AutoCAD Utility Design 2012

Glossary of Electric Industry Terms

This document contains commonly referenced transmission and distribution terms in an electric utility.

Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Business Terms ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 Technical Terms ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Resources and References ....................................................................................................................................... 14

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ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Introduction
The electric industry is generally broken into three categories: Generation - production of electric power Transmission - transfer of electricity from the generation source to the various substations along the way Distribution - routing of electrical conductors to the consumer based on demand and location, typically to a distribution substation that feeds a neighborhood or business.

Although there are terms defined that relate to generation, transmission and distribution, the primary purpose of these terms is to help users understand the distribution system vernacular.

Business Terms
The following section contains terms that are commonly referenced in business discussions related to the electric industry.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) AMI refers to systems that measure, collect, and analyze energy usage from advanced devices such as electricity meters, gas meters, and/or water meters through various communication media on request or on a predefined schedule. AMI is different with regard to traditional automatic meter reading (AMR) in that it enables twoway communications with the meter. Traditional systems that are only capable of meter readings don't qualify as AMI systems. Alternative Energy Alternative energy is a generic term that refers to any source of energy fuelled in ways that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment. In some definitions, alternative energy refers to energy that is not from fossil fuels. In other definitions the fuel source does not need to be renewable, but is not a traditional source of energyfor example, compressed natural gas, solar, hydroelectric, or wind. Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) AMR is the technology of automatically collecting consumption, diagnostic, and status data from energy metering and transferring that data to a central database for billing, troubleshooting, and analyzing. AMR saves utility providers the expense of periodic trips to each physical location to read meters. This timely information, coupled with analysis, can help both utility providers and customers to better control the use and production of electric energy, gas usage, and water consumption. Cogeneration Cogeneration (also combined heat and power, or CHP) is the use of a heat engine or a power station to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat. Conventional power plants emit the heat created as a by-product of electricity generation into the environment through cooling towers, flue gas, or by other means. CHP or a bottoming cycle captures the by-product heat for domestic or industrial heating purposes, either very close to the plant, orespecially in Scandinavia and eastern Europeas hot water for district heating with temperatures ranging from approximately 80 to 130C. This is also called decentralized energy. Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) A CMMS software package maintains a computer database of information about an organizations maintenance operations. This information is intended to help maintenance workers do their jobs more effectively (for example, determining which storerooms contain the spare parts they need) and to help management make informed decisions (for example, calculating the cost of maintenance for each piece of equipment used by the organization, which may lead to better allocation of resources). The information may also be useful when dealing with third parties; if, for example, an organization is involved in a liability case, the data in a CMMS database can serve

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

as evidence that proper safety maintenance has been performed. Also referred to as the EAM system in some case Cooperatives (COOP) US specific term Electric cooperatives are private, independent electric utilities, owned by the members they serve. Democratically governed businesses, electric cooperatives are organized under the Cooperative or Rochdale Principles, anchoring them firmly in the communities they serve and ensuring that they are closely regulated by their consumers. Most are members of the National Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NRECA). Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) EU specific term The Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) is a not-for-profit association in which Europe's independent national regulators of electricity and gas voluntarily cooperate to protect consumer' interests and to facilitate the creation of a single, competitive, efficient and sustainable internal market for gas and electricity in Europe The Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) is a not-for-profit association in which Europe's independent national regulators of electricity and gas voluntarily cooperate to protect consumer' interests and to facilitate the creation of a single, competitive, efficient and sustainable internal market for gas and electricity in Europe. CEER acts as a preparatory body for the European Regulators' Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG). . Customer Information System (CIS) See CRM (below). The term CIS is more commonly used in electric utilities. In addition to the data contained in a CRM system, a CIS system typically incorporates customer billing information.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Customer relationship management (CRM) consists of the processes a company uses to track and organize its contacts with current and prospective customers. CRM software is used to support these processes; information about customers and customer interactions can be entered, stored, and accessed by employees in different company departments. Typical CRM goals are to improve services provided to customers, and to use customer contact information for targeted marketing.

