2 Language versions and compatibility.30
8.3 SCL language extensions .33
8.4 General structure.36
8.5 Object and signal designation .37
9 The SCL syntax elements .41
9.1 Header .41
9.2 Substation description .43
9.3 IED description .56
9.4 Communication system description .87
9.5 Data type templates.94
10 Tool and project engineering rights .106
10.1 IED configurator .106
10.2 System configurator. 107
10.3 Right transfer between projects. 107
Annex A (normative) SCL syntax: XML schema definition . 109
Annex B (informative) SCL enumerations according to IEC 61850-7-3 and IEC 61850-7-4 . 147
Annex C (informative) Syntax extension examples. 153
Annex D (informative) Example . 166
Annex E (informative) SCL syntax: General XML schema definition . 180
Annex F (informative)  XML schema definition of SCL variants . 204
Annex G (normative)  SCL Implementation Conformance Statement (SICS). 210
Bibliography . 215

61850-6 © IEC:2009(E) – 3 –
Figure 1 – Reference model for information flow in the configuration process.13
Figure 2 – IED type description to System Configurator .14
Figure 3 – IED instance description to System Configurator .15
Figure 4 – Modification process.16
Figure 5 – Engineering right handling in projects.18
Figure 6 – SCL object model .20
Figure 7 – SA System Configuration example .22
Figure 8 – ICD files describing implementable IED types of a general IED class.28
Figure 9 – UML diagram overview of SCL schema .30
Figure 10 – Elements of the signal identification as defined in IEC 61850-7-2 .38
Figure 11 – Elements of the signal name using product naming .38
Figure 12 – Possible elements of the signal name using functional naming .39
Figure 13 – Names within different structures of the object model.40
Figure 14 – UML diagram of Header section .41
Figure 15 – UML diagram of Substation section.44
Figure 16 – UML diagram for equipment type inheritance and relations .48
Figure 17 – Substation section example .55
Figure 18 – IED structure and access points.57
Figure 19 – UML description of IED-related schema part – Base.58
Figure 20 – UML description of IED-related schema part for Control blocks .59
Figure 21 – UML description of IED-related schema part – LN definition .60
Figure 22 – UML diagram overview of the Communication section .88
Figure 23 – UML overview of DataTypeTemplate section .95
Figure C.1 – Coordinate example . 153
Figure C.2 – Schema overview . 156
Figure D.1 – T1-1 Substation configuration. 166
Figure D.2 – T1-1 Communication configuration . 167
Figure D.3 – T1-1 Transformer bay. 168

Table 1 – The files composing the XML schema definition for SCL.29
Table 2 – Attributes of the Private element .35
Table 3 – Attributes of the Header element.42
Table 4 – Attributes of the History item (Hitem) element .43
Table 5 – Primary apparatus device type codes .50
Table 6 – Attributes of the Terminal element.51
Table 7 – Attributes of the SubEquipment element.52
Table 8 – Attributes of the LNode element .53
Table 9 – General Equipment codes from IEC 61850-7-4.54
Table 10 – Attributes of the IED element .61
Table 11 – List of service capabilities and setting elements and attributes .63
Table 12 – Attributes of the Access point element.66
Table 13 – Attributes of the IED server element.68
Table 14 – Attributes of the Authentication element .69

– 4 – 61850-6 © IEC:2009(E)
Table 15 – Attributes of the LDevice element.69
Table 16 – Attributes of the LN0 element.70
Table 17 – Attributes of the LN element.71
Table 18 – Attributes of the DOI element .72
Table 19 – Attributes of the DAI element .73
Table 20 – Attributes of the SDI element .73
Table 21 – Attributes of the DataSet element.74
Table 22 – Attributes of the FCDA element.75
Table 23 – Attributes of the report control block element.76
Table 24 – Attributes of the RptEnabled element .77
Table 25 – Attributes of the ClientLN element .78
Table 26 – Attributes of the log control block element .80
Table 27 – Attributes of the GSE control block element.81
Table 28 – Attributes of the IEDName element .81
Table 29 – Attributes of the sampled value control block element.83
Table 30 – Attributes of the Smv Options element .83
Table 31 – Deprecated Smv options .84
Table 32 – Attributes of the setting control block element .84
Table 33 – Attributes of the Input/ExtRef element .86
Table 34 – Attributes of the association element.87
Table 35 – Attributes of the Subnetwork element .89
Table 36 – Attributes of the ConnectedAP element .90
Table 37 – Attributes of the GSE element .91
Table 38 – Attributes of the SMV element.92
Table 39 – PhysConn P-Type definitions .93
Table 40 – Template definition elements .97
Table 41 – Attributes of the LNodeType element.97
Table 42 – Attributes of the DO element .98
Table 43 – Attributes of the DOType element.98
Table 44 – Attributes of the SDO element.99
Table 45 – Data type mapping.99
Table 46 – Attribute value kind (Valkind) meaning . 100
Table 47 – Attributes of the DA element . 101
Table 48 – Attributes of the BDA element . 104
Table 49 – Attributes of the EnumType element. 105
Table G.1 – IED configurator conformance statement . 210
Table G.2 – System configurator conformance statement . 212

