Interlocking in large electricity-supply substations—

a fundamental approach
G. P. Hutchinson V.R.D., A.M.C.T.

Synopsis
The paper briefly reviews the interlocking of electrical plant and switchgear in large transmission sub-
stations, and shows that grouping occurs in two categories according to the switching function; i.e.
whether for access and maintenance or operational purposes. There is a brief discussion of interlocking
requirements and of conventional interlock principles using both mechanical-key and electrical-bolt
arrangements.
The philosophy of interlocking is considered against a background of system faults which have occurred,
and the inadequacies of incomplete interlocking are discussed.
The bulk of the paper is devoted to the development of a new approach to interlock circuit design,
which is based on fundamental principles and uses established network theorems, and which is shown to
be easily adaptable to any primary switching arrangement, however complicated.
It is shown that, contrary to previous experience, when using the new principles, the interlocking of a
substation need not place constraints upon the primary circuit design, such as has occurred in the past
with conventional schemes. It is also shown that former unorthodox switching sequences which required
the defeating of interlocks can be performed with the interlocks in full operation. Two schemes of inter-
locking, one using d.c. supply sources and one using a.c. sources are developed, and a practical scheme
for a 4-switch-mesh substation, with mesh-opening isolators, is described.
It is suggested that the new scheme makes possible the comprehensive interlocking of a substation as
required for fully automatic switchgear operation, and that it has application in remote automatic-instructor
mimic diagrams at control centres.