Distributed Generation

Distributed generation describes electric power generation that is geographically distributed or spread out across the grid, generally smaller in scale than traditional power plants and located closer to the load, often on customers' property. A distribution management system (DMS) refers to a suite of application software that supports electric system operations. DMS applications such as online distribution power flow require an electric system model including connectivity, impedance, equipment, load distribution, and most likely geographic coordinates for all components. A DMS is a smarter OMS, and it supports non-outage operating decisions in addition to outage scenarios.

Distribution Management System (DMS)

Electric Utility

An electric utility is an organization that is responsible for the installation, operation, or maintenance of an electric supply system.

Energy Management Systems (EMS)

An EMS system provides automatic control of the generation and monitoring of the transmission and distribution systems. EMS applications assist the dispatcher in performing routine control functions, in maintaining the security of the power network, and in reducing operational costs. This application is critical to the operation of the power system and therefore has the highest executive visibility.

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)

Enterprise asset management (EAM) means the whole life optimal management of the physical assets of an organization to maximize value. It covers such things as design, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance, and decommissioning/replacement of a plant, equipment, and facilities. Also known as Facilities Asset Management System (FAMS).

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a companywide computer software system used to manage and coordinate all the resources, information, and functions of a business from shared data stores. ERGEG is the European Commission's formal advisory group of energy regulators. ERGEG was established by the European Commission, in November 2003, to assist the Commission in creating a single-EU market for electricity and gas. ERGEG's members are the heads of the national energy regulatory authorities in the 27 EU Member States.

European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG) EU specific term Green Power/Green Pricing Investor Owned Utility (IOU)

Optional service choices that feature renewable fuels such as wind or solar, usually priced at some form of premium. Utilities owned by private investors, IOUs are generally subject to different regulations than publicly owned utilities and co-ops, and they pay taxes as corporate citizens. These utilities are usually regulated by the states Public Utilities Commission. IOUs are typically looking for ways to reduce inefficiencies and save energy, and they recommend ways to do so to their consumers.

Material Management System

This system is used to plan for and control the flow of materials in and out of the company. A material items database may be accessed by many departments for multiple purposes. The main subsystems are stores operations, materials planning, and purchasing. Municipal utility districts are similar to Public Utilities Districts (See PUDs) but are created by private developers instead of governments.

Municipal Utilities District (MUD) US specific term North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) US specific term

Formed by the electric utility industry in 1968 to promote the reliability of their generation and transmission systems. NERC develops and enforces reliability standards; assesses adequacy annually via a 10-year forecast and winter and summer forecasts; monitors the bulk power system; and educates, trains and certifies industry personnel. NERC is a self-regulatory organization, subject to oversight by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and governmental authorities in Canada. An OMS is used by operators of electric distribution systems to assist in the restoration of power. At the core of a modern outage management system is a detailed network model of the distribution system. By combining the locations of outage calls from customers, a rules engine is used to predict the locations of outages. For instance, since the distribution system is primarily tree-like or radial in design, all calls in a particular area downstream of a fuse could be inferred to be caused by a single fuse or circuit breaker upstream of the calls.

Outage Management System (OMS)

Power Distribution

Distribution is typically defined as that portion of the utility system between the distribution substations and the consumers' service-entrance equipment. Generation is the process of creating electricity from other forms of energy. It is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. The other processes, electric power transmission and electricity distribution, are normally carried out by the electrical power industry. Transmission is the bulk transfer of high voltage electrical power to consumers. A power transmission network typically connects power plants to multiple substations near a populated area.

Power Generation

Power Transmission

Primary Distribution/ Primary Distribution Feeder

A primary voltage distribution circuit, usually considered to be between a substation or point of supply and the distribution transformers, which supplies lower voltage distribution circuits or consumer service circuits.

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Primary Voltage

The voltage of the circuit supplying power to a transformer is called the primary voltage, as opposed to the output voltage or load-supply voltage which is called secondary voltage. In power supply practice, the primary is almost always the high-voltage side and the secondary is the lowvoltage side of a transformer, except at generating stations.

Public Utilities Commission (PUC) US specific term Public Utilities District (PUD) US specific term

A Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies.

