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This document presents the development of a low-cost industrial data server for communicating Modbus TCP devices and Windows applications by using a database as a temporary storage space. The performance of developed data server was evaluated by integrating it with an commercial industrial Windows application, were data server demonstrated an adequate behavior. The proposed application is based largely on free software, Java and MySQL, to reduce its cost and to become it an accessible option for industries with low investment capacity. Then, this development aims to offer a low-cost alternative for implementing a supervisory control system.

This paper presents the development and pilot implementation of the methodological proposal for the improvement to the efficiency and cybersecurity of the SCADA communication network in EmelNorte substations. This is justified by the fact that the modern substations operation requires that the SCADA will become to an open system, which can be integrated with others systems related with administration and management of Energy Business. This situation, on the one hand, bring with it the need for a SCADA communication network that should be characterized by a high availability and efficiency, but on the other hand, as the SCADA becomes an open system, its cybersecurity could be compromised. In this regard, a design methodology for improving efficiency and cybersecurity of the SCADA communication network is developed by taking as references standards IEC-61850 and NERC-CIP-7. This methodology propose design guidelines for: (1) LAN architecture design in substations, (2) administration and management of SCADA communication network, and (3) cybersecurity of SCADA communication network. In order to validate the proposed guidelines, these were implemented in the communication network of substation “El Retorno”, and then efficiency and cybersecurity were evaluated and contrasted to that of network before the implementation. The results show significant performance improvements, and with it the potential benefits of the methodology implementation are evidenced.

Ecuador’s Transmission System (SNT) is integrated by 60 substations, 44 of them have a Substation Automation System (SAS) and 5 of these SAS are obsolete. When a failure of any protection/control device occurs in an obsolete SAS, the lack of spare parts drives the substation to a critical state that could compromise the service availability since a proper substation operation cannot be accomplished. In this regard, TRANSELECTRIC set up the plan to update around 20 substations which are within its field of action. To this end, retrofit engineering of a transmission line-bay under the IEC 61850 guidelines is developed and includes the standardization of signals, the reengineering of SAS components, and the standardization of the substation operator interfaces. This engineering is then applied to INGA 1 Bay (Pomasqui Substation) and its evaluation is accomplished in laboratory by the emulation of such bay with the designed automation system. To validate the proposed retrofit, the architecture and dataflow of Pomasqui Substation are emulated as well, to evaluate the automation system performance under practical operational scenarios. After the experiments, the results show the feasibility of the proposed retrofit.

The development of DeviceNet communication drivers and their electronic data sheets (EDS) for configuring them in automation software applications are proposed. In this regard, Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) Standard established by ODVA is reviewed, and a commercial DeviceNet network is analyzed in order to define hardware and software requirements for implementing the proposed drivers. Then, prototypes for discrete as well as analog sensors are implemented; their EDS files are developed too. After, the implemented drivers are integrated in a commercial DeviceNet network for validating their performance by monitoring their operation through RSNetWorx for DeviceNet. The developed prototypes and their EDS files shown a proper operation according to proposed aims. Therefore, by this work, the basis for the development of DeviceNet communication drivers for sensors were established.