1 Introduction there are approximately three of them to every circuit breaker,

Interlocking ensures that safe switching operations
are carried out both as regards system security and the per-
sonal safety of those performing the switching sequences.
It has been the practice in Britain for many years to provide
interlocking in one form or another in main transmission
substations, where the degree is highest in the voltage range
132-400kV. The policy is also followed to a lesser extent in
the subtransmission range of plant from 11 to 66 kV, while at
still lower voltages (in the 415V-6-6kV range), more limited
interlocking is adopted.
The paper deals principally with substations in the 132—
400kV range, and hence with applications to the main trans-
mission system. As typical examples, a 3-switch substation
and a double-busbar 3-section substation will be taken for
the purposes of developing the new principles, the former
being shown in simplified schematic form in Fig. 3a, and the
latter in Fig. 1.
The interlocking provided at such a switching station is
concerned with the isolators and earthing switches and with
the access doors to various enclosures containing plant
normally energised at system voltage.
It will be recalled that isolators are provided for the
purpose of enabling a circuit breaker, section of busbars or
other items of plant to be isolated from the remaining live
equipment to enable them to be worked upon with safety,
in addition to providing for operational flexibility in circuit
transfer from one section of busbars to another, while
earthing switches are provided for the initial earthing of
equipment which has been formerly isolated for maintenance.
Since isolators are normally specified only for offload
operation, and for making and breaking the relatively small
capacitive currents due to charging up a section of busbars
or a breaker bushing, they are relatively cheap compared
with the associated circuit breaker. Also, since, on average,
Paper 5007 P, first received 17th September and in revised form
23rd December 1965
Mr. Hutchinson is with the Central Electricity Generating Board,
South Western Region, South Wales Division, Twyn-y-Fedwen Road,
Gabalfa, Cardiff, Wales
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966
considerable economies can be effected by using them where-
ever possible. Their limited duty, however, requires that
protective interlocking should be provided where experience
on the British electricity-supply system has shown the need
for such safety arrangements, and the operation of this
equipment by rigidly laid down transmission and generation
rules,1 which also govern the procedure to be followed by
personnel engaged in switching operations.
In more recent years there has been a trend towards large
and in some instances multiple busbar and mesh arrangements,
where up to three sections of double-busbar and 6-mesh
sections are quite familiar, while in older substations builtin
bypass isolators and cross-circuit connections, although not
now provided, have added to the complexity of the primary
arrangement.
These arrangements have posed difficult interlock problems,
and circuit design has been considered to be sufficiently
impracticable to abandon the interlocking of the difficult
isolators or in some instances even to influence the layout
of the primary-circuit connections.
2 Philosophy of interlocking
In the early days of the electricity-supply industry,
there was a tendency to place reliance in the vigilance of the
operator for performing switching sequences correctly, and
in most cases, only the simplest of deterrents, such as padlocks,
were provided. At the other extreme, there is a policy of
complete interlocking, where every contingency is covered
and no reliance at all needs to be placed upon the vigilance
of the operator. It could be argued that the former policy
is preferable, since no scheme, however perfect in theory,
can in practice be inviolate, while, in the case of fully compre-
hensive interlocking, where a scheme fails the operator could,
from former attitudes, be unthinking about an operation he
was performing and cause a system fault.
On the other hand, a policy of no interlocking at all,
whilst encouraging vigilance, could be thought to be untenable
when the importance and complexity of the high-voltage
main transmission system is taken into account. Consequently,
1063
it is the policy in Britain to adopt a high degree of inter-
locking, making this as comprehensive as the bounds of
practicability permit, such as within the confines of a sub-
station. It is not the policy to extend interlocking'between
substations, or groups of substations, because of the geo-
graphical difficulties involved; hence feeder earthing switches
section I
106/
IO4/
IOI
j | enclosures
i i
@ key released,
switch open
(~rj key released, switch
C 3 or exchange closed
A key released, switch
open or closed
Fig. 1
Single-line diagram of a typical 3-section double-busbar substation
are not interlocked with the feeder isolator at the remote end
of the line, which may be some 50-60 miles away. This policy
calls for the highest standards of vigilance on the part of
operators, since there must be a constant awareness of which
parts of the equipment are not fully interlocked and an
appreciation of the effect of the operation being performed
at each stage. The function of the interlocking should be
regarded as a hidden safeguard.
As a general principle, it would be expected that inter-
locking at a substation should be fully comprehensive, apart
from the special case of feeder-earthing switches. However,
interlock-circuit design difficulties have made it necessary in
many substations to omit the protection of certain busbar
isolators, and this has led, on at least three occasions, to
incorrect switching sequences being performed, with resultant