A Public Utility District (PUD) is a special-purpose district or other governmental jurisdiction that provides public utilities (such as electricity, natural gas, sewage treatment, waste collection/management, wholesale telecommunications, and water) to the residents of that district. PUDs are created by a local government body, such as a city, county, or metropolitan service area (two or more communities joining together for public utility purposes). Normally the districts are nonprofit. PUDs are often governed by a commission, which may be appointed or elected.

Radial

An electrical circuit arranged like rays, radiating from or converging to a common center. An electric circuit that is not looped. A rate case is the formal process which industries that have the legal designation of public utility are mandated to follow in order to set the rate at which they are allowed to charge consumers for their service. Rate cases serve as one of the primary instruments of government regulation of such industries.

Rate Case

Rate Level Rate Structure Reliability

The electric price a utility is authorized to collect. The design and organization of billing charges to customers. Reliability generally describes the continuity (or guarantee) of system performance under all reasonable conditions to customers ensuring constancy, quality, adequacy and economy of electricity. It is also the assurance of the continuous supply of electricity for customers at the proper voltage and frequency. Reliability depends both on the availability of sufficient generation resources to meet demand and on the ability of the transmission and distribution system to deliver the power.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resourcessuch as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heatwhich are renewable (naturally replenished). Renewable energy production is growing quickly, often as a response to government requirements.

Smart Grid (also known as Strong Grid in China)

In principle, the Smart Grid is a simple upgrade of 20th century power grids, which generally broadcast power from a few central power generators to a large number of users. The new grid will be capable of routing power in more optimal ways to respond to a very wide range of conditions, such as intermittent wind or solar generation or concentrations of plug-in electric vehicles. These Smart Grid programs will enable fundamental changes in the efficiency of electric transmission and distribution operations. For every transmission and distribution project, utilities must adhere to rigorous design and engineering standards. Many have pre-defined workflows and business processes in place that help ensure quality and accuracy, as well as cost controls. Smart Grid projects, with their greater emphasis on planning and delivering initiatives and projects faster and more economically, also often include ambitious new environmental mandates and call for more sustainable design.

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Smart Grid Principles (Europe)

Conceived as employing innovative products and services together with intelligent monitoring, control, communication, and self-healing technologies. Better facilitate the connection and operation of generators of all sizes and technologies. Allow consumers to play a part in optimising the operation of the system. Provide consumers with greater information and options for choice of supply. Significantly reduce the environmental impact of the whole electricity supply system. Maintain or even improve the existing high levels of system reliability, quality and security of supply. Maintain and improve the existing services efficiently.

Smart Grid Principles (North America)

The modernization of the nation's electricity transmission and distribution system to maintain a reliable and secure electricity infrastructure that can meet future demand growth and to achieve each of the following: Increased use of digital information and controls technology to improve reliability, security, and efficiency of the electric grid. Dynamic optimization of grid operations and resources, with full cyber-security. Deployment and integration of distributed resources and generation, including renewable resources. Development and incorporation of demand response, demand-side resources, and energyefficiency resources. Deployment of `smart' technologies (real-time, automated, interactive technologies that optimize the physical operation of appliances and consumer devices) for metering, communications concerning grid operations and status, and distribution automation. Integration of `smart' appliances and consumer devices. Deployment and integration of advanced electricity storage and peak-shaving technologies, including plug-in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, and thermal-storage air conditioning. Provision to consumers of timely information and control options. Development of standards for communication and interoperability of appliances and equipment connected to the electric grid, including the infrastructure serving the grid. Identification and lowering of unreasonable or unnecessary barriers to adoption of smart grid technologies, practices, and services

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System Expansion

SCADA refers to an industrial control system: a computer system monitoring and controlling a process. The process can be industrial, infrastructure, or facility based.

The system expansion projects cater for the long-term (5 to 20 years) planning of generation and transmission of power. System expansion applications typically provide a decision support environment using a variety of options and strategies that are considered in the planning process which usually involves large common data sets from multiple sources. Lengthy reports are produced for internal documentation and regulation approval.