61850-6 © IEC:2009(E) – 5 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS
FOR POWER UTILITY AUTOMATION –

Part 6: Configuration description language for communication
in electrical substations related to IEDs

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61850-6 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 57: Power
systems management and associated information exchange.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, published in 2004, and constitutes a
technical revision.
The main changes with respect to the previous edition are as follows:
• functional extensions added based on changes in other Parts, especially Parts 7-2 and 7-3;
• functional extensions concerning the engineering process, especially for configuration data
exchange between system configuration tools, added;
• provision of clarifications and corrections. Issues that require clarification are published in a
database available at www.tissue.iec61850.com. Arising incompatibilities are listed in 8.2.3.

– 6 – 61850-6 © IEC:2009(E)
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
57/1025/FDIS 57/1041/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all the parts in the IEC 61850 series, under the general title Communication networks
1)
and systems for power utility automation, can be found on the IEC website.
This publication contains attached .xml and .xsd files. These files are intended to be used as a
complement and do not form an integral part of this standard.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until the
maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
A bilingual version of this standard may be issued at a later date.

IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates that it
contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct understanding of its
contents. Users should therefore print this document using a colour printer.
———————
1)
It has been decided to amend the general title of the IEC 61850 series from Communication networks and
systems in substations to Communication networks and systems for power utility automation. Henceforth, new
editions within the IEC 61850 series will adopt this new general title.

61850-6 © IEC:2009(E) – 7 –
INTRODUCTION
This part of IEC 61850 specifies a description language for the configuration of electrical
substation IEDs. This language is called System Configuration description Language (SCL). It
is used to describe IED configurations and communication systems according to IEC 61850-5
and IEC 61850-7-x. It allows the formal description of the relations between the utility
automation system and the process (substation, switch yard). At the application level, the
switch yard topology itself and the relation of the switch yard structure to the SAS functions
(logical nodes) configured on the IEDs can be described.
NOTE The process description, which is in this standard restricted to switch yards and general process functions,
will be enhanced by appropriate add-ons for wind mills, hydro plants and distributed energy resources (DER).
SCL allows the description of an IED configuration to be passed to a communication and
application system engineering tool, and to pass back the whole system configuration
description to the IED configuration tool in a compatible way. Its main purpose is to allow the
interoperable exchange of communication system configuration data between an IED
configuration tool and a system configuration tool from different manufacturers.
IEC 61850-8-1 and IEC 61850-9-2, which concern the mapping of IEC 61850-7-x to specific
communication stacks, may extend these definitions according to their need with additional
parts, or simply by restrictions on the way the values of objects have to be used.

– 8 – 61850-6 © IEC:2009(E)
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS
FOR POWER UTILITY AUTOMATION –

Part 6: Configuration description language for communication
in electrical substations related to IEDs