serious consequences. In one case an important area of supply
was shut down owing to this.
In other cases, this difficulty, while giving comprehensive
coverage, has imposed limited operational facilities, which
under certain circumstances have given rise to embarrassingly
protracted switching operations, and in others have required
the defeating of the interlocks in order to carry out an
operation. This is totally unsatisfactory as it induces in the
operator a sense of disregard for the correct functioning of
the interlock—a highly dangerous attitude.
It is certainly considered to be quite wrong for this outlook
to be engendered by the weakness of an interlock scheme,
which should be sufficiently comprehensive to permit orthodox
or unorthodox operations to be carried out without any
question ever arising as to the provision of complete coverage.
Interlocking should never be rendered inoperative except in
the special case of a component failure in the scheme itself.
The shortcomings of existing schemes in this respect have
encouraged the development of the new scheme described in
later Sections of the paper.
3 Interlocking requirements
Interlocking can be broadly grouped into the two
principal functions of the switching operations it is safe-
guarding.
1064
3.1 Operational interlocking
This is concerned with the provision of facilities to
prevent an unsafe switching operation being performed.
This function is wholly associated with the operation of
isolators which are provided for switching loads from one
section of busbars to another, such as the busbar-selector
section 4 reserve
bars
isolators
isolators 104 and 106, or the busbar-section isolators 126 and
226 of Fig. 1.
A system of electrical interlocking is always provided for
this purpose, and reasons are given in Section 6.
3.2 Maintenance interlocking
This is concerned with the provision of facilities to
protect personnel engaged in switching operations for the
purposes of making safe access to plant required for main-
tenance. It is also concerned with facilities to prevent entry
to enclosures which normally contain live equipment. It
uses a mechanical system of keys and locks and is used in all
cases where maintenance switching is involved.
It will be apparent that mechanical key and electrical
interlocking must in some cases overlap on certain isolators,
and there are sometimes marginal cases where both systems
are used together to achieve a particular result.
4 Mechanical key interlocks
Mechanical key interlocks comprise an arrangement
of cams rigidly mounted on the drive shaft of the isolator-
operating mechanism, and a key-operated cylinder so that
the operation of turning the key permits the cam to slide
into the slot of the cylinder, thereby allowing the operation
of the isolator to take place.
Suitable design of the key, and of the lock into which it is
inserted, make the above operation possible only if the
correct key is inserted in the lock, while, as a necessary
corollary, a key associated with a particular isolator or
breaker is normally trapped in the lock unless the primary
switch is in its correct position for release (i.e. open or closed),
this being the whole basis of the scheme.
In a practical scheme, some keys are released when the
primary switch is open, and are trapped when it is in any other
position, and vice versa. A third category of key is released
only when the switch is fully open or closed but trapped in
any intermediate position. In all cases it is vital to the scheme
that the primary switch should be in the fully open or closed
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966
position for the release of the key to be possible. Several such
mechanical key interlocks are shown in Fig. 1.
5 Electrical interlocks
The electrical interlock has been in successful use for
many years, and basically comprises a steel bolt which forms
the armature of an electromagnet. When the latter is de-
energised, the bolt falls into engagement with an appro-
priately placed slot cut into a cam rigidly mounted alongside
the mechanical-key cams on the isolator-drive shaft, similar
to the arrangement described in Section 4. Operation of the
isolator is only possible when the electromagnet is energised
and the steel bolt lifted out of engagement with the cam.
This arrangement necessarily 'fails to safety' in the sense
that, should there be a contact or supply failure, the electro-
magnet will become de-energised and the isolator locked
off. Any other arrangement would be unacceptable, and this
forms a basic criterion of circuit design.
The interlocking apparatus beyond this point comprises a
suitably designed check circuit of auxiliary switches directly
driven from other isolators and circuit breakers which are
in the substation, and which are interconnected so that, when
the primary conditions are safe for an operation of the
isolator, a connection between a supply source and the bolt
electromagnet is completed, thereby releasing the drive
mechanism.
The schemes so far employed use a limited form of switching
logic; e.g. the associated breaker on one side of the isolator
isopen or there is one other series connection on the other side.
It is found, however, that when there are a number of alter-
native open-circuit conditions on either side of the isolator,
or a number of equivalent low-impedance shunt paths all of
which can be in various states of parallel or series connection
as in a complex switching arrangement, the necessary circuit
logic to describe all the reasonable alternatives becomes
unwieldy.
Consequently, this requires a cumbersome secondary-
circuit design, and has resulted, so far, in certain isolators
not being fully interlocked or, in extreme cases, the installa-
tion of expensive circuit breakers to overcome the difficulty.
