F E A T URE
Automatic Transfer Scheme (ATS) Experience in Tenaga
Nasional Berhad Distribution Negeri Perak
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By: Engr. Mohd. Hashimi bin Hashim, MIEM, [Link] , Engr. Megat Ahmad Fauzi bin Megat Rasidin, Grad. IEM and Sahari bin Adullah
1.0 Abstract fault and downstream fault, ATS will not Unrestricted forms of feeder protection
Electricity is distributed to most large operate, thus preventing closing on fault such as overcurrent relays meet this
power/important consumers via, at and avoidng potentially serious damage requirement, although faults in the busbar
least, two feeders of underground/ to the equipment installed. zone are cleared only after some delay.
overhead cables. Generally, the main Valuable data can be obtained from High fault current levels are characteristic
cable is operational while the other is on the relay using built-in recorders in of distribution buses, and if these are faulty,
standby as backup with the bus-section Sequential Events Recorder (SER) and they should be isolated quickly.
CLOSE. Other configurations such as Event Reports (ER). Traditionally, IDMT OCEF relays
having both incomers CLOSE and the The ATS system with SCADA-ready at the incomer are used as backup for
bus-section OPEN, and no bus-section are for remote control, and system monitoring busbar protection. However, these relays
also practised. In the event of a fault in and built-in metering, function as a at the incomer to a distribution bus have a
the main cable, the switch to transfer load reference in the event of an energy meter relatively long fault clearing time compared
to the backup cable will be done either failure and as a power management with a typical busbar protection scheme.
manually or remotely via control centres. facility. This is a potential cost savings if This proposal is designed to enhance
The process might take anywhere from compared with other redundancy methods the protection available at the incomers by
one hour or longer especially during peak to achieve higher reliability. retrofitting the relays installed and replacing
hours or night time. ATS can also optimise the utilisation of them with the Directional Overcurrent and
Automatic Transfer Scheme (ATS) is manpower and optimise the operational Earth Fault relays, SEL-351A. The same relay
designed to perform safely the automatic cost. It can be implemented in the existing can be programmed to operate the ATS.
switching to minimise interruption down control panel area of the incoming breaker ATS should be implemented to ensure
to approximately 1 sec or faster. Remedial panel and no extra box is required. that consumers connected to a particular
work on the faulty cable or equipment can be In Perak, two substations have been substation experiences minimal supply
done at a later time. System normalisation successfully installed with the ATS interruption during fault. This scheme
is designed to be done manually. system: uses the logic where two out of three
i. SSU Balairong Seri, Kuala Kangsar combinations of the switchgears – Incomer
2.0 Why We Need ATS ii. SSU SUK Negeri Perak, Ipoh 1, Bus section or Incomer 2 – will be on.
The function of ATS is to economically
minimise unavoidable supply interruption 4.0 Technical Explanation 5.0 Configuration of ATS at SSU
to the customer. It is a new enhancement of The protection scheme for a power system Balairong Seri, Kuala Kangsar
assets by utilising the latest state-of-the-art should protect the whole system against An ATS model applied at the PE Balairong
protection technology. ATS will improve all probable types of fault. Seri uses a logic scheme where two out of
SAIDI and, at the same time, improve the
level of customer satisfaction.
3.0 The Benefits of ATS
It will benefit Large Power Consumers
(LPCs) with at least two incoming feeders,
with or without the bus-section. TNB’s
important SSUs are not operated in
parallel due to system constraints such
as the incoming supply comes from two
different type of transfomers. Transformers
with different voltages, impedance, vector
group, phase rotation and capacity cannot
operate in parallel.
ATS provides fast supply restoration in
the event of an incomer fault and improves
protection, with protection against busbar
fault and downstream breaker failure
backup protection. In the event of busbar Diagram 1: Schematic Diagram of SSU Balairong Seri, Kuala Kangsar
16 Jurutera, July 2008
F E A T URE
Tripping event at SSU Balairong Seri, Kuala Kangsar
Date of tripping Feeder Trip Tripping Time Interruption
1 03 Mar 2007 (Sat) Main 11kV Incommer, 1K5 2037hrs outage
2 18 April 2007 (Wed) Main 11kV Incommer, 1K5 1223hrs outage
ATS installed at SSU Balairong Seri, Kuala Kangsar on 12 May 2007
3 10 Nov 2007 (Sat) Main 11kV Incommer, 1K5 0610hrs Nil
(ATS operated)
**No tripping record at SSU Pejabat DUN incomming feeder
The SEL-351A at the main incomer (Incomer Breaker closed, Incomer voltage
would open its breaker and initiate a signal healthy, Bus Tie Breaker closed and no
to SEL-351A at the backup incomer in order VT fail), while the message ‘ATS OFF’
to close its respective breaker. This would will be displayed when the switch is in
allow the healthy incomer to feed the load. the OFF position.
