Category: Events

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61850 Users Group Meeting Comes to Birmingham, UK in April 2027

The 61850 Users Group Meeting will take place 13–15 April 2027 at The Mailbox in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The meeting is hosted by National Grid UK and WSP.

The event brings together utilities, vendors, integrators, and engineers working with IEC 61850 to share real-world experience, discuss the evolution of the standard, and advance interoperable, standards-based substation automation.

As IEC 61850 deployments expand, securing GOOSE and Sampled Values communications is becoming as important as interoperability. PCItek’s Garibaldi Key Distribution Center supports IEC 62351-9 key management for IEC 61850 and DNP3, helping utilities and OEMs bring security into their digital substation architectures.

The call for presentations is now open, and sponsorship opportunities are available.

Event Details: https://ucaiug.org/upcoming-ucaiug-events/61850ug-united-kingdom/
Submit a Presentation: https://ucaiug.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Call-for-Presentations-61850ug-UK.pdf
Become a Sponsor: https://ucaiug.org/upcoming-ucaiug-events/61850ug-united-kingdom/#SPONSOR

Check back for updates as the agenda is announced. To learn more about Garibaldi, visit pcitek.com/garibaldi or contact sales@pcitek.com.

IEC 61850, Events, Substation Security, Garibaldi

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UCA Testing to Host 61850 IOP 2026 Interoperability Event in the Netherlands

The UCA Testing group is set to host the highly anticipated IEC 61850 Interoperability (IOP) event, scheduled to take place from October 7–16, 2026, in Utrecht, Netherlands.

The event, which will be held at the Jaarbeurs venue, is a critical gathering for utility and industry stakeholders. Its primary focus is to validate real-world interoperability between IEC 61850–enabled products. Participating vendors will connect and test their devices, gateways, and software with other manufacturers’ equipment to confirm correct implementation, uncover edge cases, and resolve issues that could impact system reliability in the field.

The IOP testing is a hands-on and collaborative process designed to ensure higher-quality integrations, fewer surprises during deployment, and stronger confidence in systems operating in critical grid environments.

Key Information:

  • Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
  • Venue: Jaarbeurs
  • Dates: October 7–16, 2026 (Testing event: October 12–16, 2026)
  • Focus: Interoperability testing for multi-vendor IEC 61850 integrations, including exchanges for MMS, GOOSE messaging, sample values, time synchronization, and configuration interoperability.

Stakeholders, including utilities, consultants, system integrators, and labs, can attend as Witnesses to observe interoperability in action and gain practical insights into multi-vendor integration challenges and best practices.

Register Here.

Important Deadlines:
Early Bird Registration Deadline: June 30, 2026
Late Registration Deadline: August 30, 2026

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PCItek and SISCO Announce Joint Presence at DISTRIBUTECH International 2026 to Showcase Grid Security Solutions

PCItek, a leader in systems and power engineering and provider of advanced grid security solutions, is excited to announce its co-hosted exhibition booth with its Value Added Reseller, SISCO, at DISTRIBUTECH International 2026. The exhibition runs from February 3-5, 2026, in San Diego.

Industry professionals are invited to visit the joint Booth #1708 to explore the latest innovations in interoperable standards and robust grid security technology. PCItek and SISCO will be showcasing the advanced capabilities of Garibaldi Software for 61850 & DNP3 security, demonstrating how this solution, along with PCItek’s systems and power engineering expertise, contributes to a smarter, more resilient, and integrated electrical grid.

DISTRIBUTECH International is an essential platform that brings together the industry to drive grid modernization. By engaging at the event, attendees have the unique opportunity to:

  • Engage directly with global experts advancing interoperability and utility-grade technologies.
  • Learn from real-world deployments across transmission, distribution, DER, and cybersecurity.
  • Connect with peers driving digital substations, planning tools, data hubs, and next-generation grid architecture.

PCItek is listed in the DTECH show book at booth 1708. We look forward to connecting with utilities, integrators, and technology leaders to discuss the next generation of standards and real-world deployment lessons.

About PCItek

PCItek is known for its expertise in systems and power engineering, providing advanced solutions, including its Garibaldi Software for 61850 & DNP3 security, to utility and energy industry stakeholders. The company is committed to promoting the use and understanding of international standards to advance energy technology and grid transformation.

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Webinar: Simplifying Secure Routable GOOSE & Sampled Values

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Applications, Architecture, Configuration & Simulation - Sign up today for a FREE Webinar!

Smart Grid concepts have driven the need to migrate to microprocessor based controls and digital communications. There are several use cases that require interoperable communications within and between utilities as well as industrial complexes such as:

  • Transfer-Trip
  • Remedial Action Schemes (RAS)/System Integrity Protection Schemes (SIPS)
  • Load Shed
  • Blackstart
  • Dynamic Grid Formation
  • Actionable Synchrophasor Exchange

All of these use cases require point-to-multipoint secure communications. Some of the use cases can be extended to integrate between the utility enterprise and the industrial complex.

The routable version of the Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (R-GOOSE) and routable Sampled Values (R-SV) profiles satisfy the security and communication requirements of the utility industry. These profiles allow IP multicast address and advanced route path determination to prevent network flooding. The release of Amendment 1 to IEC 61850 Edition 2 has supplanted IEC TR 61850-90-5, providing enhancements and defect correction.

PROBLEM:

Security configuration and maintenance, in many cases, is viewed as complex and represents an impediment for adoption and deployment. The use of R-GOOSE/R-SV requires that the pairing of published information to subscribers of that information (e.g. a publication group) share a common symmetric key which utilizes a key distribution mechanism as specified in IEC 62351-9.

SOLUTION:

The engineering process of IEC 61850 allows for the configuration of publication groups, destination addresses for the publications, and addresses for key management for that group. The System Configuration Tool (SCT) stores this information in an SCL file that can be used by the Garibaldi Key Distribution Center to simplify security configuration by:

  • Managing large numbers of multicast group keys and policy distribution
  • Managing system Enrollment & Revocation
  • Supporting both centralized and de-centralized environments

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why it’s important to use routable GOOSE and the need for security
  • The concepts of key delivery resiliency
  • Leveraging IEC 61850 SCL to minimize security and system simulation configuration time
  • Learn how to simulate system design and impact of security on a system using Distributed Test Manager (DTM)
  • How to configure Garibaldi (Key Distribution Center) using SCL to save time & minimize configuration mistakes
  • Learn about the separation of security management planes and real time operation planes
  • How in service testing equipment can be used in a secure environment

Who should attend:

  • System Integrators
  • System Engineers
  • IT Network Engineers
  • IT/OT Cyber security personnel
  • Anyone interested in IEC 61850 automation & security
Register Today

When: July 30, 2020 at 11am EDT