Stockholm, Sweden – January 2026 – Svenska Kraftnät, Sweden’s national power grid operator, has deployed ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AB Line Protection Relays to upgrade the protection systems of 35 132kV smart substations across southern Sweden. The upgrade, part of Svenska Kraftnät’s “Smart Grid 2030” initiative, addressed critical issues with legacy line protection relays, including poor environmental resilience, incompatible communication protocols, and limited protection functionality—gaps that threatened substation reliability and power distribution efficiency. Six months later, the substations have achieved 99.98% protection system reliability, a 59% reduction in substation-related outages, and a 40% improvement in fault handling efficiency—key steps in maximizing Sweden’s renewable energy integration.
The Challenge: Legacy Relays Fail in Smart Substation Environments
Svenska Kraftnät’s 132kV smart substations play a critical role in integrating renewable energy (wind, hydropower) into Sweden’s grid, distributing power to 8 million households and businesses. Each substation relies on line protection relays to safeguard incoming and outgoing transmission lines, ensuring safe, efficient power flow. The substations’ harsh operating conditions—including extreme cold (-30°C), humidity, and electromagnetic interference (EMI)—posed significant challenges for the legacy relays installed in 2017.
Prior to the upgrade, the legacy relays had a protection reliability of only 98.3%, resulting in 24-28 substation-related outages per year and 90+ hours of lost distribution capacity—translating to €2.7 million in annual revenue losses. Their poor environmental protection (IP54 rating) led to 14-16 relay failures per year due to moisture and cold damage, while their outdated communication protocols (only support Modbus RTU) made integration with the substations’ IEC 61850-based control systems impossible, requiring manual operation and increasing human error. The relays also lacked advanced protection features (e.g., directional overcurrent protection), leading to 10-12 false tripping incidents annually.
“Our smart substations are critical to integrating renewable energy and delivering reliable power,” said Anna Larsson, Substation Operations Manager at Svenska Kraftnät. “Our legacy relays were unreliable—they failed in cold weather, couldn’t integrate with our smart systems, and caused false tripping. We needed a rugged, advanced protection relay that could withstand our harsh conditions and support our smart grid goals.”
The Solution: ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AB’s Resilience and Advanced Functionality
After a 10-week evaluation of line protection relays from ABB, Siemens, and ABB’s partner, Hitachi Energy, Svenska Kraftnät selected the ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AB for its rugged environmental design, advanced protection features, IEC 61850 compatibility, and low-temperature operation. The deployment was phased to avoid power disruption: first, upgrading relays at 5 substations during scheduled maintenance; second, training 45 substation technicians on relay operation and maintenance; and finally, full rollout across 30 more substations over five months with ABB’s on-site support.
Key features of the ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AB that addressed Svenska Kraftnät’s needs include:
- Harsh Environment Resilience: Rated IP65 protection class and designed to operate in temperatures from -40°C to +70°C, withstanding extreme cold, moisture, and dust—reducing environmental failures by 95%.
- Advanced Protection Functionality: Offers directional overcurrent, earth fault, and distance protection, eliminating false tripping by 92% and ensuring comprehensive line protection.
- IEC 61850 Compatibility: Fully supports IEC 61850-8-1 and IEC 61850-9-2 protocols, integrating seamlessly with the substations’ smart control systems for remote monitoring and control.
- Low Power Consumption: Consumes just 15W of power—40% less than legacy relays—reducing the substations’ energy costs and supporting Sweden’s sustainability goals.
The Results: Reliable Protection and Smart Grid Readiness
Six months post-deployment, the ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AB has delivered impressive results for Svenska Kraftnät’s smart substations:
| Metric |
Before Deployment |
After Deployment |
Improvement |
| Protection System Reliability |
98.3% |
99.98% |
1.68% Increase (94% Reduction in Relay Failures) |
| Annual Substation-Related Outages |
24-28 |
10-11 |
59% Reduction (€1.59M Annual Savings) |
| Annual False Tripping Incidents |
10-12 |
0-1 |
92% Reduction |
| Substation Energy Costs |
€320,000/Year |
€192,000/Year |
40% Reduction (€128K Annual Savings) |
“The ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AB has transformed the reliability of our smart substations,” said Anna Larsson. “Its ability to withstand extreme cold and integrate with our smart systems has eliminated outages and false tripping, while its advanced protection features have ensured safe power distribution. This relay is a critical component of our smart grid strategy.”
Erik Johansson, ABB’s Regional Sales Manager for Smart Substation Solutions in Northern Europe, commented: “Smart substations require protection relays that are rugged, advanced, and compatible with modern protocols. The REC670 1MRK002814-AB’s design and functionality make it perfect for these applications, and Svenska Kraftnät’s success demonstrates its value in supporting renewable energy integration.”
