Workers’ hands are the most commonly injured body part. Whether the hazard comes from rotating machinery, pinches between two materials, heat, chemicals, or electricity, your hands are under constant attack. Without them, every task would be difficult to perform. This article identifies the common hazards and risks to a worker’s hands as well as ways to mitigate injuries and promote …
AES personnel were dispatched to a gas plant in northern Alberta, Canada, for emergency repair of a failed 600 v MCC bus. Before the technicians arrived, the 600 v bus components had already been disassembled by facility personnel to prepare for installation of a new MCC section. For our client, getting the facility back up and running was more critical than …
This article analyzes several protection operations for large combustion turbine generators. Generator protection trips tend to be rare, so any major event is always of interest. EVENT 1: CLOSE-IN THREE-PHASE FAULT A large gas combustion turbine generator experienced a close-in three-phase fault during a rainstorm. The generator terminal voltage is rated 13.8 kV line-to-line, and the machine is high-impedance grounded. The …
Previously, we discussed a 15 kV feeder fault at a manufacturing plant and how NFPA 70E is an important tool for the electrical worker to use in the field as they troubleshoot, repair, and restore the equipment to get the facility up and running. To recap, here’s what happened: The main circuit breaker in one of the plant’s three medium-voltage substations …
NETA has been setting standards that pave the way for the minimum requirements to ensure an electrical system operates reliably and safely since 1972. As a result of several widespread blackouts compromising the electric grid, the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC)was appointed in 2006 by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop various standards to aid in the …
Chief Petty Officer Luke Leifeste is a MUSE Technician (Mobility Utility Support Equipment) deployed by the U.S. Navy to create, secure, and repair electrical power supply systems in Africa. With nearly 18 years in the military, he says the intrigue of troubleshooting in the field keeps him inspired for the next challenge. NW: How would you describe the nature of …
As generation is connected to the grid, the available short-circuit current is evolving, increasing in areas where synchronous resources are installed and decreasing in areas where inverter-based resources, such as solar and wind power, are installed. With the U.S. Department of Energy’s recent plan to drastically increase the amount of solar connected to the grid over the coming decades, one …
Matters of NERC PRC and NERC CIP compliance intersect during protection system testing on substation networks. In the modern regulatory environment, the benefits of computer-based relaying are challenged by the costs of cyber security and disrupted or insufficient relay testing practices. The way forward demands interconnected data and the ability to track critical metrics automatically. Organizations can modernize while ensuring …
Batteries serve as the main source of power in a substation in the event of an AC outage. They power critical loads and equipment like relays, indicator lamps, circuit-breaker control, motor operators, SCADA, event recorders, etc. As the battery is truly put to the test only during an outage, it is important to monitor battery health on a regular basis …
We find ourselves in a time where everyday life has become principally reliant on the uninterrupted supply of electricity. Powering our homes, sustaining mass transit infrastructure, and keeping the lights on at our healthcare facilities are prime examples of the importance reliable power holds to our way of life. But as our demand for electric power is ever-growing, our requirement …