IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026 applies the Role-Based Access Control requirements of IEC 62351-8 to the IEC 61850 power utility automation environment. This page gives testing engineers, procurement specialists and quality managers an interpretive overview of the specification, its scope and its practical significance for interoperable engineering and compliance work.
Standard Information
IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026 is a Publicly Available Specification from IEC technical committee TC 57. It takes over data-model-specific definitions, such as permissions and their assignment to roles, from IEC 62351-8 and applies them within the IEC 61850 environment. The document addresses RBAC modelling considerations, impacts on IEC 61850 models and protocols, engineering process requirements, and the binding of permissions to objects. - Designation: IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026
- Full title: Communication networks and systems for power utility automation - Part 90-19: Use of Role Based Access Control (RBAC) with IEC 61850
- Status: Current
- Publication date: 2026-08-20
- ICS classification: 33, 33.200
- Technical committee: TC 57
Scope and Application
The general requirements for Role-Based Access Control are defined in IEC 62351-8. This Publicly Available Specification applies those requirements to the IEC 61850 environment. Its coverage spans RBAC modelling considerations, the impacts on IEC 61850 models and protocols, and the resulting engineering process requirements for projects that implement access control in substation and utility automation systems. A further element of the scope concerns the binding of permissions to objects. The specification defines this binding so that an interoperable implementation regarding the semantics of roles becomes possible. The binding is achieved through an assignment to unique data objects based on the SCL description. One prerequisite deserves attention: IEC 61850-6:2009+AMD1:2018+AMD2:2024 is required, because it defines a unique identification of objects in SCL. Engineers should verify that their toolchain and configuration files conform to that prerequisite before applying the role-assignment approach described here.
Products and Materials Covered
As a communication-networks and systems specification within ICS classes 33 and 33.200 (telecommunications, remote control), the document applies to products that implement IEC 61850 communication networks and systems for power utility automation. Typical families include intelligent electronic devices, protection and control equipment, station computers, gateways and engineering tools that create or consume SCL configuration files. The document itself is not a product material standard. It defines permission and role concepts, their modelling within IEC 61850 data models and protocols, and the permission-to-object binding mechanism. Software components, configuration tooling and device firmware implementing RBAC in an IEC 61850 context therefore form the practical scope of applicability.
Testing and Compliance Considerations
Laboratories working with this type of specification typically begin by reviewing the SCL configuration against the stated prerequisite for unique object identification. Acceptance verification then checks that role definitions and permission bindings match the documented model and that the semantic of each role is implemented consistently across devices from different suppliers. Interoperability is the central compliance question. Because the specification defines the binding of permissions to unique data objects, an accredited laboratory can assess whether two independent implementations interpret the same role in the same way. Documentation reviewed during such work usually includes role-permission matrices, SCL files and engineering process descriptions. Retest triggers follow generic practice: firmware or protocol-stack changes affecting access control, modifications to the SCL-based permission binding, or supplier changes in role semantics. Type testing and acceptance verification should be repeated when any of these changes could alter access-control behaviour. Specific pass or fail values are not part of this specification; conformity is judged against the modelled role and permission semantics.
Related Standards and Series Context
The designation reveals several structural facts. IEC PAS 61850-90-19 belongs to the IEC 61850 series, which addresses communication networks and systems for power utility automation; the "PAS" marker indicates a Publicly Available Specification rather than a full International Standard. Within the series, part numbers in the 90 range denote technical reports and specifications that explain how the core standards apply to particular use cases. Part 90-19 therefore documents the application of role-based access control to the IEC 61850 environment. The year 2026 in the designation identifies the publication year of this edition. Readers who need the full document should obtain it through official IEC distribution channels; this page is an interpretive overview only.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026 affect the submission process for compliance testing?
Under IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026, applicants should communicate with the testing laboratory about the standard's scope and the communication network functions covered, confirm applicable test items, and agree on documentation and sample requirements before formal submission, ensuring alignment on the power utility automation aspects being evaluated.
What
factors influence the testing cost for products under IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026?
Costs depend on the scope of communication networks and systems for power utility automation being verified, the number and complexity of functions covered, the types of products or materials involved, and the extent of compliance testing required under this publicly available specification.
How are retesting and data disputes handled in relation to IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026?
If test results are questioned, the laboratory and applicant may review the procedures applied under IEC PAS 61850-90-19:2026, re-examine samples and documentation, and arrange retesting where warranted, with dispute resolution typically governed by the testing agreement and applicable conformity assessment practices.