Engineering Tomorrow's Power — Today

Substation Engineering Projects

Substation Engineering Services

Two 345kV Line Upgrades on a Ring Bus – South Fond Du Lac Substation
Realtime engineered the upgrade of the protective relay systems for two 345kV lines from a substation with a Ring Bus configuration. Specifically, this included upgrading the SKBU-1/TC phase comparison system, KD4-SDG/TCF directional comparison unblocking system, dual direct transfer trip systems on one 345kV line, and the SKBU-21/TCF phase comparison system, SKDU-SDGU/TCF directional comparison unblocking system, and dual channel direct transfer trip systems on the other 345kV line. Both lines utilized TCF communication equipment. On the primary systems, Realtime removed the existing primary SKBU-1 and SKBU-21 phase-comparison relay systems and associated panels, and replaced them with ABB REL-352 phase-comparison relay systems, utilizing Pulsar TCF-10B carrier equipment, and installed non-piloted direct-trip SEL-311C’s backup relays for each line. On the secondary systems, Realtime removed existing KD4-SDG/TCF and SKDU-SDGU/TCF directional-comparison unblocking relay systems and associated panels, and replaced them with new SEL-321 directional-comparison unblocking (DCU) relay systems, utilizing Pulsar TCF-10B carrier equipment. Additional upgrades included new 3000A, 345kV line traps, 6 new 345kV disconnect switches, 3 new surge arrestors, 3 new 345kV single-phase CCVT with secondary windings, 2 new CCVT with line tuners. Many exterior cables, and all affected interior cables, were replaced.

One 345kV Line Upgrade on a Ring Bus – Paddock Substation
Realtime upgraded an approximately 30-year old primary SKBU-21 phase-comparison relay system and a 14-year old L-DAR directional comparison unblocking system on a Ring Bus configuration. Specifically, this included removing the primary SKBU-21 phase-comparison relay system and associated panel, and replacing it with a new ABB REL-352 phase-comparison relay system utilizing Pulsar TCF-10B carrier equipment. A primary direct-transfer-trip system, utilizing a separate Pulsar TCF-10B was included. On the secondary system, Realtime removed an existing L-DAR directional-comparison-unblocking relay (DCU) relay system, installed an SEL-352 breaker-failure relay and a secondary transfer-trip system included as a separate dedicated TCF-10B transceiver.

Ripon Substation
Realtime engineered a new control house, all new relays and RTU, plus added a 69kV capacitor bank. The project included reconductoring the bus, adding a 69kV breaker and circuit switcher.

Upgrade 345kV Line Protection on a Ring Bus and Upgrade Disturbance Fault Recorder – Arpin Substation
Realtime engineered the replacement of old SKDU/SDGU primary DCU (via TCF) and secondary POTT (via tone) relay systems in a ring bus configuration. The new primary system utilized an ABB REL-352 phase-comparison relay with Pulsar TCF-10B carrier. The new secondary system utilized a SEL-421 relay in a POTT scheme using an RFL 9745 tone transmitter/receiver chassis. Backup tripping was provided by an SEL-311C relay. Primary and secondary transfer-trip schemes used carrier and tone channels in a configuration that required trip signals through both active channels before tripping, but reverted to single channel tripping for loss of any one channel. Breaker failure relays were replaced using SEL-352 relays and Electroswitch lockouts. The SEL-352 relays also supervised breaker closing and provided synchro-check supervision. Other parts of this project included replacing the digital fault recorder with a new NxtPhase Disturbance Fault Recorder, plus adding annunciator and SER points as needed. The old
station battery was replaced and a second battery added, then the 345 kV relays and tripping were split between the two new batteries. Outdoor work included a new 345 kV line-trap and new 345 kV line arresters.

Upgrade 345kV Line Protection and Upgrade Disturbance Fault Recorder –
Kewaunee Nuclear Plant Substation
Realtime engineered the replacement of SKBU-21 primary phase comparison and secondary SKDU directional comparison unblocking relay systems on a dual-series-breaker line. The new primary system utilized an ABB REL-352 phase-comparison relay with Pulsar TCF-10B carrier. The new secondary system utilized a SEL-321 relay in a DCU scheme using Pulsar TCF-10B carrier. Direct backup tripping was provided by an SEL-311C relay. Dual-direction dual-channel transfer-trip schemes were replaced using Pulsar TCF-10B transceivers. This project also included replacing an old oscillograph with a new NxtPhase Disturbance Fault Recorder, plus adding annunciator and SER points as needed for the new relay systems.

Frame Relays
Realtime is providing redundant Frame Relay Communications, Ethernet Switch Router, and IP Communications for the system control and data collection remote terminal units, and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories protective relaying equipment at 60-80 substations. The objective is to replace existing radio and leased line communications with redundant Frame Relay and T1 communications.