Solving common mistakes in communications cabling for electrical utilities
BY FRANK KODITEK, Belden Inc.
In the energy industry, there are numerous types of cables in use for a wide variety of applications, from transporting high-voltage current for miles to providing power and data connectivity within and among substations and to and from control centers. For the purposes of this article, we will be looking at the communications cables that are the veins and arteries of...
Developing circuit breaker lubrication procedures BY RICK YOUNGBLOOD, Doble Engineering Company Circuit breaker analyzers are used to determine operating speeds and velocity. This information enables the tester to determine if a breaker is safe to place back into service. The data recorded by a...
A digital substation is a modernized electrical substation that replaces traditional analog equipment and copper wiring with digital signaling, intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), and fiber-optic communication. It enables real-time data exchange, advanced automation, and greater efficiency in...
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...
How to protect electrical equipment from Mother Nature BY ROBERT A. MURPHY, Trayer Engineering Corporation The U.S. National Weather Service called Hurricane Sandy the most destructive storm of 2012’s unusually active Atlantic hurricane season. Sandy delivered unprecedented damage across a wide...
From Hardwiring to Data Networking The modernization of substations is as much a communications revolution as a protection one. For decades, copper conductors carried analog signals from instrument transformers to relays and controls. Each new circuit meant more wiring, more panels, and more room...
Reliable and secure communication infrastructure is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the modern power grid. As utilities transition to digital substations, integrate distributed energy resources (DERs), and deploy real-time monitoring systems, the need for robust, scalable grid...
The power industry is undergoing a profound transformation driven by grid modernization, renewable integration, and increasing demands for resilience and efficiency. At the heart of this evolution lies the smart substation—a next-generation facility equipped with advanced sensors, digital...
The IEC 61850 protocol has become the global standard for substation automation, enabling high-speed communication, interoperability, and streamlined integration of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). It plays a foundational role in transforming traditional substations into digital substations...
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...
In the rapidly evolving landscape of power grid management, digital twin technology is emerging as a game-changer for substations. By creating virtual replicas of physical assets, digital twins bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds, enabling enhanced operational efficiency and...