It is of interest to note that a comprehensive scheme of
interlocking based upon mathematical logic has already been
proposed by B. J. Cory.2
6 Basic differences between mechanical
and electrical interlocks
Mechanical interlocking not only records the state of
the switch it is associated with when the key is extracted, but
prevents any further change of position of that switch. This
is an essential prerequisite of the scheme since it is a free key
which is used for insertion in some other isolator to permit
its operation.
Thus, with a mechanical scheme, the independent switches
which influence the operation of a dependent switch become
themselves dependent until the keys have been returned to
their normal location on completion. It will be apparent
that this must impose very serious limitations upon the
scope of switching sequences which are possible. Further-
more, the extraction of keys from various switches to perform
a particular operation requires their physical transportation
from one location to another on the substation site, and this,
of course, is a time-consuming process.
In fact, only the most simple of switching sequences are
practicable by this means, so that mechanical key interlocking
is confined to maintenance switching such as isolating and
earthing of equipment for access purposes. However, the
robust and direct nature of the mechanical scheme means
that it is not only inherently safe but can be seen to be safe—
a most important, phychological factor and one which
favours its use where maintenance switching is concerned.
PROC. /EE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966
Electrical interlocking uses a quite different principle, in
that the independent or 'influencing' switches are not affected
in any way by the dependent switch. The scheme is essentially
a monitoring arrangement, where the state of other switches,
upon which a particular operation depends, are being checked
for their suitability of position. This can be seen to be imme-
diate in action, and to provide a continuous safeguard should
there be a primary circuit change in the middle of a switching
sequence.
Electrical interlocking is therefore ideally suited to opera-
tional switching where speed is important, provided that
suitable monitoring circuits can be designed. It permits the
most complicated of switching sequences to be performed
under the constant supervision of interlock safeguards.
7 Basic principle of new scheme
The scheme concerns electrical interlocking, and is
based upon the design capabilities of the isolator itself, so
that these impose the only limitations on the conditions it
is permitted to deal with when being opened or closed.
This concept postulates that operation must not be per-
mitted if
(a) on closing the isolator, load current is caused to flow
through it
(b) on opening the isolator, load current is interrupted.
These two criteria completely describe the nonoperate
requirements for the isolator.
There exists, however, a further condition which is a
relaxation of the above two constraints, and this arises
because, if the isolator is shunted by a low-impedance path,
breaking and making load is a permissible operation such as
that afforded during a changeover on load when a buscoupler
couples together two sections of busbar.
This third condition, which can be an overriding one,
postulates that, if
(c) a short-circuit path exists across the isolator, operation
is permissible.
This provides an operate condition, and the satisfying of
these three requirements makes the scheme fully compre-
hensive within the design capabilities of the isolator itself.
8 Detailed principles
The above criteria require there to be two separate
monitoring circuits external to the electromagnetic bolts:
one dealing with the nonoperate and the other with the
operate requirements.
8.1 Check circuit 1—nonoperate condition
This prevents the making and breaking of load current,
and makes use of two fundamental circuit theorems.
8.1.1 First principle
This is suggested by Thevenin's theorem. The circuit
external to the isolator is examined from the position of the
terminals across which it would be connected, if all sources
of e.m.f. were short-circuited and all impedances were made
equal to zero. This could be carried out on an equivalent
secondary circuit, and Figs. 2a and 2b show the original
primary and equivalent secondary circuits of a single-busbar
substation where the term 'zero bus' defines the zero impedance
of the external circuit to the busbar.
Examination of the external circuit from the position
shown in Fig. 2b results in either an open or a closed circuit,
according to the total effect of the positions of the various
isolators and circuit breakers.
In the practical case, examination would include the
electromagnetic bolt solenoid and supply source, and the
1065
circuit then used to provide an interlock scheme were it not It is fortunate, however, that, while there exists no topo-
for the fact that it would fail to danger; i.e. a condition for graphical dual for a nonplanar network, there does exist an
safe operation of isolator M,, which, being an open circuit electrical dual which can be constructed provided certain
external to the terminals, could be simulated by a poor circuit rearrangements are made, and this is further dealt
contact on an auxiliary switch in the secondary check circuit. with in Sections 9.1 and 9.2.
Fig. 2b is the secondary equivalent of the primary circuit
busbar
of Fig. 2a, and Fig. 2c is the dual of the secondary equivalent.
busbar Construction of the dual from Fig. 2b is achieved by the
isolator
method described in Appendix 16.2, and the bolt solenoid
XB, circuit
breaker
and supply source are shown in the position for examination
of the circuit external to isolator auxiliary switch mx.
/ IU ,3
/
line
' isolator

