Smart Grid Workforce Training: Utility Relay Trainer

At the heart of enhanced reliability, self-healing grids, improved power quality, and improved system protection is the utility relay device.  Located often at substations, and connected to the electric grid by current transformers and power transformers, utility relay devices provide a substantial amount of intelligence behind the smart grid.  These electronic devices take measurements and make decisions, or send the information to a utility’s systems control room through remote terminal units (RTU’s).  They can operate automatically or by command.

NWTC’s Mobile Smart Grid Training Lab contains a utility relay training device with six workstations.  The integrated system will provide an environment for learners to understand the components used to develop a smart grid. The relay trainer is designed around the concept of distribution automation. The system will utilize smart metering, protection systems, fault locating algorithms, testing equipment, communication systems and supervisory control (SCADA) to provide the learners with a complete understanding of typical utility systems.

Each workstation has a relay panel (relays, smart meters and communication processors) that provides learners with typical utility equipment that they can configure, test and analyze, enforcing concepts presented to them in utility technical classes. Existing readily available equipment (intelligent electrical devices, IEDs) will be utilized. The relay panels will be connected to a distribution system condition simulator that will be used to simulate distribution system conditions including voltages, currents and switching devices (switches, reclosers and breakers).

The focus of the relay training is to provide an environment to develop and prove the concept of automated isolation and restoration of a distribution system after experiencing a simulated real world fault.  The distribution simulator can also be used to simulate voltage control devices such as capacitor banks or voltage regulators.

The device is targeted at training existing utility transmission and distribution employees, utility contractors, students, and others as needed. The specific components will provide the learners with the skills necessary to succeed in the utility industry.  Integration of these systems will help learners improve their technical skills, interpersonal communication skills, troubleshooting skills and understanding overall utility systems.

Smart Grid Workforce Training: Descriptions of the First Two Smart Grid Courses

Below is a brief description of the first two Smart Grid courses we expect to offer in the fall.

The first course ‘Introduction to Electric Utilities’ is an overview of the electric utility industry for people who don’t have utility experience.  It isn’t necessary for everyone to take the course.  For people that have a good, solid understanding of how electric utilities operate and how they’re regulated there’s no need to take this course:

“This course introduces students to the different types of utilities, provides an overview of utility business structure, gives an overview of utility history, describes how electricity is produced and delivered to customers, discusses the types of electricity generators and their operating characteristics, and provides an overview of utility technical and business operations. Topics will also include utility oversight and regulation, and customer service.”

The second course ‘Overview of the Smart Grid’ is meant for everyone to take:

This course introduces students to the concept of the Smart Grid, the driving forces behind it, its applications, and the features it allows for and provides.  Topics will include basic information on distribution automation and a “smart” utility grid, the improved opportunity to connect distributed generation and renewable energy sources to the grid, electric vehicle charging, and the new opportunities for customers to control their energy loads and manage their electric and natural gas bills to a much greater extent than they can today. The course will also cover workforce development issues.

Subsequent courses will go into more detail on the topics introduced in these first two courses.

Driving Utilities to Change: Part 1

There is a lot of talk about how utilities will need to change to meet a new market reality.  Utilities certainly will change, they always have, but the change may be much slower than expected, and may be more reactive rather than proactive.

Utilities are enormous inwardly focused enterprises. Change does happen, but it’s not part of a utility’s culture.  What’s core to their culture is steady state operations – managing costs and improving performance of their assets.  That’s what utilities do, all day, every day, day in and day out. In fact they’re rewarded for doing this.

Why is change not part of their culture? It comes down to the lack of competition.  Utilities, unlike other industries, haven’t faced a “technology imperative”.  Most industries produce products that must compete in the marketplace by being either lower cost or have added features.  The technology sold or the technology behind the service must change for the company to compete and stay in business (the technology imperative).  This creates a corporate culture around innovation and change. Utilities haven’t had to face competition so haven’t had to outwardly change. 

The utility enterprise will always be about keeping the lights on and the costs down.   So if change doesn’t come from normal internal operations, what’s going to drive a utility to change?

Smart Grid Workforce Training: NWTC Smart Grid Certificate Course List

The goal of the NWTC Smart Grid Certificate program is to eventually have 23 courses available covering 23 smart grid topics.  The topics and courses are:

1.    Introduction to Electric Utilities

2.    Overview of the Smart Grid

3.    Utility Regulation and Management

4.    Deploying the Smart Grid

5.    Smart Grid Impacts on Utility Rates

6.    Smart Grid Enhanced Reliability and Power Quality

7.    Smart Grid Enhanced Distribution System Protection

8.    Smart Substations

9.    Demand Response/Smart Appliances and Thermostats

10.  Smart Grid Privacy Concerns

11.  Customer Smart Grid Education

12.  Smart Distributed Generation

13.  Smart Energy Storage

14.  Distribution Management Systems and Microgrids

15.  Smart Grid Communications and Cyber-security

16.  The Smart Meter

17.  Analytics: Analyzing Customer Data

18.  Building Energy Management Systems/Home Area Networks

19.  Smart Energy Management - Homes

20.  Smart Energy Management - Commercial Businesses

21.  Electric Vehicle Charging

22.  Energy Markets

23.  Smart Grid Standards