ABB Relion 670 Series Modules

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

ABB Relion 670 Series: Comprehensive Module Range and Technical Overview

The ABB Relion 670 series represents one of the most widely deployed protection and control IED (Intelligent Electronic Device) platforms in high-voltage substation infrastructure globally. Installed across power utilities, industrial substations, petrochemical facilities, nuclear auxiliary systems, and offshore platforms, the 670 series has accumulated a substantial installed base since its commercial introduction in the mid-2000s. Its presence spans transmission and distribution networks in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and the Americas.

The platform's longevity in the field — combined with the extended service life of substation assets, which routinely operate for 20 to 30 years — creates a sustained and growing demand for replacement modules, firmware-matched spares, and lifecycle support components. A single failed IED in a protection scheme can result in delayed fault clearance, regulatory non-compliance, or forced outage of a substation bay. The operational consequence of an unplanned IED failure in a critical bay is not measured in the cost of the module — it is measured in the cost of the outage.

DriveKNMS maintains stock positions across the Relion 670 series range, including both current-production and end-of-life variants. Each unit is sourced from verified channels and inspected prior to dispatch.

The Evolution of Relion 670 Series Architecture

The Relion 670 series was introduced by ABB as a successor to the earlier REX 500 and SPACOM platform families, consolidating protection, measurement, control, and communication functions into a single IED hardware architecture. The platform is built on a modular hardware design with a common processing core and application-specific firmware packages that define the IED's protection function set.

Generation 1 (Version 1.0–1.2, circa 2005–2010): Initial hardware release. Binary input/output modules used discrete optocoupler and relay technology. Communication options were limited to SPA-bus, LON, and early IEC 61850 Edition 1 implementations. These units are now approaching or past their recommended service life and represent the highest-risk population in the installed base.

Generation 2 (Version 2.0–2.2, circa 2010–2016): Revised main processing board with improved CPU performance. IEC 61850 Edition 2 support added. Expanded analog input channel counts. Optical Ethernet communication modules introduced. This generation remains the dominant installed variant in most utility networks.

Generation 3 (Version 2.2 onward, circa 2016–present): Current production hardware. Enhanced cybersecurity features (IEC 62351 compliance). Wider temperature range options for harsh environments. Compatibility with PCM600 engineering tool versions 2.7 and above. Backward compatibility with Generation 2 firmware configurations is partial and requires engineering verification.

A critical compatibility constraint across all generations: hardware modules are not universally interchangeable across firmware versions. A replacement module must match the firmware baseline of the installed IED, or a full firmware upgrade must be planned and executed. This constraint makes same-version spare procurement the lowest-risk replacement strategy for operating utilities.

Relion 670 Series Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

Bay Control & Interlocking

• REC670 1MRK002814-AC: Bay control IED for substation automation; handles interlocking, switching sequences, and SCADA interface in HV bays.
• REC670 1MRK002814-AB: Earlier firmware variant of the REC670 bay control IED; compatible with IEC 61850 Ed.1 substation configurations.
• REC670 1MRK002814-AD: Updated REC670 variant with enhanced cybersecurity and IEC 62351 support for modern utility networks.

Line Protection

• REL670 1MRK004003-AA: Distance protection IED for transmission lines; full scheme protection with teleprotection interface.
• REL670 1MRK004003-AB: REL670 with extended distance zones and power swing detection for long EHV transmission lines.
• REL670 1MRK004003-BA: REL670 configured for distribution line protection with directional overcurrent and earth fault functions.

Transformer Protection

• RET670 1MRK004002-AA: Transformer differential protection IED; supports 2-winding and 3-winding transformer configurations.
• RET670 1MRK004002-AB: RET670 with restricted earth fault (REF) and overfluxing protection for generator-transformer units.
• RET670 1MRK004002-BA: RET670 variant with autotransformer differential protection and tap changer supervision functions.