8.1.3 The complete nonoperate check circuit

feeder generator feeder
circuit
examination] |m 3
Ib 3
1
o'' O • o
zero bus
6
Fig. 2
Basic single-busbar substation
a Primary circuit
b Secondary equivalent circuit of (a)
c Dual of secondary equivalent and method of circuit injection
8.1.2 Second principle
The inadequacy of the above arrangement makes it
unacceptable, and this results in the need to also adopt the
second principle.
A consideration of the scheme suggested by the first
principle shows that, to fail to safety, the external circuit
across m{ in the secondary equivalent circuit should appear
as a closed circuit when the actual primary presents an open
circuit across isolator M1#
Thus an inversion is required in which all open circuits
appear as closed circuits, and vice versa. Such an equivalent
circuit is the dual of the original secondary equivalent where,
from the other properties of duality, series arrangements
become parallel and currents become voltages.
There are various well known notations that can be used
for the inversion of a circuit into its dual, the easiest to apply
being that of Cauer,3>4 as detailed in Appendix 16.2. The
notation holds only for circuits which can be drawn in two
dimensions, i.e. planar networks, in which there are no
genuine crossovers. It is the property of duality, however,
that there exists no topographical dual of a nonplanar net-
work,4-5 from which it would appear that electrical inter-
locking, based upon the two principles postulated, would be
limited to dealing with substation arrangements which con-
tained no circuit crossovers, e.g. to single-busbar, single- or
3-switch and mesh-type substations; double-busbar multi-
section arrangements are precluded.
1066
The application of the first and second principles
resulting in the final dual check circuit of Fig. 2c deals with
the nonoperate requirements of the isolator.
In the practical design, the examination or circuit inspection
is effected by means of a key-operated switch which is con-
nected at each isolator position in the dual check circuit so
that
(a) the isolator auxiliary switch is disconnected from the
remainder of the dual circuit
(b) the bolt electromagnet in series with a d.c. supply source
is connected across the circuit ends left open by the
disconnection of the auxiliary switch.
One such key switch is provided at each isolator position,
and one key only is provided for the whole substation, since
it is a requirement for correct operation of the scheme that
only one injection must be carried out at a time. Single
operation at a time is a desirable feature in any case for
primary reasons, so that this limitation not only presents no
embarrassment, but ensures that this desirable mode of
operation is followed. It is also an obvious corollary that no
other key in the substation must fit the locks of the electrical
interlock equipment.
A typical dual check circuit is shown for a 3-switch sub-
station with bypass in Figs. 3a and 3b.
8.2 Check circuit 2—operate condition
This circuit satisfies the condition for the existence of
a low-impedance shunt path across the isolator to be operated.
The first principle only is used here, and therefore the direct
secondary equivalent of the primary circuit is suitable.
This is because the operate circuit has to check for a short-
circuit path rather than an open-circuit one, and direct
representation without further modification produces an
arrangement which fails to safety.
Since only low-impedance paths satisfy the required
shunting conditions for safe load-current switching, it follows
that any feeders or items of plant which have comparatively
high impedances have to be omitted. Thus, it follows that
only busbars and interbusbar copper work can be included
in the secondary equivalent circuit. From this, it will be seen
that there exists no secondary equivalent operate circuit for
the single-busbar arrangement of Fig. 2a, but that there are
such circuits for the 3-switch with bypass- and mesh-type
arrangements. Fig. 3c shows the secondary equivalent parallel
path or operate circuit of Fig. 3a.
8.3 Complete scheme of interlocking for planar
busbar arrangements
It has been shown that, in order to take full advantage
of the design capabilities of the isolator, the complete scheme
of interlocking requires the use of both check circuits 1 and 2.
The logic for the use of these two circuits requires an OR
condition to be satisfied; i.e. either a nonoperate or an operate
condition exists. This implies that the two check circuits must
be parallel connected across the bolt electromagnet and supply
source.
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966
 In the practical scheme, this is accomplished by means of redrawn as before, but at each crossover position a node is
the key switch which effects a simultaneous connection of created [Figs. 4(i) and 4(ii)]. This action alone would modify
the bolt electromagnet across each of the two check circuits the electrical performance of the original circuit, since there
in series with the supply source, and the arrangement in a would then be interaction between the currents /( and /2 in
practical scheme is as shown in Fig. lie. the previous two branches. In order to maintain the original
performance, the crossover branch is decoupled at the node
feeder I feeder; previously created by an ideal 1 :1 auto transformer, i.e.
one having an infinite magnetising impedance and zero
leakage impedance. With such an arrangement there can' be
'L,
no interaction of the currents flowing in the original branches
a-b and c-d, these now being constrained by the action: of the
ideal transformer to flow, as previously, ix through a, n, b,
'M2 and i2 through c, n, d, as in Fig. 4(iii).
This modification is made at all points of genuine crossover
'B3
in the original primary network, resulting in a modified
equivalent secondary circuit which is now planar. Since this
possesses a topographical dual, the rules for inversion can

, tronsformer transformer;
12
2 crossover m •\ transformer
branch —•- .node •>
I1' / .
n n
n . C b a- h n r

'I i| • i

J
m

12
d d

(i) (ii) i

Fig. 4
Section of network with crossover
'-OO (i) Crossover section of nonpolar network: branches a-b and c-il
(ii) First stage in preparation of secondary equivalent: creation of node n at
crossover
(iii) Addition of decoupling transformer at node n

main bus S(
? \ f

/M, /M2 /M3 /Ms /M6

rreserve f /sT^ r r ^^ r r
fBi XB 2 XB3 XB 4 >kBs f
|U /L2 >L3 /U |L S
feeder i feeder* feeder! feeder! feederr feeder f

injection
points
trnz i
Fig. 3
Basic 3-switch substation with bypass
a Primary circuit
b Dual check circuit of (a)
c Parallel-path check circuit of (a)

