Power Plant Electrical

Systems

By
Vikram Singh,
Dy. Manager/TG
PS-TS(HQ), Noida
Power Station to Home
Electrical Systems

Various electrical systems in a power plant can be

broadly classified as following :
AC Auxiliary System
DC system
HV / EHV System for Power Evacuation
Generator Main Connection System
Earthing & Lightning Protection system
Generator Circuit Protection System
Generator Excitation System
Voltage Levels

Voltage levels in a power plant :

DC system
220V
125V / 110V
24V / 48V
UPS System
240V Single Phase
Three Phase A.C. system
11 kV
6.6 kv HV system
3.3 kV
415 V LV system
Single Phase A.C. system
240V
Typical Electrical Equipments in a Power Plant

Generator
Transformer
Generator Transformer
Unit [Link]
Station Transformer
LV Transformers
HV & LV Switchgear
Motor
Bus Duct
DG Set
DC Battery Bank
 Basic SLD
Auxiliaries
(Transmission Voltages : 132 / 220 / 400 / 765 kV)

Auxiliaries M
M
Bus Duct
T M
T M
Cabling
Station Transformer M
GRID

M
T M
UAT T HV Switchgear
M

M
T Bus Duct
G M
Generator Transformer
Generator
LV Switchgear
AC Auxiliary System

An AC supply system at different voltages

comprising Unit, Station & Aux. Transformer,
Emergency DG Set and a Distribution System
for :
Unit Auxiliaries
Station Auxiliaries
Station Services
AC Auxiliary System
VOLTAGES

AC Auxiliary system voltages are:

SYSTEM Voltage
HV 11 / 3.3kv 500MW
6.6kv 250/210MW
LV 415 V (3Ph)
240 V (1Ph)
AC Auxiliary System
HV Switchgear

Separate HV Unit Boards for Each Unit.

Common HV Station Boards for Station common Aux &
Services.
Separate HV Boards for Remotely located Aux. plants
like CHP, RWPH etc
Interconnection between Unit & Switchboard enables
taking power supply from Station Transformer:
During Start up of unit

After unit trip

Planned changeover
AC Auxiliary System
LV Switchgear

HV supply is stepped down to low voltage (415V) for

supplying LV Auxiliaries.
PCC Located Near Trf, can supply one or more plants.
MCC Located at associated plants.
Typical SLD of 250MW station
To 220kV From 220kV
Switchyard Switchyard

Generator
Transformer
315MVA
16.5 / 220 kV
X YNd11

250MW
X
UAT-1A UAT-1B
NGT
~ Turbogenerator

UAT-1A & 1B 140KVA Station

R Transformer
40/20/20MVA 16.5kV/400V
R R 16.5 / 7 / 7 kV R R NGR R R 50/30/30MVA
Dyn1yn1 0.933ohms ONAN/ONAF
220 / 7 / 7 kV
Yny0ny0

X X X X X X

US-1A US-1C US-1B US-1D SS-1A SS-1B

X X X X X X X X
 Typical 500MW SLD
400kV Switchyard 400kV Switchyard

Generator Transformer
3 X 1-phase 200/165/124MVA,
OFAF, ONAF,ONAN
400/3/21kV
YNd11
STATION TRF
UNIT TRF-A UNIT TRF-
R R
20/25MVA B
ONAF/ONAN
21/11kV
~
Dyn1
R
R R

X X X X

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

UNIT AUXILIARY STATION AUX. STATION AUX.

UNIT AUXILIARY
TRANSFORMER A TRANSFORMER A TRANSFORMER B
TRANSFORMER -B

R R R R
X X X X

X X
HV Auxiliaries

Typical 11kV Aux loads in a 500MW plant

Auxiliary Rating Unit Board Station Board
USB-1 USB-2 SSB-1 SSB-2
MDBFP 10,000kW x
ID Fan 3000KW x x
PA Fan 4300kW x x
CW Pump 1600kW x x x
UAT # 1 & 2 11/3.3kV, 16MVA x x
Unit Service Trf 11/0.415kV, 2000kVA x x
Stn. Service Trf x x
AHP/CHP Trf 11/3.3kV, 8MVA x x
Makeup/RWPH Trf 11kV/415V, 2MVA x x
HV Auxiliaries

3.3kV Aux Loads in 500MW plant

Auxiliary Rating Board
Sec-1 Sec-2
CEP 900kW 1, 2 3
MILLS 525KW A, B, C, D, E F, G, H, I, J
IA COMPRESSOR 360kW 1 2
SA COMPRESSOR 360kW X
ECW PUMP (TG) 270kW 1 2, 3
FD FAN 1425KW X X
Switchgear

Constituents of a Switchgear
Input / Output connection
AC Bus bar
Indoor Circuit Breaker
Indoor Circuit Breaker Enclosure
Control & protection
HV Switchgear
HV Switchgear
LV Switchgear
LV Switchgear
LV Switchgear
LV Switchgear
Switchgear

Switchboard in a typical 500MW plant are:

HV - 11kV , 3.3kV (3-ph, 3W, 50HZ)
LV - 415V (3-ph, 4W, 50Hz) Except Emergency Board

Switchboard in a typical 250/210MW plant are:

HV - 6.6kV (3-ph, 3W, 50HZ)
LV - 415V (3-ph, 4W, 50Hz) Except Emergency Board
Transformer
Motors
Motors
Motors

Types of Motor in Plant

HV AC Motors 11kv & 3.3kV AC supply
LV AC Motors 415 V 3- & 240V 1- AC supply
DC Motors 220V DC supply