System Planning and Analysis Tariff Tariff Structure

This application area supports the short-term planning process and provides tools for analyzing incremental expansion. A tariff is a duty imposed on goods when they are moved across a political boundary. Electricity consumers are divided into classes of service or sectors (residential, commercial, industrial, and other) based on the type of service they receive. Sectoral classification of consumers is determined by each utility and is based on various criteria such as: Demand levels Rate schedules Distribution voltage

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Accounting methods End-use applications Other social and economic characteristics

Utilities typically employ a number of tariffs. The alternative tariffs reflect consumers' varying consumption levels and patterns and the associated impact on the utility's costs of providing the service. Work Management System A work management system is a software solution for organizing work assignments and tracking each assignment throughout complicated workflow processes. The system also typically caters to resource allocation, job estimation, and fulfillment timelines ranging from planning and construction to maintenance and operational procedures.

Technical Terms
The following section contains terms that are commonly referenced in technical discussions related to the electric industry.
Alternating Current Alternating current is an electric current in which the direction of flow is reversed at frequent, regular intervalsusually 100 or 120 times per second (50 or 60 cycles per second or 50//60 Hz). A blackout refers to the total loss of power to an area and is the most severe form of power outage that can occur. Blackouts which result from or result in power stations tripping are particularly difficult to recover from quickly. Outages may last from a few hours to a few weeks depending on the nature of the blackout and the configuration of the electrical network. See Rolling Blackout Brownout A brownout is a drop in voltage in an electrical power supply, so named because it typically causes lights to dim. Systems supplied with three-phase electric power also suffer brownouts if one or more phases are absent, at reduced voltage, or incorrectly phased. Such malfunctions are particularly damaging to electric motors. Circuit A conductor or a system of conductors through which electric current flows or is intended to flow (wires). Circuit breakers are used to interrupt circuits while current flows through them. Shown below are air circuit breakers used to compress air so as to quench the arc when the connection is broken. Oil circuit breakers are used to switch circuits and equipment in and out of a system in a substation. They are oil-filled to provide cooling and to prevent arcing when the switch is activated.

Blackout

Circuit Breaker

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation_equipment/oil_ci rcuit_breakers.html Compatible Units (CU) Sometimes referred to as design units, compatible units is a design technique where parts, materials, tools, and labor components are created as a reusable block or template for use in repetitive components of a design. Compatible units are generally used to identify labor costs, bills of materials, and so on, based on the physical design specifications created using a graphic design tool.

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Conductor Conduit

A substance or body that allows an electric current to pass continuously along it (a wire). Conduits are hollow tubes running from manhole to manhole in an underground transmission or distribution system. Conduits are ducts designed to contain underground cables, conductors, and wires.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation_equipment/cond uits.html Cutover Switching from an old network system to a replacement system, cutovers cover the overlap from when the new system is live until the old system has been shut down. The rate at which electric energy is delivered to or by a system, part of a system or a piece of equipment. It is expressed usually in kilowatts at a given instant or averaged over any designated period of time. The primary source of "demand" is the power-consuming equipment of customers. Design Layout Distribution The process of graphically drafting design specifications using a graphical design tool. The act or process of delivering electric energy from convenient points on the transmission system (usually a substation) to consumers. One or more circuits of a distribution system either direct-buried, in conduit or on the same line of poles or supporting structures, operating at relative low voltage as compared with transmission lines. Distribution Substation Located near end users, a distribution substation changes the transmission voltage to a lower level for use by end users.

Demand

Distribution Line

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation.html#Distribution Distribution System The network of wires and equipment that distributes, transports or delivers electricity to customers. The delivery of electric energy to customers on the distribution service originates at a distribution substation. Electric energy is carried at high voltages along the transmission lines. For consumers needing lower voltages, it is reduced in voltage at a substation and delivered over primary distribution lines extending throughout the area where the electricity is distributed. For users needing even lower voltages, the voltage is reduced once more by a distribution transformer or line transformer. At this point, it changes from primary to secondary distribution. Distribution systems include lines, poles, transformers, and other equipment needed to deliver electric owner to the consumer at required voltages. Distribution Transformer Distribution transformers reduce the voltage of the primary circuit to the voltage required by customers.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/distribution_system/distribut ion_transformers.html Elbows Elbows are devices that allow a utility technician to connect or disconnect a distribution line from within a pad-mounted transformer. A gigawatt (GW) is: (an enormous amount of power)

Gigawatt (GW)

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Guy

One billion watts One million kilowatts One thousand megawatts

Guy is a brace or cable fastened to the pole to strengthen it and keep it in position. Guys are used wherever the wires tend to pull the pole out of its normal position and to sustain the line during abnormal loads caused by sleet, wind, and cold. Guys counteract the unbalanced forces imposed on the poles by dead-ending conductors; changing conductor sizes, types, and tensions; or angles in the transmission or distribution line.

