Risk of operation in power plant

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on a commissioning challenge at a gas turbine power plant involving six 160 MW units. The electrical commissioning team faced an issue with unit 2's switchgear, which could not operate via the normal path, necessitating the use of a long interconnection to the common switchgear. When attempting to close the circuit breaker, the sensitive Earth fault relay tripped, prompting a request to increase the relay's setting despite acknowledging the associated risks. The team had previously encountered no issues with similar output feeders, but time constraints pressured them to consider this risky adjustment. The conversation highlights the critical balance between operational urgency and safety in power plant commissioning.
m.s.j
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Recently the commissioning part of our company started a new project in a gas turbine power plant with six individual power generation units, each 160 MW.
Each power unit includes one auxiliary medium voltage switchgear to supply internal consumptions. Also common switchgear is considered for power plant common consumers and a long interconnection cable (approximately 700 m) between each MV and common panel for emergency using. This interconnection path is used instead of incoming units when their incomings can not be energized via normal path.
One day, the head of electrical commissioning group called the office engineers to help. He said,” we can not run unit 2 switchgear via normal path, and we have decided to use interconnection of common switchgear. But when we close the related circuit breaker, its relevant sensitive Earth fault trips it”.
The setting of mentioned relay is similar to the other same relays in output feeders and it is adjusted at 2 A ( in primary side ) for all sensitive Earth fault; because that medium voltage system is resistance grounded with maximum 10 A Earth fault currents. Also all those Earth fault relays are connected to special core balance current transformers.
He said they have never had any problem with other output feeders. They didn’t have enough time, and wanted permission to increase the setting of Earth fault relay in commissioning duty. They knew well this activity may be accompanying a great risk.

Can you take that risk of operation?


BEST REGARDS
MSJ


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