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61850 specifies a file format for describing communication-related IED
(Intelligent Electronic Device) configurations and IED parameters, communication system
configurations, switch yard (function) structures, and the relations between them. The main
purpose of this format is to exchange IED capability descriptions, and SA system descriptions
between IED engineering tools and the system engineering tool(s) of different manufacturers in
a compatible way.
The defined language is called System Configuration description Language (SCL). The IED and
communication system model in SCL is according to IEC 61850-5 and IEC 61850-7-x. SCSM
specific extensions or usage rules may be required in the appropriate parts.
The configuration language is based on the Extensible Markup Language (XML) version 1.0
(see XML references in Clause 2).
This standard does not specify individual implementations or products using the language, nor
does it constrain the implementation of entities and interfaces within a computer system. This
part of the standard does not specify the download format of configuration data to an IED,
although it could be used for part of the configuration data.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of
the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 61850-2, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 2: Glossary
IEC 61850-5, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 5: Communication
requirements for functions and device models
IEC 61850-7-1, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 7-1: Basic
communication structure for substation and feeder equipment – Principles and models
IEC 61850-7-2, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 7-2: Basic
communication structure for substation and feeder equipment – Abstract communication
service interface (ACSI)
IEC 61850-7-3, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 7-3: Basic
communication structure for substation and feeder equipment – Common data classes
IEC 61850-7-4, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 7-4: Basic
communication structure for substation and feeder equipment – Compatible logical node
classes and data classes
IEC 61850-8-1, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 8-1: Specific
Communication Service Mapping (SCSM) – Mappings to MMS (ISO 9506-1 and ISO 9506-2)
and to ISO/IEC 8802-3
61850-6 © IEC:2009(E) – 9 –
IEC 61850-9-2, Communication networks and systems in substations – Part 9-2: Specific
Communication Service Mapping (SCSM) – Sampled values over ISO/IEC 8802-3
IEC 81346-1, Industrial systems, installations and equipment and industrial products –
Structuring principles and reference designations – Part 1: Basic rules
ISO/IEC 8859-1, Information technology – 8-bit single-byte coded graphic character sets –
Part 1: Latin alphabet No. 1
RFC 1952, GZIP file format specification version 4.3, RFC, available at

RFC 2045, Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) Part One: Format of Internet
Message Bodies, RFC, available at
Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0, W3C, available at xml-20001006>
XML Schema Part 1: Structures, W3C, available at <3http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/REC-
xmlschema-1-20010502>
XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes, W3C, available at <4Hhttp://www.w3.org/TR/2001/REC-
xmlschema-2-20010502/>
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 61850-2 apply.
Additionally the following terms are used in the context of language name spaces. Only general
meanings are given here. More details about the handling in the context of SCL can be found
later in this standard.
3.1
extensible
a language is extensible if instances of the language can include terms from other vocabularies
NOTE This is fulfilled in SCL if the other vocabularies come with their own XML name space.
3.2
language
an identifiable set of vocabulary terms that has defined constraints
NOTE This is the case with SCL, although some constraints are not definable in the XML schema.
3.3
instance
a realization by usage of a language
NOTE For example, an XML document in SCL describing an IED or a substation is an SCL instance.
3.4
sender
a tool that creates or produces an instance for processing by another application (receiver)
NOTE SCL senders are typically IED and system configuration tools; e.g. the IED tool sends (produces) ICD files,
the system tool sends SCD files.
3.5
Receiver
a tool that consumes an instance which it obtained from a sender

– 10 – 61850-6 © IEC:2009(E)
NOTE SCL receivers are IED tools and system configuration tools; e.g. the IED tool receives SCD files, the
system tool ICD, IID, SSD and SED files.
3.6
processor
a component which receives SCL instances and produces new instances, i.e. is sender and
receiver
NOTE This is typically the system configuration tool.
3.7
project
a system part with engineering responsibility for all contained IEDs
NOTE Mostly a system is a project. However, sometimes the IED engineering responsibility of different parts of a
system belong to different parties or people. Each IED responsibility area is then a separate project. An IED can
belong only to one project. It is ‘owned’ by this project.
3.8
backwards compatible
a language change is backwards compatible, if newer receivers can process all instances of
the old language
NOTE For SCL this means that tools built for newer language versions can understand instances from older
versions. Especially system tools should understand old ICD and SSD files, while IED tools should understand old
SCD files to be backward compatible.
3.9
forward compatible
a language change is forward compatible if older receivers can process all instances of the
newer language
NOTE For SCL this means that tools built according to older SCL versions can also process instances of newer
SCL versions. Especially old system tools should handle new ICD and SSD files, while old IED tools should handle
new SCD files to be forward compatible.
3.10
language version
the version of the XML schema defining the language
NOTE A language instance is produced according to a language (schema) version, which is called its assigned
version, although it may also be valid against other language versions.
4 Abbreviations
In general, the glossary and abbreviations defined in IEC 61850-2 apply. The following
abbreviations are either exclusive to this standard, or particularly useful for understanding this
standard and are repeated here for convenience.
BDA Basic DATA Attribute ( i.e. not structured)
CIM Common Information Model for energy management applications
DAI Instantiated Data Attribute
DO DATA in IEC 61850-7-2, data object type or instance, depending on the context
DOI Instantiated Data Object (DATA)
ID Identifier
IED Intelligent Electronic Device
ldInst Instance identification of a Logical Device as part of its name
lnInst Instance number of a Logical Node as part of its name
MSV Multicast Sampled Value
61850-6 © IEC:2009(E) – 11 –
MsvID ID for MSV (Multicast Sampled Value)
RCB Report Control Block
SCL System Configuration description Language
SDI Instantiated Sub-DATA; middle name part of a structured DATA name
SDO Sub-DATA within a DOType, referencing another DOType
SED System Exchange Description
UML Unified Modelling Language according to http://www.omg.org/uml
URI Universal Resource Identifier
UsvID ID for USV (Unicast Sampled Value)
XML Extensible Markup Language

