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The operation of the distribution network has been evolving over the years taking into account the various technical and economic challenges. The need for efficient asset management and to ensure an increasingly demanding quality of service and energy requires a greater ability to monitor the distribution network, particularly in the low voltage network.

At the same time, the growing integration of distributed generation, the electrification of society (e.g. the penetration of electric vehicles) and distributed storage, associated with active consumption management schemes, requires the implementation of new concepts of management and operation of the distribution network, adapted to the growing uncertainty and variability in the conditions of its operation.

Given these challenges, the new paradigm of smart grids envisions an active distribution network with high observability and controllability, through distributed intelligence.

In this new paradigm of distribution network operation, the Transformer Substation (PT) gains a high relevance, where in addition to the more traditional functions (i.e. voltage transformation, metering and cut-off and protection) the Transformer Substation will now present local intelligence and capacity for monitoring and automatic control of network assets – the concept of Smart Secondary Substation.

However, innovation in Secondary Substations goes far beyond its monitoring, control and protection infrastructure. The improvement of the efficiency of its operation as well as the ability to integrate new power equipment, such as distributed storage or new solutions based on power electronics require the revision of its structure based on technical, environmental and economic criteria.

With E-REDES as a partner entity, the consortium of the NEXTSTEP project also includes: EFACEC Power Solutions SA (Leader), ENEIDA IO., Institute of Systems and Robotics of the University of Coimbra, INESC TEC and ITecons.