Type of AC motors
Slip Ring Induction Motor
Squirrel Cage Induction Motors
DC System

Provides a dependable power supply for safe

operation of power station both in NORMAL /
ABNORMAL conditions, for following equipment
/ systems:
Switchgear Control (Closing / Tripping /
Indication )
C&I (BTG & BOP Control Panels)

Emergency DC Drives & Valves

Emergency Lighting

Annunciation System

Communication system
DC System Nature of Loads

Three category of loads:

DC
IMPULSE SYSTEM CONTINUOUS
LOADS LOADS

EMERGENCY
LOADS
DC System Nature of Loads

Momentary / Impulse Loads

Are of Short duration, not exceeding 1 min
Switchgear Operation (Spring Charging, Closing and
Tripping Coils of EHV, MV & LV breakers)
Motor Driven Valves
Field Flashing (Static Excitation)

These are required to be fed whether incoming AC supply

is available or not.
DC System Nature of Loads

Emergency Loads
Duration exceeds 1 min and lasts upto one hour
Emergency Lighting
Emergency Motors (EOP, SOP, JOP, Scanner Air Fan)
Communication system

These loads are fed by DC system only when incoming AC

supply is not available
DC System Nature of Loads

Continuous Loads
Are always connected to DC system
Indicating Lamps (on Panels)
Continuously Energized Coils (Trip Circuit Supervision
& Solenoid Relays)
Annunciation system
DC System Voltages

Following Voltage levels are generally used

220V For Drives, Valves, Controls, lighting,
indications, circuit breaker operations, inverters
48V For Communication System
24V for governing system, ATRS, DCS, FSSS
Basic Schematic
AC INPUT

~ Float cum Boost

Charger
=

Battery
Bank

Load
UPS System

An Uninterruptible Power Supply system is provided

for:
For HMI portion of DCS including peripherals like
TFT's, printers, disks etc. and other systems such as
SWAS, panel instruments, vibration monitoring
system, etc., requiring stabilised AC power
UPS System
Basic SLD Normal AC Supply
Emergency AC
Supply

~ 2X100%
CHARGERS
~ 3-
= =
1-

1X100%
DC BUS 1-phase 240V
BATTERY BANK
Stabiliser

2X100%
INVERTERS
= =
~ ~

Static Switch

Loads
HV/EHV System
Components

Lightning Arrestors
Isolators/Earth Switch
HVCB
CT / CVT
Insulators
HV/EHV System
Schematic
MAIN BUS

GENERATOR
TRF
HVCB
LV Side HV Side

ISOLATOR ISOLATOR

LIGHTNING
ARRESTOR

SWITCHYARD
HV/EHV System
Components
Guard / Corona
Ring

Lightning
Arrestor

Surge Capacitor
HV/EHV System
Components
HV/EHV System
Components

Arcing Horns
Dogbone/Dumbell
Damper
HV/EHV System
Components
BREAKER
CT
ISOLATOR
HV/EHV System
Components

BREAKER

CT CT
ISOLATOR
Generator Main Connection

Includes :
Connections between Generator Terminals and
Step-up Generator Transformer
Tee off connection to UAT, SPVT cubicle
Generator Neutral side connection and Grounding
equipment.
CTs & PTs for Protection, Metering, Excitation
Generator Main Connection

NGT
GT
CT CT
G

CT

UAT
PT LA

SPVT
CUBICLE
Generator Main Connection
Terminal Chamber
Generator Main Connection
Generator Bus Duct
Generator Main Connection
SPVT CUBICLE

Surge
Capacitor
Generator Main Connection
NGT CUBICLE
Generator Main Connection
UAT Connections
Generator Main Connection
UAT Connections
Bus Ducts

Types
Isolated Phase Bus duct (IP)

21kV between Generator, Generator

Transformer and Unit Transformer

Segregated Phase Bus duct (SP)

11kV & 3.3kV systems, between Station

Transformer to Switchboards etc.
Non-Segregated

415V
Bus Ducts
Isolated Phase Busduct (IPBD)
Bus Ducts
Segregated Phase Busduct (SPBD)
Earthing & Lightning Protection
1. Earthing System
For Safety & Protection of Equipments and Humans
Below Ground Earthing
Ground grid of mild steel rod to limit step and touch potentials within

tolerable limits for the Main Power House Area covering Transformer Yard,
STG Hall, control room, DG building and Auxiliary plants covered within this
envelope.
Auxiliary plant buildings (CWPH, Chlorination plant & RW Pump house etc.)

not covered by the main ground grid are provided with ring electrode type
grounding system using mild steel rod material.
Above Ground Earthing
Enclosures of all electrical equipment as well as all cabinets / boxes / panels

etc. Connected with nearest conductor running in topmost cable tray.

Runway conductor is connected with Below ground earthing system

OR wherever due to layout constraint above is not possible a a sub-mat is

provided in the floor finish for connecting the earth leads from various
equipments located in the area. Sub-mat is again connected with below
ground earthing system at two locations.
Earthing & Lightning Protection
2. Lightning Protection System
The main purposes of lightning protection system
are :
a) To provide protection to structures from lightning
strokes.
b) To provide a low resistance conducting path to lightning
discharge.
Lightning protection system will be designed in such
a manner that all the structures, persons and
equipment are protected from direct lightning
strokes permanently.
Complete lightning protection system consisting of :
Lightning Arrestors on the roofs,
Down conductors and
Earthing system (Below Ground )
Thank YOU