The imperfection of the traditional substation simulation system has led to the limitations of substation practice teaching, and a new substation virtual simulation experiment teaching platform is developed based on the virtual reality technology. The virtual simulation experimental environment is based on the domestic 220 kV substation, and the design architecture of the system is optimized. In order to enable students to better understand and master the relevant knowledge of substation, and combine theoretical knowledge with practical operation, the functions of theoretical knowledge answering, fault simulation and processing are added. Experimental results show that compared with the traditional virtual teaching system, the operation is more convenient and the sense of immersion is stronger, which has great advantages in cultivating students’ innovative thinking ability.