Commissioning & certification

How Voltmasters validates the DSO RTU link during commissioning and assists remotely during the grid operator's certification (conformity test).

A DSO RTU installation is only complete once the link has been validated and certified. Voltmasters validates the operation at commissioning and assists remotely during the grid operator's official inspection (the certification / conformity test).

Voltmasters validates the operation at commissioning

When the installation is put into service, Voltmasters verifies the complete DSO RTU chain, not just that the link is up, but that the installation actually responds correctly to every control. We check:

• The RTU connection: the grid operator's RTU reaches the controller and the link is stable. See RTU connection.

• Data exchange: every control and measurement data point is present and correctly mapped (limits, modes, emergency stops, reason codes, per-category measurements).

• Active-power limits: that injection and consumption are actually capped to the commanded values, at the connection point and per asset.

• Reactive-power control: that local/remote Q mode and the Q band behave as expected.

• Emergency stops: both the software stop and, where installed, the hardware stop via the IO module.

• Feedback: that the EMS mirrors the right state back and reports measurements per category.

Validation is done against real measurements: we confirm the installation's actual injection/consumption follows each command, not just that the command was received.

Remote support during certification

The grid operator performs an official certification (conformity test) of the DSO RTU installation before it is approved for normal operation. Voltmasters assists with this certification remotely:

• Our team monitors the link and the installation live during the inspection.

• We observe the grid operator's test commands as they arrive and confirm the installation responds correctly.

• We can diagnose and resolve issues in real time, so the certification can be completed in a single session wherever possible.

• We provide the technical confirmation the grid operator needs about the EMS side of the interface.

Test mode

During certification the grid operator uses the test reason code. Commands sent with the test reason are handled by the EMS exactly like normal commands, but they are clearly identifiable as part of the inspection. This lets the grid operator exercise limits and emergency stops in a controlled way during the test session.

What to prepare

Before certification can take place, make sure:

• The RTU is installed and the network link to the controller is in place.

• The contractual grid limits (max injection / consumption) are configured in the project.

• All assets are added, verified and controllable in the EMS.

• If a hardware emergency stop is required, the IO module is installed, wired and configured.

• A certification date is agreed with the grid operator and shared with Voltmasters so we can plan remote assistance.

After certification

Once the grid operator approves the certification, the installation is cleared for normal DSO RTU operation. From that point:

• DSO RTU runs continuously and autonomously.

• The link and the installation's compliance are monitored; any loss of connection or inability to execute a command is surfaced as an incident.

• Configuration changes (limits, asset changes, emergency-stop wiring) should be revalidated and, if required by the grid operator, re-certified.