The UCA International Users Group welcomes global stakeholders in the energy and automation industries to participate in the IEC 61850 Interoperability Testing (IOP) event, held September 12–20, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

This in-depth, hands-on event brings together leading vendors, testing laboratories, utilities, and integrators to rigorously test and validate multi-vendor interoperability of IEC 61850-compliant systems, tools, and devices.

Participants actively collaborate in a controlled environment to assess compatibility, resolve technical challenges, and strengthen real-world implementation practices. The IOP offers a unique opportunity to work side-by-side with peers and technical experts, enhancing product maturity, accelerating development, and contributing to the ongoing evolution of the IEC 61850 standard.

What Is the IEC 61850 IOP?

The IEC 61850 IOP is not a traditional conference—it is a working technical session where developers, testers, and engineers engage directly with peers to test live systems in real-time.

Each device or tool is integrated into test cases designed to expose interoperability issues and validate conformance. The results directly influence industry best practices, testing strategies, and future standardization efforts.

The IOP serves as a critical proving ground for improving consistency and interoperability across the rapidly evolving Smart Grid ecosystem.

Who Attends

• Vendors developing IEC 61850-capable products

• Utilities deploying and validating multi-vendor systems

• Independent and accredited testing laboratories

• System integrators, consultants, and engineers working with substations and control centers

• Standards organizations and technical stakeholders

Participants leave the event with firsthand insights, valuable data, stronger products, and an expanded network of collaborators from around the world.

Location

Birmingham, Alabama, USA
(Facility details and logistics provided directly to registered participants.)

For questions about participation, future IOPs, or how to get involved in upcoming IEC 61850 events, please contact Herb@ucaiug.org

Key Dates

Call for Presentations Deadeline – 10 September 2024
Early Bird Registration Deadline – 13 September 2024​

What Is CIM?

The CIM is an international standard now globally accepted for modeling the information exchanges required in electric utilities. The CIM is independent of any individual application, middleware, or message protocols used for data exchange. The interoperability enabled by the CIM standards is a key factor for achieving the Smart Grid vision.

The CIM Users Group (CIMug) was formed to promote progress of the CIM and to share project experiences. The users group holds two meetings each year (one in Europe and one in the U.S.). Recognized experts share their insights and resolve key technical issues. Each meeting also includes pre-conference tutorials, vendor exhibits, and social networking opportunities.

Who Should Attend

Utilities, energy companies, RTO/ISOs and others involved in developing standards-based enterprise information architectures and integration frameworks to meet their business challenges will find this conference invaluable. Project managers, system architects, business and IT managers, and control center personnel will all benefit from this meeting. With the focus on Smart Grid interoperability and distribution applications, vendors with CIM-based products they plan to make available to this community will want to reserve a Vendor Table to demonstrate their products and discuss service offerings. 

The meeting is open to all current or potential CIM users – you do not have to be a CIM User Group member to attend. Attendees gain first-hand access to CIM experts and come away with new insights on how to realize the power of CIM-based integration.

Meeting Location

Birmingham, Alabama, USA