Market Share by Utility and Industrial Applications
IEC 61850 CT IEC 61850 CT enables standardized digital communication in substations, supporting smart grid transformation.
IEC 61850 CT is a critical international standard for the design and operation of substation automation systems. While IEC 61850 is a broad standard, the "CT" reference often highlights its specific application for current transformers and the related communications. The standard defines the communication protocols, data models, and engineering processes for interoperable communication between various intelligent electronic devices (IEDs).
It is the backbone of the "process bus," which is the digital communication network that replaces the traditional copper wiring connecting instrument transformers to protection relays. A key part of the standard, IEC 61850-9-2, specifies how digital "Sampled Values" (SV) from non-conventional instrument transformers are transmitted, ensuring that devices from different manufacturers can seamlessly exchange data and work together in a digital substation environment.