Siemens unveils virtualised substation protection platform

Siemens Smart Infrastructure has launched Siprotec V, a virtualised protection and control product for digital substations that runs on a server and replaces multiple dedicated devices.

Siemens positions the software-defined approach as a way for utilities and grid operators to reduce equipment in substations and standardise deployment across sites. Siprotec V is based on the Siprotec 5 protection and control range, which Siemens supplies as hardware devices for substations.

According to Siemens, Siprotec V can consolidate the functionality of up to 60 hardware-based Siprotec 5 devices into a single server-based implementation. That can reduce the number of protection and control panels required in a substation and cut capital expenditure by up to 25%.

Siemens also cited a reduction in building space, saying substation space usage can fall by up to 45% when utilities centralise protection and control functions in the server-based format.

Grid pressure

Power networks are facing growing demand as electrification expands across transport, heating, and industry. Many utilities are also working through major replacement cycles for ageing equipment while connecting new renewable generation, storage, and interconnectors. Siemens said energy providers expect to double grid capacity over the next decade while modernising existing infrastructure.

Against that background, vendors have been moving protection and automation functions towards digital substations, where data networks and software play a larger role than hardwired signalling. Virtualisation extends that shift by running protection and control applications on shared compute hardware rather than on single-purpose devices.

Virtualised design

Siprotec V breaks the link between protection software and embedded hardware, Siemens said. Protection and control applications run as virtual instances within the substation server environment.

Siemens described this as a way to scale protection architectures at a site without adding separate intelligent electronic devices for each function. A substation could host up to 60 virtual intelligent electronic devices within the platform, it said.

Siemens also linked the design to project schedules, saying it can deliver up to six months faster execution than traditional deployments that require installation and integration of multiple hardware devices.

Testing and updates

Virtualisation also changes how utilities test systems before commissioning. Siemens said Siprotec V allows complete substation setups to be tested digitally ahead of installation, which can simplify site work, speed up testing, and reduce errors.

The product uses a modular software architecture that Siemens said enables rapid adaptation to changing requirements. It also supports software updates, patches, and functional enhancements without hardware constraints.

Cabling and carbon

Substations rely heavily on copper cabling for connections between protection devices, panels, and switchgear. Siemens said virtualisation reduces the need for many panels and extensive copper cable runs, as well as physical installation work such as cable trenches.

Siemens said Siprotec V can cut carbon emissions by up to 50% per substation by eliminating extensive copper cabling. It also put lifecycle cost savings at up to 20%.

Utilities have been paying closer attention to embedded emissions in network upgrades, including the carbon footprint of metals, manufactured equipment, and civil engineering work. Substations also sit in locations where footprint and access constraints can shape engineering choices. Siemens is positioning space and materials reductions as practical benefits alongside digital control.

Edge AI

Siemens said Siprotec V can host AI applications within the substation environment. Running analytics locally can reduce the need to send operational data back to central systems for analysis, although Siemens did not provide details on specific AI models or server compute requirements.

Local hosting supports real-time insights and predictive analytics, Siemens said, helping improve decision-making.

"Siprotec is a name utilities trust. With Siprotec V, we take that trusted expertise into the digital era - turning proven protection algorithms into a powerful virtualized platform. This combination of real-world reliability and digital flexibility is what makes Siemens the partner of choice for customers who need to evolve their grids without compromise," said Onyeche Tifase, Vice President of Product Lifecycle Management, Siemens Smart Infrastructure.

Security focus

Cybersecurity remains a core concern as substations adopt more software and networking. Siemens said Siprotec V reflects leading cybersecurity standards and features, citing guidance from the German Association of Energy and Water Industries and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection framework.

Siemens said the shift to virtualised protection and control aligns with broader efforts to modernise grid operations and standardise substation design as utilities expand capacity and connect new sources of generation.