Standardization of Protection Commissioning Testing in Transmission Protection Department

Abstract

In line with the recent developments and innovations, standardization is a topic that is mainly focused on to ensure an easy flow of operations and reduction in complexity in many different fields. Given the diverse applications of which standardization can be applied to, this paper will focus specifically on the standardization of commissioning tests for protection relays as well as the process and the impact of the implementation of standardization in this particular field. Background : This paper’s focus and origin is from the United Arab Emirates specifically in the electricity sector in Dubai’s Water and Electricity Authority (DEWA); Transmission Power Division, Transmission Protection Department (TPD). Direct emphasis is on the commissioning section where various commissioning tests are carried out for many different protection relays in many different applications in Transmission Substations of Voltage Levels 400/132kV and 132/11kV. As of date, Transmission Power substations counts 330 numbers while more are yet to undergo or complete the engineering phase only to enter the commissioning phase and be tested and commissioned. Commissioning tests have been made easier and more efficient by introducing standardization in 2010, where procedures of various commissioning tests involving protection relays have been standardized and applied whenever a new substation comes to light.