ABBREVIATIONS ETC

A
AC Alternating current, sometimes anti condensation or air
conditioning
AETP Active Effluent Treatment Plant
AF Air forced – fans
AGR Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor
AIS Air insulated switchgear
AN Air natural
ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers (sometimes used for
specifying pipework)
AWE Atomic Weapons Establishment

B
BATNEEC Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Cost
BAU Business As Usual
Beldon Trade name for signal cables
Biomass Non fossil fuel, usually plant or animal matter used for fuel in
generation
BMS Business Management System
Bowser Mobile tank, generally used for storing diesel on site
BS, BSEN British Standard, British Standard European Normalised

C
C&I Control and instrumentation
CAD Computer aided design (commonly AutoCAD or Microstation)
CAPEX Capital Expenditure
Castell Trade name for mechanical interlock keys, other common type is
Fortress
CB Circuit breaker (OCB oil circuit breaker, ACB air circuit breaker, VCB
vacuum circuit breaker)
CCGT Combined cycle gas turbine
CCS Carbon Capture and Storage
CDM Construction, Design and Management Regulations
CDM Clean Development Mechanism (Kyoto Protocol)
CEGB Central Electricity Generating Board (now National Grid)
CER Certified Emission Reductions
CHP Combined heat and power (generating plant)
CN Central Networks (one of the DNOs)
CoP Code of practice (sometimes CP)
COSHH Control of substances harmful to health
CT Current transformer
CVT Combined current/voltage transformer

D
D&ES Design and Engineering Solutions
DC Direct current
DG Distributed Generation
DNO Distribution Network Operator (was Electricity Board, or Regional
Electricity Company, REC)
DP Double pole or differential pressure
Ducter Trade name for electrical test equipment

/opt/scribd/conversion/tmp/scratch2/19505817.doc
E
EIAD Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning
EHV Extra high voltage (generally 132kV and above)
EMC Electro magnetic compatibility (sometimes interference)
EMS Environmental Management System
EN European Standard
ENA Energy Networks Association
EPR Ethylene-Propyethylene
ERIC Eliminate, Reduce, Information and Control
ESP Electrostatic Precipitator
Ex Rating of special electrical equipment for hazardous zones.
Example, Exe, Exd. Selection depends on local conditions.

F
FAW First Aid at Work
FLA Four Letter Acronym
Fluke Trade name for electrical test equipment
Foul water Sewage contaminated water
Form 4 (or similar)
Construction of switchgear, in particular internal compartments
allowing access to one compartment with adjacent compartments
still live.

G
G59, G75, G83 Standard for connecting generators to the network (medium
scale, power stations, small scale respectively)
GIS Gas Insulated Switchgear (indoor, high voltage)
GRP Glass reinforced plastic, often used for equipment cabinets.
GSU Generator Step Up

H
Halon Gas used for fire extinguishers, now not used due to toxicity
problems
HFO Heavy Fuel Oil
HH High high, used for second stage high alarms
HSE Health and Safety Executive
HV High voltage (over 1KV ac). Note MV (medium voltage) is
sometimes used, but this is out of date terminology
HVAC Heating ventilation and air conditioning

I
IDMT Inverse definite minimum time (type of protection relay)
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
IP Ingress protection, rating of protection against solid objects and
moisture, lowest 0 no protection; highest 8 maximum protection
IPPC Initiative of Pollution Prevention and Control
ISO International Standards Organisation
ITT Invitation To Tender

K
Kevlar Artificial fibre with very high tensile strength, may be used for
packing of reinforcing enclosures
KPI Key performance indicator

L
LCC Local control cabinet (or cubicle)

/opt/scribd/conversion/tmp/scratch2/19505817.doc
LL Low low, used for second stage low alarms
LLW Low Level Waste
LNG Liquefied Natural Gas
LoA Limitation of access (written instruction)
LSF Low smoke and fume (cable insulation)
LVAC Low voltage alternating current

M
MCB Miniature circuit breaker
MCCB Moulded case circuit breaker
Metal enclosed, metal clad
Types of construction of switchgear
MEWP Mobile elevated work platform
Mig, Tig Methods for welding non ferrous metals and stainless steel
Midel Special non flammable transformer oil (trade name)

N
N/C Normally Closed
NDA Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
NER Neutral earthing resistor (can be liquid filled or dry)
NGR Neutral Ground Resistor (USA term)
NiCAD Nickel Cadmium, rechargeable batteries
NGTS National Grid Technical Specification
NLTC No Load Tap Change (aka Off Load Tap Change)
N/O Normally Open

O
O&M Operations and Maintenance
OC&EF Over current and earth fault (protection)
OF Oil forced - pumps
Ofgem The regulator for electricity supply and distribution
OLTC On Load Tap Change
ONAN Oil Natural Air Natural
ONAF Oil Natural Air Forced
OPEX Operation Expenditure

P
PAT Portable appliance test
PID Piping and instrumentation diagram
Planté Lead acid battery, unsealed (not often used, sealed type is now
more common). These can be dangerous; they emit hydrogen
during the charging process.
PLGCC Pipeline Gas Compression
PMED Portable maintenance earthing device
PPE Personal protective equipment
PQQ Pre Qualification Questionnaire
PSR Project Summary Report
PTW Permit to work (written instruction)
PWR Pressurised Water Reactor

R
Rebar Reinforcing bar inserted in concrete, generally steel bar or mesh
REC See DNO
REF Restricted earth fault
RIDDOR Reporting of injuries, disease or dangerous occurrence regulations
RF Radio frequency
RFS Request For Service

/opt/scribd/conversion/tmp/scratch2/19505817.doc
ROCOF Rate of change of frequency – Type of protection for generators
ROEP Rise of earth potential
ROI Return on Investment
RTU Remote Terminal Unit

S
SAC Special Area for Conservation
SAP Senior authorised person
SBEF Standby earth fault
Scaftag A label fixed to scaffolding giving the date it was last inspected
SCOF Self-contained oil-filled
SCR Short Circuit Ratio
SF6 Sulphur Hexafluoride (insulating gas)
SFT Sanction for test (written instruction)
SGT Supergrid Transformer
SHE Safety, Health and Environmental Issues
SLD Single line diagram
SME’s Small and Medium Enterprises
SPA Special Protection Area
SSSI Site of Specific Scientific Interest

T
T&D Transmission and distribution
T&S Touch and step (potential)
TBM Tunnel boring machine
TBS Temporary builders supply (electrical site power)
TGN Technical guidance note (National Grid)
TLA Three Letter Acronym
TP&N Three phase and neutral
TPS Transmission plant specification (National Grid)
TSA The Strategic Alliance

V
VT Voltage transformer

W
WEE Waste electrical equipment directive
WF Water forced
WN Water natural

X
XLPE Cross linked polyethylene (cable insulation)

/opt/scribd/conversion/tmp/scratch2/19505817.doc