With this facility, identifying which
5.2 Upon inception of a busbar fault: type of faults uses the SEL-351A is made
At the incomer, the OCEF protection easier for the person reading the LEDs and
detects the fault and begins to time. It the LCD display panel. In addition, two
Above: The ATS indication light is on, showing will then operate and trip the breaker. pilot lamps are installed to indicate when
that it is in operation. At the outgoing feeder, the IDMT OCEF the ATS switch is in the ON position and
Below: ATS installation in SSU SUK
Negeri Perak, Ipoh. protection does not detect the fault. when the ATS is in operation. A buzzer is
Clearance of fault is through the SEL- also installed as an audio indication when
three combinations of the switchgears – 351A relay at the incomer. Automatic Transfer the latter is in operation.
either Incomer 1 or Incomer 2 – will be Scheme (ATS) is disabled in the event of the
closed while the Bus section will remain SEL-351A operating on busbar fault. 7.0 System Normalisation
closed in any event. The process to normalise the supply
The SSU Balairong Seri, Kuala Kangsar 5.3 Inception of a Downstream Fault source from backup back to main feeder
normally operates with one incomer At the incomer, the SEL-351A relay will is designed to be done manually. This is
[PEJABAT POS K. KANGSAR (0481)] begin to time its IDMT element and trip the to avoid a situation where the TNB cannot
closed, the other incomer [DARI ISTANA incomer if the outgoing feeder OCEF relay keep track of their systems off points.
(0482)] opened and the bus tie closed. The does not clear the fault. At the outgoing
configuration is not interchangeable (refer feeder, the IDMT OCEF protection detects 8.0 Conclusion
to Diagram 1.0). the fault and begins to time. The implementation of the ATS scheme
An incomer cable fault will be detected It will then operate and trip the breaker in selected TNB distribution network
by the upstream OCEF relays. These relays first if the fault is sustained. The clearance of substations will provide tremendous
will trip and clear the fault first because it fault is through the outgoing feeder OCEF benefits and advantages in increasing supply
is discriminated against the SEL-351A at relay and the incomer is not tripped. reliability. The scheme is designed with
the incomer. personnel and equipment safety in mind.
6.0 Alarm and Indication Signal The scheme is quick to implement and
5.1 Upon inception of the incomer When an ATS is being operated, an alarm provide value for money, compared to
cable fault: message stating ‘ATS OPERATED’ will be implementing major infrastructure work
At upstream, the OCEF protection detects shown on the LCD front display panel of to increase redundancy in the primary
the fault and begins to time. It should trip the SEL-351A Relay. The message can be equipment. Since its inception in the
the breaker and clear the fault once its reset by pressing the RESET pushbutton. TNB Perak distribution network, the ATS
timer expires. When the overcurrent and earth fault system has been operated once at SSU
At the main incomer, the SEL-351A will protection operates, the TRIP and LEDs will Balairong Seri. The affected customer did
not detect the fault or in the case of backfeed come on, as well as the LEDs for the phases not experience any interruption in power.
will trip slower than the upstream relay. If involved in the fault. Besides the faulted Based on its success in Perak, the ATS
the SEL-351A detects the current fault, then phase LEDs coming on, the relay will also system is suitable to be installed in distribution
it will operate IDMT trip to the breaker (In display ‘O/C OPERATED’ for Overcurrent networks. Therefore, additional ATS systems
this case, ATS will not operate). Trip or ‘E/F OPERATED’ for Earth Fault can be implemented at other substations with
Once the upstream relay trips its Trip. Both messages and LEDs can be reset multiple sources of supply. n
breaker and disrupts supply, the SEL-351A by pressing the RESET push button.
would detect a loss of supply condition. Meanwhile, the message ‘ATS Reference
The SEL-351A would then initiate its ENABLED’ will be displayed on the LCD [1] Distribution Protection System,
Automatic Transfer Scheme (ATS) logic to when the ATS selector switch is in the SEL Engineering Laboratories, SEL
restore supply to its consumers. ON position with other ATS conditions Solutions 2007.
18 Jurutera, July 2008
