At the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) plenary meeting on Oct. 29, 2010, the panel took another important step forward on the path toward an interoperable smart grid.

When designing and building complex systems and devices that are intended to work together smoothly and seamlessly—to “interoperate”—it’s crucial that all involved parties are able to test and certify their pieces of the larger system. The Smart Grid Testing and Certification Committee (SGTCC), one of the three SGIP Standing Committees and Working Groups (along with those on Smart Grid Architecture and on Smart Grid Cyber Security), presented to the SGIP a plan on the testing and certification process.

Six months in the making, this process includes three key elements:

• An interoperability test assessment tool (used to complete a detailed evaluation of the present state of test programs based on priority Smart Grid standards identified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology—NIST)
• Agreements on the use of recognized industry standards for testing agency and certification body qualification
• An Interoperability Process Reference Manual (IPRM).

The IPRM, which is the main deliverable from the SGTCC deliberations, provides key criteria and recommendations for testing and certification authorities. These criteria and recommendations, based on industry best practices, were developed after thorough analysis of current industry program services related to Smart Grid, as well as those in related industries. SGTCC committee members involved in the IPRM span a range of stakeholders including utilities, test labs, certification agencies, and product suppliers. As in all its proceedings, the SGIP sought a strong cross-section of viewpoints in building a consensus on the recommended practices.

Rik Drummond, SGIP governing board member and chairman of the SGTCC, said, “The IPRM will help us achieve the goal established by NIST—the goal of enabling Smart Grid systems and devices to successfully interoperate. Our framework provides a set of common expectations based on international standards. It will help to assure that test programs are performed with high quality, consistency, and attention to detail, thereby giving the end user confidence in selecting and deploying interoperable Smart Grid products.”

Pilot program assessment, supported by SGTCC members and based on the IPRM, is under way. Testing and certification authorities will initially participate in the SGIP program by implementing the IPRM practices into their program operations, eventually transitioning towards third-party accreditation of their conformance to these practices.

Dean Prochaska, NIST national coordinator for Smart Grid Conformance and SGTCC vice chair, said, “The Smart Grid is a complex system of systems, and this system complexity adds a major degree of difficulty related to interoperability. This work is an important first step to help ensure interoperability for the Smart Grid system.”

In support of the SGTCC, the UCA International Users Group (UCAIug) has completed a preliminary assessment of its IEC 61850 based test program, and has agreed to implement the interoperability test program recommendations of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP).

Drummond said, “The key to enabling interoperability is a solid testing and certification process that has broad acceptance from end users. As end users begin to require products that have undergone rigorous evaluation following the SGTCC guidelines, we’ll see three important results. First, interoperability issues will get identified earlier. Second, products will be more deployment ready. And third, end users will have a strong degree of confidence in their product selection.”