Handholes High-Voltage Underground Cables

Handholes are small underground junction boxes. High-voltage cables are designed to carry high-voltage current and are constructed in many different ways, but are usually shielded cables. They are made with a conductor, conductorstrand shielding, insulation, semi-conducting insulation shielding, metallic insulation shielding, and a sheath.

Kilowatt-Hour (kWh)

A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is one thousand watts acting over a period of 1 hour. The kWh is a unit of energy. 1 kWh=3600 kJ. A measure of time delay experienced in a system, the precise definition of which depends on the system and the time being measured. Latencies may have different meaning in different contexts. Economic reduction of electric energy demand during a utility's peak generating periods. Load management differs from conservation in that load-management strategies are designed to either reduce or shift demand from on-peak to off-peak times, while conservation strategies may primarily reduce usage over the entire 24-hour period. Motivations for initiating load management include the reduction of capital expenditure (for new power plants), circumvention of capacity limitations, provision for economic dispatch, cost of service reductions, system efficiency improvements or system reliability improvements. Actions may take the form of normal or emergency procedures.

Latency

Load Management

Load Shedding Loop/Looped

See Rolling Blackout An electrical circuit that provides two sources of power to a load or to a substation so that if one source is de-energized the remaining source continues to provide power.

Loss/Losses

The general term applied to energy (kilowatt-hours) and power (kilowatts) lost or unaccounted for in the operation of an electric system. Losses occur primarily as energy transformations from kilowatt-hours to waste heat in electric conductors and apparatus.

Megawatt (MW)

A megawatt (MW) is a unit of power equal to one million watts. MWe refers to electric output from a generator. MWt refers to thermal output from a reactor or heat source (the gross heat output of a reactor itself, which is typically three times the MWe figure).

Meter

Meters are measuring devices of two types: indicating meters and recording meters. An indicating meter shows on a dial the quantity being measured. A recording meter makes a permanent record of the quantity being measured, usually by tracing a line on a chart or graph.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_meter Network Network - A system of transmission or distribution lines so cross-connected and operated as to

ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

permit multiple power supply to any principal point on it. Outage An outage is a complete loss of voltage usually lasting from as short as 30 cycles up to several hours (or in some cases even days). Outages are usually caused by the fault-induced operation of circuit breakers or fuses. Some of these interruptions might be classified as permanent, while others might be classified as temporary (momentaries). Overhead Transmission Lines The majority of overhead transmission lines carry high-voltage, three-phase AC current.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/transmission_lines.html#Ov erhead Phase/Phasing Electric power is generally transmitted as alternating current in a three-phase system: A, B, and C. A three-phase system is generally more economical than others because it uses less conductor material to transmit electric power than equivalent single-phase or two-phase systems at the same voltage. Most households are served using a single phase, and as a result singlephase loads should be distributed evenly between the phases of the three-phase system for efficient use of the supply transformer and supply conductors. Power Generation Plant A power generation plant is a source of electricity. It is most likely fossil fuelpowered (coal, fuel oil, or natural gas) but could also be powered by nuclear, hydroelectric, a wind farm, or some other alternative power source. Power Transformers Power transformers raise or lower voltage as needed to serve the transmission or distribution circuits.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation_equipment/powe r_transformers.html Primary Circuits Primary circuits are the distribution circuits that carry power from substations to local load areas. They are also called express feeders or distribution main feeders.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/distribution_system/primary _circuits.html Pulling Tension Pulling tension is the limit of the force that can be exerted on a cable until it sees some damage. This term is typically used when pulling conductors through underground conduits and ducts. A recloser is a device that acts like a circuit breaker, but automatically resets after a few moments. It is useful because many system problems are transient and automatically resolve when the power is cut off for a moment. Reconductoring refers to replacing the cable or wire on an electric circuit, typically a high-voltage transmission line, usually to afford a greater electric-current-carrying capability. ROW is a type of easement where a utility or government has the right to use another persons land for a stated purpose. The right of way allows utilities to build and travel over a said property during construction and operation of its facilities. Riser Terminal Pole Dip A riser comprises the components that move power from overhead to underground. Also known as a Dip or Terminal Pole.

