CHAPTER 5

INTODUCTION TO 400KV SWITCHYARD

It is one of the important High voltage substation in Maharashtra. Located at Apatapa Road
Post. Ghusar, Tq. Akola, Dist. Akola. It is commissioned on 19th April 2009. It has a daily load
transaction of 16000-17000 MWatt. It has following sections:
1) 400 kV Switchyard
2) Relay Control Room
3) Battery Room
4) PLCC Control Room
In 400 kV switchyard we observed the layout of the switchyard and understood the functions
of components like ICT, lightning arrestor, CT, PT, wave traps, circuit breakers, isolators and
busbar arrangement, etc. There are 5 incoming and 3 outgoing lines of 400/220 kV in substation.
In that Aurangabad 1 & 2, Bhusawal are outgoing lines while Wardha 1 & 2, Koradi , Nandgaon
Peth, ICT are incoming lines. The 400 kV switchyard has two bus bars. The bus bar consists of
double and quadra conductors per phase. The station has three 400/220/33 kV ICT
(Interconnecting Transformers) of 105MVA each for three different phases. The per conductor
current capacity of line is 800A. We have also seen the battery room the need is to provide DC
supply for control circuit. PLCC control room is used for carrier communication and protection
purpose. To guide on the same we have Er. H. N. Rai Retd. Executive Engineer
MSETCL,Nagpur.The lecture was held on 09/08/2019 for the students of B-Tech final year
(Electrical engineering) under the Course Industrial Lecture - II of the B-Tech (Electrical
engineering) curriculum.

Single Line Diagram of 400kV substation :

Fig: The Single Line diagram shows the detailed Layout of substation
Interconnecting Transformer (ICT):

The function of the interconnecting transformer-as the name suggests to interconnect two
systems at different voltages. Normally, they will be either 400KV/132KV or 220KV/110KV, of
say about 315 MVA. They are bidirectional .During the plant start-up, they import power from grid
either at 400KV or 220KV and step down to132KV or 110KV to supply the station auxillaries.
Once the plant is started and synchronized to the grid, the same transformer can now be used to
export power to the grid. They are normally auto-transformers and they will have a delta connected
teritiary winding of about 33KV rating, for providing a circulating path for the Zero sequence
currents. Then the Transformer rating will be 400/220/33KV, 315 MVA.

Lightning Arresters:
Lightning arresters are the protective devices used for protection of equipment from
lightning strokes. They are located at the starting of the substation and also provided near the
transformer terminals.

Wave traps:

This equipment is installed in the substation for trapping the high frequency communication
signals sent on the line from remote substation and diverting them to the telecom panel in the
substation control room. It is connected in series with the power line. It blocks the high frequency
carrier waves (24 kHz to 500 kHz) and let power waves (50 Hz - 60 Hz) to pass through.

Circuit breaker (CB):

Circuit breakers are used for opening or closing a circuit under normal as well as abnormal
(faulty) conditions. Different types of CBs which are generally used are oil circuit breaker, air-
blast circuit breaker, and vacuum circuit breaker and SF6 circuit breaker.
Isolators or Isolating switches:
Isolators are employed in substations to isolate a part from the system for general
maintenance. Isolator switches are operated only under no load condition. They are provided on
each side of every circuit breaker.

Current Transformer (CT):

The lines in substations carry currents in the order of thousands of amperes. The measuring
instruments are designed for low value of currents. Current transformers are connected in lines to
supply measuring instrument. For example a 100/1A CT is connected in a line carrying 100A, and
then the secondary current of CT is 1A.
Potential Transformers (PT):
The lines in substations operate at high voltages. The measuring instruments are designed
for low value of voltages. Potential transformers are connected in lines to supply measuring
instruments and protective relays. These transformers make the low voltage instruments suitable
for measurement of high voltages. For example an 11kV/110V PT is connected to a power line
and the line voltage is 11kV then the secondary voltage will be 110V.
Earth Switch:
It is a switch normally kept open and connected between earth and conductor. If the switch
is closed it discharges the electric charge to ground, available on the uncharged line.
Bus-bar:
When number of lines operating at the same voltage levels needs to be connected
electrically, bus-bars are used. Bus-bars are conductors made of copper or aluminum, with very
low impedance and high current carrying capacity. Bus bar is nothing but the junction point of
incoming and outgoing lines.

Conclusion:
At the end of Lecture, students interacted with Executive Engineer and understand the role
of MAHATRANSCO in transmission of electrical energy in the state. The visit was very fruitful
as students learn the detailed information about high voltage equipments as well as many practical
things related to working of substation.