Feeder Protection

• REF670 1MRK004001-AA: Feeder protection IED; overcurrent, earth fault, and arc flash detection for MV/HV feeders.
• REF670 1MRK004001-AB: REF670 with directional earth fault and sensitive earth fault functions for compensated networks.
• REF670 1MRK004001-BA: REF670 configured for industrial feeder protection with motor start supervision.

Busbar & Breaker Protection

• REB670 1MRK005003-AA: Busbar protection IED; centralized differential protection for single and double busbar arrangements.
• REB670 1MRK005003-AB: REB670 with breaker failure protection and end-fault protection for complex busbar configurations.

Generator Protection

• REG670 1MRK004004-AA: Generator protection IED; stator differential, rotor earth fault, loss of excitation, and pole slip protection.
• REG670 1MRK004004-AB: REG670 with extended generator-transformer unit protection and 100% stator earth fault detection.

Communication & I/O Modules

• 1MRK000876-AC: Optical Ethernet communication module for IEC 61850 GOOSE and MMS; LC fiber connector interface.
• 1MRK000876-AB: Earlier Ethernet module variant; 100BASE-FX fiber, compatible with Generation 1 and 2 hardware chassis.
• 1MRK001002-AA: Binary input/output extension module; 16 BI / 8 BO; used to expand I/O capacity in complex bay configurations.

Sourcing Hard-to-Find & Obsolete Relion 670 Series Parts

ABB's official support lifecycle for the Relion 670 series is structured around firmware version milestones. As each firmware generation reaches end-of-active-support, the corresponding hardware modules transition to a reduced-support status. For utilities and industrial operators, this creates a procurement gap: the IED remains in service, but the OEM no longer stocks replacement modules for the installed firmware version.

The practical consequence is that a failed Generation 1 or early Generation 2 module cannot be replaced with a current-production unit without a firmware migration project — a process that requires engineering resources, protection scheme re-testing, and in many jurisdictions, regulatory re-approval. The total cost of a firmware migration for a single bay routinely exceeds the cost of sourcing an original spare module by a factor of ten or more.

DriveKNMS maintains sourcing relationships across industrial surplus networks in Europe, North America, and Asia. For Relion 670 modules, this includes:

• New Old Stock (NOS) units from decommissioned substation projects.
• Tested refurbished units from utility asset disposal programs.
• Firmware-matched spares verified against the customer's installed version baseline.
• Multi-unit procurement for utilities building strategic spare inventories ahead of planned maintenance windows.

Customers are advised to provide the full article number (e.g., 1MRK002814-AC) and the installed firmware version when inquiring, as these two parameters together determine module compatibility.

Quality Control for the Relion 670 Series Range

The Relion 670 series uses a proprietary backplane bus architecture for inter-module communication within the IED chassis. Standard bench testing procedures used for generic relay hardware are not sufficient to verify the integrity of a 670 series module. DriveKNMS applies the following protocol to all Relion 670 units processed through its facility:

1. Article number and hardware revision verification. The physical label, PCB silk-screen revision, and internal hardware identifier are cross-referenced to confirm the unit matches the stated article number. Mismatched hardware revisions are flagged and not shipped as the stated part.
2. Backplane connector inspection. The IED backplane connector pins are inspected under magnification for fretting corrosion, mechanical deformation, and contamination. Fretting corrosion on backplane connectors is a known failure mode in units that have been repeatedly inserted and removed.
3. Power supply rail verification. Internal DC supply rails are measured under load to confirm regulation within specification. Degraded power supply performance is a common cause of intermittent IED faults that do not generate clear diagnostic events.
4. Communication module functional test. Where optical Ethernet or serial communication modules are present, link establishment and basic protocol response are verified using appropriate test equipment.
5. Firmware version read-back. Where the unit can be powered and accessed, the installed firmware version is read back and recorded. This information is provided to the customer as part of the shipment documentation, enabling direct compatibility verification against the installed system.

Units that cannot be fully verified due to missing configuration or access restrictions are sold with explicit condition disclosure. DriveKNMS does not represent partially tested units as fully verified.

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