Recloser

Reconductoring

Right of Way (ROW)

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ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Rolling Blackout

A rolling blackout, also referred to as load shedding, is an intentionally-engineered electrical power outage. Rolling blackouts are a last resort measure used by an electricity utility company in order to avoid a total blackout of the power system. They are usually in response to a situation where the demand for electricity exceeds the power supply capability of the network. Rolling blackouts may be localized to a specific part of the electricity network or may be more widespread and affect entire countries and continents. Rolling blackouts generally result from two causes: insufficient generation capacity or inadequate transmission infrastructure to deliver sufficient power to the area where it is needed.

Secondary

Secondaries are the conductors originating at the low-voltage secondary winding of a distribution transformer. Secondaries for residential service are three-wire single-phase circuits. They extend along the rear lot lines, alleys, or streets past customers premises. The secondaries can be overhead lines or underground lines.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/distribution_system/second aries.html Service Area Territory in which a utility system is required or has the right to supply electric service to ultimate consumers. Service Drop The overhead conductors between the electric supply, such as the last pole, and the building or structure being served. Services The wire extending from the secondary or distribution transformer to a customer's location is called a service. A service can be above or below ground. Underground services have a riser connection at the distribution pole.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/distribution_system/service s.html Single Phase Service where the facility (e.g., house, office, warehouse, barn) has two energized wires coming into it. Typically serves smaller needs of 120V/240V. Requires less and simpler equipment and infrastructure to support and tends to be less expensive to install and to maintain. Smart Meter A smart meter is an advanced meter that identifies consumption in more detail than a conventional meterand optionally, but generally, communicates that information via some network back to the local utility for monitoring and billing purposes. A part of the construction process, a staking sheet is the construction drawing and documentation that is used to list type and location of units, poles, conductor spans, and so on. Its generation is typically a time-consuming process, sometimes requiring trips to the site, redrawing, and manual updates into several systems, especially when the design layout and work order system is not automated or integrated. To change electricity from a higher to a lower voltage A step down transmission substation connects different parts of a grid and is a source for subtransmission lines or distribution lines. The step-down substation can change the transmission voltage to a subtransmission voltage. The subtransmission voltage lines can then serve as a source to distribution substations. Sometimes, power is tapped from the subtransmission line for use in an industrial facility along the way. Otherwise, the power goes to a distribution substation.

Staking Sheet US specific term

Step Down Step Down Transmission Substation

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ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation.html#Stepdown Step Up Step Up Transmission Substation To change electricity from a lower to a higher voltage. A step up transmission substation receives electric power from a nearby generating facility and uses a large power transformer to increase the voltage for transmission to distant locations.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation.html#Stepup Substation An assemblage of equipment for the purposes of switching and/or changing or regulating the voltage of electricity. Service equipment, line transformer installations or minor distribution and transmission equipment are not classified as substations. Subtransmission is the part of the utility system that supplies distribution substations from bulk power sources, such as large transmission substations or generating stations. In turn, the distribution substations supply primary distribution systems. Subtransmission has many of the characteristics of both transmission and distribution in that it moves relatively large amounts of power from one point to another, like transmission, and at the same time it provides area coverage, like distribution.