5 Intended engineering process with SCL
5.1 General
Engineering of a substation automation system may start either with the allocation of
functionally pre-configured devices to switch yard parts, products or functions, or with the
design of the process functionality, where functions are allocated to physical devices later,
based on functional capabilities of devices and their configuration capabilities. Often a mixed
approach is preferred: a typical process part such as a line bay is pre-engineered, and then the
result is used within the process functionality as often as needed. For SCL, this means that it
must be capable of describing:
a) a system specification in terms of the single line diagram, and allocation of logical nodes
(LN) to parts and equipment of the single line to indicate the needed functionality;
b) pre-configured IEDs with a fixed number of logical nodes (LNs), but with no binding to a
specific process – may only be related to a very general process function part;
c) pre-configured IEDs with a pre-configured semantic for a process part of a certain
structure, for example a double busbar GIS line feeder, or for a part of an already
configured process or automation system;
d) complete process configuration with all IEDs bound to individual process functions and
primary equipment, enhanced by the access point connections and possible access paths in
for all possible clients;
subnetworks
e) as item 136H d) above, but additionally with all predefined associations and client server
connections between logical nodes on data level. This is needed if an IED is not capable of
dynamically building associations or reporting connections (either on the client or on the
server side).
Case 137H e) is the complete case. Both cases 138H d) and 139H e) are the result after SAS engineering, while
case 140H a) is a functional specification input to SAS engineering, and 141H b) and 142H c) are possible
results after IED pre-engineering either for a typical usage of the IED, or for a specific usage
within a project.
5.2 Scope of SCL
The scope of SCL as defined in this standard is clearly focussed on these purposes:
1) SAS functional specification (point 5.1 143H a) above) ,
2) IED capability description (points 5.1 144H b) and 5.1 145H c) above), and
3) SA system description (points 5.1 146H d) and 5.1 147H e) above) .
These purposes shall provide standardized support to system design, communication
engineering and to the description of readily engineered system communication for device
engineering tools.
– 12 – 61850-6 © IEC:2009(E)
For practical purposes, the following is also supported:
4) exchange of system interfacing information between two projects handling two systems,
which need to exchange data;
5) exchange of IED modifications on an IED instance engineered specifically for a project
back from the IED tool to the system tool.
This is reached by defining an object model describing the IEDs, their communication
connections, and their allocation to the switch yard, as well as a standardized way to describe
how this model shall be represented in a file to be exchanged between engineering tools. The
resulting object model could also be the base for other engineering tasks, possibly with some
additions. Therefore, and because of the additional needs of SCSMs, this standard considers
the language as defined here as the core model, and defines how extensions of this core
model for SCSMs as well as other (engineering) purposes can be carried out in a standardized
and compatible way.
5.3 Use of SCL in the Engineering process
Figure 1 explains the usage of SCL data exchange in the above-mentioned engineering
process. The text boxes above the dashed line indicate where SCL files are used. The text box
IED capabilities corresponds to a result of steps 5.1 148H b) and 5.1 149H c) above, the text box System
specification corresponds to step 5.1 a) above, the text box Associations… refers to steps
5.1 150H d) or 5.1 151H e) above.
To make the engineering tasks and responsibilities clear, tool roles are introduced for an IED
configurator and a system configurator. A ‘real’ tool can play both roles. In this case the
transfer of partly engineered data within the tool is private, but to any other (mostly to an IED
tool) it has to be seen from the role the tool has played when modifying the project dat
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