Siemens launches Siprotec V to virtualize substation protection and control while cutting costs and emissions

Virtualized Protection and Control solution with Siprotec V: Siprotec V is the virtualized version of Siemens’ established Siprotec 5 protection and control device, designed for digital substations. This innovative solution allows for simple, scalable, and secure power grids, and can accelerate project execution by up to six months.

(IN BRIEF) Siemens Smart Infrastructure has launched Siprotec V, a virtualized protection and control solution that consolidates up to 60 hardware-based devices into a single server-based platform for digital substations, enabling faster project execution, greater scalability, and significant cost and space savings. By reducing the need for physical panels and copper cabling, the system can cut capital expenditure by up to 25 percent, lower substation space requirements by 45 percent, and reduce carbon emissions by up to 50 percent, while delivering total lifecycle savings of up to 20 percent. In addition to enhancing cybersecurity and compliance, Siprotec V allows utilities to host AI applications within substations, supporting real-time analytics, predictive maintenance, and smarter grid operations.

(PRESS RELEASE) ZUG, 4-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Siemens Smart Infrastructure has unveiled Siprotec V, a fully virtualized protection and control platform that replaces up to 60 traditional hardware-based Siprotec 5 devices with a single server-based solution. Designed specifically for digital substations, the new system enables faster, more flexible grid modernization while significantly reducing physical infrastructure, costs, and environmental impact.

As electricity demand continues to rise and grid operators prepare to expand capacity over the coming decade, utilities face mounting pressure to modernize aging assets while maintaining reliability and security. Siprotec V responds to this challenge by decoupling protection and control functions from dedicated hardware and migrating them to a software-defined environment. This shift allows substations to be designed, tested, and operated with far greater agility, reducing project timelines by up to six months compared with conventional approaches.

At the core of Siprotec V is its ability to host up to 60 virtual intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) within a single centralized system. This architecture enables utilities to scale protection and control functions dynamically as grid requirements evolve, rather than being constrained by physical equipment. By consolidating functions onto a server-based platform, substation building space requirements can be reduced by as much as 45 percent, eliminating the need for extensive protection and control panels.

The virtualized environment also allows utilities to perform comprehensive digital testing before commissioning, streamlining installation and reducing the risk of errors. Siprotec V’s modular software design supports rapid updates, security patches, and functional enhancements without requiring hardware replacements, ensuring long-term adaptability.

From a sustainability perspective, virtualization substantially reduces the need for copper cabling, cable trenches, and large physical installations. This can cut carbon emissions associated with substation infrastructure by up to 50 percent while lowering capital expenditure by up to 25 percent through reduced hardware requirements. Over the full lifecycle, customers can achieve total cost savings of up to 20 percent.

Siprotec V also creates a platform for advanced analytics by enabling artificial intelligence applications to run directly within the substation. This capability allows utilities to access real-time data, improve predictive maintenance, and make more informed operational decisions.

Onyeche Tifase, Vice President of Product Lifecycle Management at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, emphasized that Siprotec V builds on decades of proven protection expertise while bringing it into a digital, software-driven framework. He highlighted that the combination of established reliability and modern virtualization positions Siemens as a key partner for utilities seeking to modernize without compromising safety or performance.

Security remains a fundamental design principle of Siprotec V, which aligns with leading cybersecurity standards and guidelines, including those outlined by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP) framework. This ensures that the platform supports both operational resilience and regulatory compliance in an increasingly digitalized energy landscape.

Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) is shaping the market for intelligent, adaptive infrastructure for today and the future. It addresses the pressing challenges of urbanization and climate change by connecting energy systems, buildings, and industries. SI provides customers with a comprehensive end-to-end portfolio from a single source – with products, systems, solutions, and services from the point of power generation all the way to consumption. With an increasingly digitalized ecosystem, it helps customers thrive and communities progress while contributing toward protecting the planet. To protect this journey, we foster holistic cybersecurity to ensure secure and reliable operations. Siemens Smart Infrastructure has its global headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. As of September 30, 2025, the business had around 79,400 employees worldwide.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, mobility, and healthcare. The company’s purpose is to create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers customers to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations, making factories more efficient, cities more livable, and transportation more sustainable. A leader in industrial AI, Siemens leverages its deep domain know-how to apply AI – including generative AI – to real-world applications, making AI accessible and impactful for customers across diverse industries. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a leading global medical technology provider pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably. In fiscal 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025, the Siemens Group generated revenue of €78.9 billion and net income of €10.4 billion. As of September 30, 2025, the company employed around 318,000 people worldwide on the basis of continuing operations. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.

Media Contact:

Nicole Bär
Siemens Smart Infrastructure
+41 79 450 50 31
nicole.baer@siemens.com

SOURCE: Siemens