Technical Workshop by OMICRON
Testing Tomorrow’s Grid, Today
Following the 15th Australian Protection Symposium (APS), join OMICRON for an in-depth, hands-on technical workshop exploring the latest challenges and testing methodologies shaping modern power systems.
As the energy industry rapidly transitions towards inverter-dominated networks, digital substations, IEC 61850 process bus architectures, and centralised protection systems, traditional testing and commissioning approaches continue to evolve. This practical workshop is designed for protection engineers, commissioning specialists, technicians, utilities, consultants, and asset owners seeking deeper insight into emerging technologies and real-world testing applications.
Through a combination of technical presentations, live demonstrations, simulation-based testing, and practical case studies, participants will gain valuable experience using OMICRON solutions to validate and analyse modern protection systems under increasingly complex operating conditions.
The workshop will focus on practical implementation, testing philosophies, and lessons learned from real-world projects, with particular emphasis on renewable integration, digitalisation, and next-generation protection schemes.
Workshop Topics
Influence of Inverter-Based Resources on Protection Functions
The increasing penetration of inverter-based resources (IBRs), including wind farms and photovoltaic generation, is fundamentally changing power system behaviour and challenging conventional protection principles.
This session examines the operating characteristics of grid-connected inverters during both normal operating conditions and system faults, highlighting how weak infeed conditions and converter-controlled fault responses can adversely impact protection performance and possible maloperation. Particular attention will be given to distance protection overreach and underreach, as well as directional element behaviour under low fault current conditions.
Using RelaySimTest and OMICRON’s generic inverter model, participants will explore realistic simulation scenarios and analyse how modern protection systems respond in networks with a high share of inverter-based generation.
Network Anti-Islanding Protection Including Practical Testing
The verification of anti-islanding protection remains a critical requirement for the safe integration of distributed energy resources into the electrical network.
This session provides an overview of relevant Australian standards and selected DNSP-specific requirements relating to anti-islanding protection and compliance testing. Participants will gain practical insight into how these requirements are translated into repeatable test procedures.
Using ARCO 400, OMICRON specialists will demonstrate how passive anti-islanding element testing sequences can be configured, customised, and adapted to support flexible and efficient testing approaches with comprehensive reports. The session will conclude with a live practical demonstration using a controller or protection relay within a realistic testing environment.
LPIT-Based Measurement Systems – Principles and End-to-End Validation
Low Power Instrument Transformers (LPITs) are increasingly becoming standard practice within modern substations and turnkey data centre projects due to their compatibility with IEC 61850 process bus architectures and digital measurement systems.
This session introduces LPIT technologies, applicable standards, and the various measurement principles used across modern implementations. The discussion will focus on the operational differences between LPITs and conventional instrument transformers, along with the implications for protection, testing, and commissioning.
Using OMICRON test solutions, attendees will observe end-to-end testing and validation of LPIT-based systems, including full loop testing using CPX. Additional tools such as EnerLyzer and DANEO 400 will also be utilised where appropriate, particularly for optical sensor applications and sampled values-based systems. Practical testing methodologies and validation strategies for real-world applications will be demonstrated throughout the session.
Centralised Protection Systems – Architectures and Testing in Digital Substations
As digital substations and large-scale critical infrastructure projects continue to evolve, centralised protection systems are becoming increasingly common within modern protection architectures.
This session provides an overview of centralised protection concepts, system architectures, and practical implementation considerations within IEC 61850-based substations. Attendees will gain insight into the operational principles, advantages, and engineering considerations associated with highly integrated protection systems.
The workshop will also explore practical testing methodologies for centralised protection applications, including the use of simulation and test modes within digital substation environments. Demonstrations will showcase advanced testing approaches capable of simulating multiple bays within a single substation architecture, highlighting practical techniques for validating protection system performance in complex, interconnected environments.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is ideal for:
- Protection and commissioning engineers
- Utility and renewable energy engineers
- Consultants and system integrators
- IEC 61850 and digital substation specialists
- Testing and maintenance personnel
- Data centre and industrial power system engineers
- Anyone involved in modern protection system design, testing, and validation
Workshop Format
- Technical presentations
- Practical demonstrations
- Simulation-based testing examples
- Real-world case studies
- Interactive discussions with OMICRON specialists
Venue & Registration
The workshop will be held immediately following the Australian Protection Symposium at The Star Gold Coast.
APS participants will receive a 50% discount to the workshop.
Sponsors