9 Substation arrangements having circuit

crossovers
The most commonly occurring substations on the
main transmission system are the double-busbar and mesh
arrangements, where the former can comprise two or more
sections of busbar and in some cases have the added compli-
cation of builtin bypasses. Double-busbar arrangements in
general fall into the crossover category.
A circuit arrangement having a crossover can be defined
as that arrangement in which it is necessary for a branch, in
going from one node of the network to another, to occupy a
third plane to effect the connection. It is this arrangement for
which there is no topographical dual, but by suitable circuit
rearrangements, as discussed in Sections 9.1 and 9.2, a suitable
electrical dual can be constructed.
9.1 Electrical dual of a circuit with crossovers: a.c. Fig. 5
method 3-section double-busbar substation: d.c. interlock scheme
This method is due to the work of Julia and Shier a Single-line diagram of primary circuit
b Secondary equivalent prepared for a.c. dual
and is fully discussed by A. Bloch.4 The primary circuit is c A.C. dual equivalent
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966 1067
 be applied as previously, and the required electrical dual normally closed auxiliary switches to two in the practical
equivalent constructed. It should be noted that the act of scheme, independently of the complexity or extent of the
inverting the autotransformer into its dual is to create a primary switching layout.
double-wound transformer in which the two windings are
electrically separate, but the flux path is the common link.4 main bus I s, - main bus 2 s3 main bus 3
-o_p-
Figs. 5a, b and c show the primary arrangement, modified-
secondary equivalent and equivalent electrical dual of a r—L I
basic 3-section double-busbar substation.
The complete interlock scheme using this method will be
identical, so far as the practical arrangements for effecting
•»!>• r> r> r> r> n
r• i r l H f l K r
the connections to the bolt electromagnet and key switch I J1' I ol^ I ol'3 I jM I oils I j
are concerned, to the case of the planar busbar arrangement
in Section 8.3. The operate circuit, being a direct equivalent
of the primary circuit, will have no crossover complications
to contend with; so it will be treated in an identical manner
to that described in Section 8.2 for check circuit 2.
It can be shown that, in the practical case,5 the normal
magnetising and leakage impedances of ordinary transformers
adequately satisfy the performance required of them in the
a.c. scheme. As a general guide it can be shown that, for a
20-feeder substation, a transformer having normal charac-
teristics but having an apparent-power rating of about
five times that of the rating of a single-bolt electromagnet
will be adequate. For a 40-feeder substation the figure would Fig. 6
be about 10 times, and typical ratings would be 1 0 and 3-section double-busbar substation equivalent secondary circuits:
2-0kVA, respectively, at 110 V and 50c/s. d.c. method-
a Equivalent circuit for main-busbar isolators
b Dual interlock circuits of (a) for main-busbar isolators

9.2 Electrical dual of a circuit with crossovers: d.c.

method
This method relies on modifying the primary circuit
by introducing into the secondary equivalent circuit deliberate
constraints comprising the creation of nodes at certain cross-
over positions in the network. This device converts the
original nonplanar network into a planar network, from lrl olr2 olr3 ol r4 ok ol
which a dual can then be constructed.5
If this is done with due regard to the final requirements, a
I r+-.
reserve bus I
-P_o—A
I rr >
• J. ,
reserve bus 2
op—1 reserve bus 3
1

