How to manage a protection unit under a power plamt

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the establishment and management of a protection unit within a power company, focusing on both the Generation and Transmission & Distribution departments. Participants provide advice on planning, improving, and maintaining a reliable protection system, particularly from the perspective of a recent graduate in electrical engineering.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests starting by locating and reading company and industry standards, as well as recent papers related to those standards.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of discussing requirements with stakeholders from both the Generation and T&D departments.
  • There is a recommendation to find a mentor within the company to guide the new employee through the process.
  • Specific protection issues such as phase imbalance, overcurrent, over-voltage, and ground fault protection are highlighted as critical areas to understand.
  • Concerns are raised about vendor reliability, noting that while large companies like Siemens and GE are well-known, the quality of their products can vary significantly.
  • Participants stress the importance of familiarity with existing products and equipment already in use within the company to ensure reliability during emergencies.
  • There is a caution against creating new rules and policies independently without proper guidance, as this could lead to complications.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of understanding company standards, engaging with stakeholders, and the need for mentorship. However, there are differing views on the selection of vendors and the approach to product familiarity, indicating a lack of consensus on these points.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various protection strategies and vendor considerations without resolving which specific approaches or products are superior, highlighting the complexity of the topic.

Who May Find This Useful

New electrical engineers, professionals involved in power system management, and those interested in protection systems within power companies may find this discussion beneficial.

airer
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As an Electrical Engineer, I am employed in a Power company. In this company, they want to create a unit for Protection which cover for both the Generation Department and the Transmission & Distribution Deparment. This is my 3rd month in the company. I was advised to make a plan on how to improve, fine solutions and maintain a reliable protection system. As I am a fresh graduate from university, I am seeking advise from you people on how to go about this project and what to do to create and maintain a successful unit.

Thanks for your input in advance.
 
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Step 1: locate company standards, industry standards, and any recent papers about those standards, and READ THEM.

Step 2: Discuss these with your mentor. If you don't have a mentor, find one.

Step 3: Discuss requirements with Generation and T&D department stakeholders.

Step 4: Design. (make estimates, talk to vendors, etc.)I know, this is pedantic, but you need to start from the bottom and work your way up.
 
Thank you very much.
-Should I find a mentor in the company here or anywhere else?
-Which requirements should I discuss with them?
-Do you have any vendors in mind for this? Is Siemens good?
 
Look within your own company first. You have leadership of some sort. Ask them who to use as a resource.

Second, the requirements are something you need to wrap your head around very very carefully. There are issues such as phase imbalance protection, overcurrent protection, over-voltage protection, ground fault protection, and so on.

Third, any vendor can sell you garbage and almost any vendor can sell you an adequate product. Giving a conglomerate such as Siemens, or GE, or Westinghouse, or Square D, or ... a "good" rating is not really helpful.

It also helps to find out what products are already in use elsewhere, what the company spares look like, and what models they're familiar with. Trust me, at 5 PM on a Saturday, after a massive thunderstorm, nobody wants to be in a substation. They need equipment they know and understand, not some product they've never seen before. You change products when there is good cause to do so, not just because they happen to be on sale this month.

There is so much to learn and you are pretty much starting from the bottom. Talk to your bosses and ask for guidance. Since you're a recent graduate, they'll have patience to deal with you and to get you some assistance. But if you forge ahead on your own, making up your own rules and policies as you go along, you'll end up in trouble.
 
Thank you very much sir.
 

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