Thursday, October 15, 2009
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF PROTECTING NORTH AMERICAN UTILITY SYSTEMS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM
Mukesh Napgal PEng PhD
9:00 - 10:15 am
In the new millennium, existing generation, transmission and distribution assets required significant refurbishment or replacement. On the other hand, deregulation, high energy demand and political desire to have green resources of energy started to attract large scale investments from private power producers wanting to connect to the utility transmission or distribution networks at minimum cost. Generation resources on the distribution system, which was designed to serve radial loads, introduced new protection challenges. At the same time, the experienced utility staff either started to retire or sought new opportunities, especially those created by deregulation outside the utility. This presentation will highlight these challenges and the approach taken by BC Hydro, the third largest utility in Canada, to address them.
1.25 PDH - Informal
CURRENT INTERRUPTION IN ATMOSPHERIC AIR
David Peelo PEng PhD
10:45 am – 12:00 pm
High voltage air-break disconnect switches are intended to be used as isolators. However, especially in North America, they are commonly used to interrupt transformer magnetizing, capacitive and loop currents. Each of these switching duties involves a free-burning arc in air and is unique in its own way in terms of arc behaviour and the arc-circuit interaction. Based on recent and ongoing research, the presentation will explain this behaviour and interaction in practical terms and will be richly illustrated with video clips of actual field and laboratory switching events both successful and unsuccessful.
1.25 PDH - Informal
PLANNING AND OPERATING A LARGE POWER SYSTEM
Paul Choudhury PEng
1:45 – 3:00 pm
Following a brief discussion of the roles and responsibilities of the BC Transmission Corporation, a high level description of the transmission system in British Columbia will be provided. Learn how the transmission and generation system evolved, how it is operated daily, and how planning for the future is considered. The types of engineering activities in planning and operations will also be covered.
1.25 PDH - Informal
CANADIAN ELECTRICAL SAFETY SYSTEM: DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT OF SAFETY CODES AND STANDARDS
Ark Tsisserev PEng
3:30 – 4:45 pm
This presentation covers aspects of the Canadian Electrical Safety system. These include the development of the electrical safety codes and standards by the consensus based committees of volunteers representing various stakeholders in electrical safety such as owners, operators, producers(electrical equipment manufacturers, designers, installers and users of electrical installations), general interests such as electric and communication utilities, fire chiefs, fire insurers, labour, educators, building code issuers, etc. and regulatory authorities representing various provincial, territorial and municipal electrical safety regulators/inspectors. Also discussed will be the certification of electrical products to the applicable safety standards and Regulatory use of the Canadian Electrical Code.
1.25 PDH - Informal
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