ITAIPU Digital Substation Innovation Laboratory for Testing, Validation, and Education

(IB), the implementation of a process bus based on IEC 61850-9-2 and IEC 61869-9 standards will represent a key step towards the standardization, interoperability and integration of

Paraguayan and regional electrical systems. This process poses a major challenge for knowledge management and the need for human resource training. One of the initiatives within this update is the creation of a digital substation laboratory, with the main objective of establishing a flexible and realistic environment for knowledge management. The laboratory will serve as a testing platform that integrates equipment and software for communication networks, time synchronization and cybersecurity, for the development and validation of

Substation Configuration Description (SCD) files, and for functional testing of Intelligent

Electronic Devices (IEDs) and Merging Units (MUs).

The laboratory, developed in partnership with the Itaipu Technology Park Foundation of

Paraguay (FPTI-PY), to validate solutions in a digital substation, is necessary for the gradual familiarization of technical personnel, to avoid abrupt changes in the work environment. It ensures a smooth transition to a new operating environment via specific training, education and testing programs, enabling technicians to refine existing skills and competencies to operate and maintain the digital substation in accordance with IEC 61850 and IEC 61869 standards.

This paper will describe the functional characteristics of the test platform and its capabilities to perform process bus level testing in compliance with IEC 61850-9-2 and IEC 61869-9 standards. It will also present a usage example to validate the process bus configuration of a typical layout.

In addition to its technical function, the platform will play a strategic role in strengthening local capabilities by enabling controlled experimentation with diverse architectures and configurations of automation systems. This allows solutions to be evaluated in a digital sandbox before field implementation, reducing operational risks and optimizing resources. The laboratory will act as a center for innovation and technology transfer, fostering collaboration between manufacturers, research centers, universities and electrical system operators.

Interaction with real equipment, configuration software and international standards ensures training aligned with the current demands of the energy sector. Through failure simulations, cyberattack scenarios, and extreme operating conditions, the laboratory will foster the development of cybersecurity practices, predictive maintenance, and forensic analysis.

Finally, this laboratory will contribute to the creation of a knowledge ecosystem that will strengthen the transition to smart electrical infrastructure in the region. It will serve as a platform for capacity building, research and practical learning, fostering the development of local expertise essential for the digitalization of the electricity sector.