2025 was another milestone year for Tesco Automation. From public and private IEC 61850 training programs to complex, field-ready digital substation projects, our team remained focused on delivering practical solutions that support grid modernization and continued collaboration with leading utilities and technology partners across North America. Below are a few highlights from the year.
Advancing IEC 61850 Training with Southern California Edison
One of our standout IEC 61850 University public training courses in 2025 was co-hosted by Southern California Edison (SCE) in Westminster, California.
The five-day Tier I and Tier II program included an exclusive tour of SCE’s state-of-the-art Grid Monitoring Lab, offering a rare look inside one of the most advanced grid-monitoring facilities in the world.
Participants gained real-world experience with IEC 61850 concepts and applications, including Sampled Values, GOOSE, MMS, and PTP, while working with the latest IEDs and firmware from leading vendors. As with all IEC 61850 University offerings, the program combined in-depth classroom instruction with hands-on workshops using our Mobile Digital Substation (MDS).
Delivering a Major Digital Substation Program for Meta
In 2025, Tesco Automation completed a significant digital substation engagement for Meta, delivered across two structured phases.
Phase one focused on front-end planning and technical assessment, including development of an IEC 61850-based digital substation business case, a process bus market assessment, detailed IED evaluations and scorecards, and definition of the process bus network architecture and specifications.
Phase two built on this foundation with support for the Functional Design Specification and leadership of multi-vendor lab testing in collaboration with equipment vendors and EPC partners. Our team also developed the SSD file for Meta’s digital substation design using an independent System Specification Tool (SST) and delivered a detailed feasibility and comparative study of top-down engineering approaches. This included a side-by-side assessment of selected vendor SST, SCT, and ICT toolchains to support informed implementation decisions.
Large-Scale IEC 61850 Integration for National Grid
Another major milestone in 2025 was the completion of a full IEC 61850 digital substation configuration and integration project for National Grid in New York State.
The project covered a complex substation environment, including 115 kV, 45 kV, and 13.8 kV systems with a PAR transformer, transmission lines, and distribution feeders. Our scope included engineering and integration of a large-scale IEC 61850 architecture with hundreds of protection and control IEDs using Sampled Values, GOOSE, and MMS communications.
The solution featured a fully redundant PRP network and precision PTP time synchronization across a multi-vendor switch environment. All devices were successfully integrated into the station’s HMI platform, with the final configuration package delivered and on-site validation and testing underway. This project reflects our continued focus on practical, field-ready digital substation engineering and integration services.
Looking Ahead
As we move into 2026, Tesco Automation remains committed to supporting utilities and energy organizations through training, engineering, and integration services that enable reliable, modern, and scalable grid infrastructure.
If you are interested in IEC 61850 training or planning upcoming digital substation projects, we invite you to connect with our team to explore how we can support your goals.
