Substation Circuit Breaker SCADA Cut-Over

The electric power industry has a unique set of issues related to the infrastructure put in place since the 1880s. As methods of generation, delivery and protection evolve, so must the equipment used by the utility. Furthermore, the equipment in use has a finite life and must be replaced over time. The substation at which this project takes place was originally built in the 1950s, though most of the equipment had already gone through several updates. The issue presented was upgrading the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for all the devices connected to the last SCADA system installed a few decades ago. Though the SCADA system being replaced was connected to substation transformers, breakers, disconnects, relays and other devices, the scope of this report will focus on the cut-over of a single gas circuit breaker. After connecting the circuit breaker to the new SCADA, a system and operability (SO) test would need to be designed and carried out to validate the proper function of the device before returning it to service. This report will follow the design approach, execution, testing, and troubleshooting for the substation circuit breaker SCADA cut-over.