Subtransmission System/Lines

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/transmission_lines.html#Su btransmission Surges (Lightning or Switching Surges) A surge is a transient voltage or current which can have extremely short duration and high magnitude. Typically, surges are caused by switching operations or lightning. Surges can be generated by customers due to the switching of their own loads or may be caused by utility switching operations (capacitors, breakers, and so on). Surges have always existed on power systems, but it is only in recent years that they have received attention, mainly due to the sensitivity of electronic devices like DVD players and personal computers. Switches Distribution systems have switches installed at strategic locations to redirect or cut off power flows for load balancing or sectionalizing. Also, switches permit workers to repair damaged lines or equipment and to complete upgrade work on the system.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation_equipment/circui t_switchers.html Three Phase Service where the facility (e.g., manufacturing plant, office building, warehouse, barn) has three energized wires coming into it. Typically serves larger power needs of greater than 120V/240V. Usually required for motors exceeding 10 horsepower or other inductive loads. Requires more sophisticated equipment and infrastructure to support and tends to be more expensive to install and maintain. Transformer An electromagnetic device that changes the voltage level of alternating-current by transferring electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or "primary" winding creates a varying magnetic field in the core (or cores) of the transformer. This varying magnetic field induces a varying

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ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

electromotive force (EMF) or "voltage" in the "secondary" winding. Transmission Circuit A set of conductors energized at voltages over 69,000 volts and transmitting large blocks of electrical energy over relatively long distances is called a transmission circuit or transmission line. Transmission circuits are constructed between transmission substations located at electric generating stations or switching points in the electric system. Transmission circuits may be overhead, with structures supporting conductors attached to insulators, or underground, with conductors surrounded by insulation, shielding, and a sheath or a jacket to form a cable. The distinguishing characteristics of transmission circuits are that they are operated at relatively high voltages, transmit large blocks of electrical power, and extend over considerable distances. Overhead Transmission Circuits Transmission lines or circuits are usually constructed for economic and capability reasons. The lines extend for long distances in rural areas. Underground Transmission Circuits In some areas of large cities, it is not practical or permissible to build high-voltage overhead lines; in these cases transmission and distribution circuits are installed underground. Transmission Substation A transmission substation connects two or more transmission lines. The simplest case is where all transmission lines have the same voltage. In such cases, the substation contains high-voltage switches that allow lines to be connected or isolated for fault clearance or maintenance. A transmission station may have transformers to control power flow between two adjacent power systems. Undervoltage Utility Vegetation Management (UMV) US specific term See voltage drop. It is generally accepted that the single largest cause of electric power outages occurs when trees, or portions of trees, grow or fall into overhead power lines. Virtually every electric customer in the US and Canada has, at one time or another, experienced a sustained electric outage as a direct result of a tree and power line conflict. While this is a more common problem on distribution lines, transmission tree-related outages are also experienced on a regular basis. Electric utility companies actively work to mitigate these threats. In fact, Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) programs represent one of the largest recurring maintenance expenses for electric utility companies in North America. Utilities and regulators generally agree that keeping trees and vegetation from conflicting with overhead conductors is a critical and expensive responsibility of all utility companies concerned about electric service reliability and fire mitigation. Voltage Drop A customer who experiences a long-duration (several seconds or longer) service or utilization voltage less than the proper nominal operating low voltage limit can be considered to be experiencing a voltage drop situation. Such a condition may be caused by a number of factors, such as overloaded or poor house wiring, poor connections, and/or a voltage drop on the utility system. Voltage Regulator A voltage regulator is used relatively far from the substation to boost the voltage back to standard line levels. Voltage Sag A momentary dip of nominal voltage that lasts for a few seconds or less is classified as a voltage sag. Voltage sags may be caused by faults on the transmission or distribution system or by the switching of loads with large amounts of initial starting/inrush current (motors, transformers, large dc power supplies). Voltage sags may be sufficiently severe, especially in the case of faults, to cause sensitive loads (computers, DVD players, clocks, and so on) to operate incorrectly. Wind Loading When installing transmission towers or electric poles, wind loading is taken into account to cater for the effects of wind on structural design parameters such as maximum safe height.

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ELECTRIC INDUSTRY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Resources and References

Electric Power eTool Illustrated Glossary, US Department of LaborOccupational Safety & Health Administration Technical Publications Linemans and Cablemans Handbook, 11th Edition. McGraw-Hill Engineering, 2006. Electric Power Systems: A Conceptual Introduction. Wiley-IEEE Press, 2006. Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers. McGraw-Hill Engineering, 1999. Transmission & Distribution Electrical Engineering, 3rd Edition. Colin Bayliss, Newnes, 2007.

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