Electrical Substations

Breakers & Relays

FERC Complaint Targets Duke, PJM Transmission Planning

A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...

Substation Automation

Wireless Networks and Substation Automation

Fitting wireless networks into substation automation applications BY ADAM GUGLIELMO, ABB Tropos Wireless Communication Systems As with all Smart Grid applications, two-way communication is foundational to substation automation. To enable monitoring and control, substation computers, as well as...

Substation Technologies

SCADA for Substations

How new technologies can improve monitoring and control BY LOURENCO TEODORO, InduSoft Substations are a critical component for maintaining electrical supply and load control in low voltage, medium voltage and high voltage electrical distribution networks. In order to ensure the proper functioning...

Physical Security & Monitoring

Animal Outage Prevention

According to the American Public Power Association, squirrels are among the top causes of power outages across the United States. Depending on your geographic region, there may be no “quiet” season - squirrels and other “Critters” can be active all year long.Since...

Substation Protection

Grid-Scale Battery Storage Systems and Their Impact on Substation Operations

The transition to renewable energy is reshaping the power landscape, with grid-scale battery storage systems playing a pivotal role in this transformation. These systems are crucial for balancing supply and demand, particularly at the substation level, where they enhance grid stability and...

Lightning Protection

Lightning Strikes

In Canada, lightning flashes occur about 2.34 million times a year; with the highest levels of concentration during the summer months. While most lightning on earth is ground-to-cloud, recent research has identified that the majority of lightning events to tall structures, such as wind...

Home Transformation Electrical Substations

Electrical Substation Maintenance

Improving safety and methodology techniques to protect utility workers

BY LARRY LAWRENCE, Lineman’s Testing Laboratories of Canada

In 1990, many workplace safety hazards were consistently ignored as if they were “acceptable risk” and an expected part of a worker’s daily routine. Not surprisingly, many workers who performed routine testing and maintenance procedures in high-voltage substations experienced serious and, in some instances, fatal injuries.

Additionally, electric utilities were faced with high costs associated from unfinished materials...