Terna, in its "Code for transmission, dispatching, development, and network security," has established that the owners of plants whose operation influences the functioning of the National Electricity System must make all necessary information available for the purposes of supervision and control, remote regulation and disconnection, and remote monitoring of the plant.

To enable the correct performance of monitoring and control activities of the Network, Terna has determined that measures and signals must be made available to ensure the observability of every plant and the essential functions of electrical system management for: 

The information must be made available at Terna's Access Points (PA) in a manner fully compatible with the Terna Control System, as prescribed by annex A.13 of the Network Code. The data to be made available are both digital and analogue and depend on the number and type of systems connected to the NTG and include the states of the switching devices and the electrical measurements associated with the HV/MV system.The acquired data must be transmitted to the Terna Control System over a dedicated network with the IEC 60870-5-104 protocol.

Thanks to collaboration with its subsidiary IGRID T&D, Thytronic provides RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) systems compliant with the Terna specification (redundant CPUs) capable of acquiring the required signals both in wired (digital input, analogue input) and serial modes (RS485/422, Ethernet interfaces) using the most widespread industrial protocols:

The Thytronic RTU system can be perfectly integrated with the communication system (TLC) installed in the plant and managed by Terna, in particular, the CPU in a redundant configuration makes available respectively:

The iGWlite gateway from Thytronic offers protocol conversion capabilities in a small, smart, and easy-to-use device. Specifically designed for electrical installations, this communication gateway is secure, compact, and modular.

Gateway iGWlite: Key Features

The iGWlite allows data collection from meters, protection relays, and other IEDs using any protocol, including IEC 60870-5, IEC 61850 (MMS/GOOSE), DNP3, DLMS, Modbus, or Procome, managing microsecond time resolution through NTP or PTP. Additionally, it can process and transfer data to one or more control centers and SCADA master stations using upstream protocols such as IEC 104, IEC 101, TASE2.0/ICCP (IEC 60870-6), IEC 61850-90-2, DNP3, and Modbus RTU/TCP.

A network architecture supported by iGWlite is open, simple, and scalable, allowing the integration of future generations of devices (IEDs, sensors, routers, etc.) and adaptation to any changes made to the power distribution network, saving time, money, and space on the DIN rail.

The collection and management of data from meters, protection relays, and other Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) in energy infrastructures can be optimized through the use of the Thytronic iGW gateway. This advanced device supports a wide range of communication protocols, including IEC 60870-5, IEC 61850 (MMS/GOOSE), DNP3, DLMS, Modbus, and Procome, ensuring microsecond timing accuracy, thanks to the use of synchronization systems such as NTP or PTP.

The Thytronic gateway is not limited to merely collect data, but it is able to process and forward the collected information to one or more control centers or SCADA master stations, using upstream protocols such as IEC 104, IEC 101, TASE2.0/ICCP (IEC 60870-6), IEC 61850-90-2, DNP3, and Modbus RTU/TCP.

The network architecture incorporating the Thytronic iGW gateway stands out for being open, efficient, and scalable: it can easily accommodate future generations of devices (such as IEDs, sensors, and routers) and dynamically adapt to any changes in the electric distribution network.

SCADA systems (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) are essential for the automation and local/remote control of power generation plants and substations. Thytronic's iControl SCADA software can be tailored to any application need, from small substations and power plants to complete medium voltage networks, always operating within the same environment.Thytronic's SCADA automation systems provide an intelligent HMI interface for real-time monitoring and control, combined with advanced data acquisition, regardless of the communication protocol, RTU to connect to, or the architecture (standalone, client/server, or redundant) in use.

iControl SCADA also ensures complete interoperability and combines all the most important functionalities for electric distribution networks, such as single-line diagrams, event playback, service quality calculation (SAIDI and SAIFI reports), SQL models or database, and alarm/event management. It is specifically designed for the energy sector, enabling the creation of a simple and intuitive interface for the operation and configuration of substation automation systems (SAS) and distribution control centres.

Our iControl SCADA HMI software is designed to provide a secure, high-performance, and intuitive experience, exceedingthe standard requirements of the energy sector to meet the specific needs of our customers. This flexible solution adapts perfectly to any desired architecture or topology, from the implementation of simple standalone systems to more complex and redundant configurations, equipped with remote clients and SQL data storage capabilities. It offers a unique platform for real-time analysis and visualization of the electric distribution network, with the possibility of integrating the data archive with third-party databases for optimal information management.

The generation of custom reports, either periodically or in response to specific events or alarms, allows constant and detailed control of network operations. Additionally, Thytronic's iControl SCADA manages multiple communication protocols simultaneously, from Modbus to IEC 61850 (MMS and GOOSE), both in master and slave modes, including those most commonly used for communication with control centres, such as IEC 60870-5-104/101, DNP3.0, and OPC UA.

Another distinctive feature of the iControl software is the possibility to access real-time SCADA visualization via an internet browser, thanks to the iControl web viewer. This functionality ensures accessibility and flexibility, while blocking any unwanted or dangerous activity through robust built-insecurity measures, thus ensuring the protection of data and system operations.

To ensure the safety of the National Electric System and prevent the spread of disturbances in the Transmission system with severe repercussions on the entire national network, Terna has defined a Defense Plan. The Defense Plan includes all the control actions arranged by Terna itself and carried out through individual systems or devices, aimed at maintaining or returning the electrical system to a normal condition.

Within the production plants served by Terna's defense system, the Peripheral Defense and Monitoring Unit (UPDM) is a system designed to acquire real-time measurements and other information from controlled processes coming from local protection, command, control, and supervision systems and to implement disconnection and production modulation commands, following the reception of a message from other peripheral telecontrol devices or from Terna's central defense system.

To ensure suitable response times, data exchange between the central defense system and other devices in the field occurs via a dedicated telecommunication network, distributed to cover the entire national territory. The protocol used is based on the IEC 60807-5-104 standard.

Thytronic's proposal is an UPDM device certified in class A+ according to the most recent technical specification of Terna, ensuring a time of less than 10ms for the issuance of the message and for the simultaneous execution of all prepared commands.

This class allows the use of Thytronic's UPDM device in all production facilities, such as generation plants, wind, photovoltaic, and hydroelectric plants for which Terna's defined defense system can be applied.