dual is produced whose electrical performance increases to a

minor degree the number of nonoperate conditions for the
isolator, and will result in a slightly limited interlock scheme.
These limitations, however, are so minor compared with the
benefits of simplification and the ability to use d.c. as the
source that it compares very favourably with the a.c. scheme
which has no such restrictions. It is very doubtful whether;
for even the most unorthodox operations, the limitation
would ever be detected.
The basis of the method is to consider each of the three
busbars in turn, i.e. the main, the reserve and the zero
busbar, treating any two of these at a time as being a planar
network. Each such pair of buses is then treated for the
circuit ends which make nodes with the busbar. A deliberate
constraint is then introduced on the other ends of the circuits
by making a common node of the third and one of the other
two busbars. The result is then a modified planar network of,
for example, the main busbar and its circuits. Fig. 6a is the
equivalent secondary circuit modified in this manner to deal
with all the main busbar isolators such as M ls M2 and S f .
This is repeated for the reserve and the zero busbars for such
isolators, respectively, as the reserve bus selectors Rl5 R2 etc.,
and the line isolators L l5 L2, as shown in Figs, la and 1b.
From this stage the equivalent duals are constructed in the
normal manner. Fig. 6b shows the dual for the main busbar
equivalent secondary circuit; there will be similar duals for
Figs, la and 1b.
Examination will show that such a scheme would require
three auxiliary switches for every circuit breaker and isolator
in the substation, but a considerable simplification of this is
possible since, in practice, it is standard policy to interlock
line isolators by mechanical keys. This relaxation allows the
third equivalent secondary circuit to be dispensed with
(Fig. lb), so that only the duals for the main and reserve
busbar isolators are required. This reduces the number of
1068
injection
points p lbi
Fig. 7
3-section double-busbar substation equivalent secondary circuits:
d.c. method
a Equivalent circuit for reserve-busbar isolators
b Equivalent circuit for feeder isolators
Injection into the duals by the key switch is identical to
the original scheme for planar networks as described in
Section 8.1.3.
10 Practical scheme for 275 kV or 400kV
4-switch mesh substation
Sections 9.1 and 9.2 develop two ways of using the basic
principles of the new scheme of interlocking to deal with the
nonplanar switching arrangement such as occurs with the
multisection double-busbar substation; Sections 8.1, 8.2 and
8.3 develop a single solution for dealing with the planar-
switching arrangement, such as the mesh type of substation.
Since the planar arrangement has not been treated in the
same detail, and as complicated circuitry can be involved
with conventional interlocking, a mesh type of substation
which has an added feature of mesh-opening isolators is
given as a practical example of the new scheme. Fig. 8 is a
PROC. 1EE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966
single-line schematic of such a substation, the isolators
XI26, X226, X326 and X426 being the additional mesh-
opening isolators. Fig. 9 is a schematic of the interlock
circuit for this arrangement using a conventional scheme,
and is shown 'for purposes of comparison as discussed under
Section 11. Fig. 10a is the nonoperate dual check circuit and
Fig. 106 the operate parallel-path check circuit using the
new scheme.
feeder 2
-
The practical arrangement for the scheme is shown in
Figs, lla and 116, while Fig. lie shows details of the key-
operated injection switch which, although shown for manual
local operation, can be replaced by a contactor to perform
the same function for remote operation.
Fig. lie clearly indicates, in conjunction with Figs, lla
and b, how the two check circuits are integrated with the
key switches to make up the complete scheme.
An appropriate practical refinement would be for the local
interlock key at the substation to be normally kept in a
switch lock at some central position, so that, when parked, it
would interrupt the d.c. supplies to the interlock circuits,
but when withdrawn to carry out a switching operation, it
would energise the interlock d.c. supplies and illuminate a
warning light as a reminder that the key has been withdrawn.
It should be noted that no matter how extensive or complex

I X226
/ •

feeder I is the primary switching arrangement, provided no circuit

X224 / crossovers are involved, only one normally open contact, one
normally closed contact and three complete secondary rings
would be required.

feeder4 11 Comparison between conventional and

new scheme of interlocking
11.1 Operational flexibility
The new scheme offers complete operational flexibility,
the only limitations being set by the design limitations of the
isolator itself. This makes possible the carrying out of
unorthodox switching sequences, such as may arise during
an emergency, without the necessity for defeating the inter-
Fig. 8 locks. This is regarded as of paramount importance, since it
Single-line schematic of400kV4-switch mesh substation with mesh- enables operators to adopt the right attitude of mind towards
opening isolators interlocking and ensures complete safety cover throughout

| -o_o-o_o- -O O—O O - O O - O O—I >

XI26
XI26 X428
X426 X42O X424 X426 X32B X32O X324
o—o o - o o—o o—o o—o o-o o—' i—O O—O O—O O—O O - O O—O O - O O—O O -
X228 X22OX224 X226 XI28 XI2O XI24 I X426 X328 X32O X324 X326 X228 X22O X224

r-O O-O O-O

X226 XI28 XI2O XI24 XI26 X428 X42O X424
—O O—O O—O O—O Q—Q O—O O - O O—'
X328 X32OX324 X326 X~228 X22OX224
o o—o o - o o—o o—o o—o o—o o—'

Fig. 9
Electrical-interlock circuits for Fig. 8: conventional scheme
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966 1069
50 P18
the sequences, a factor which does not exist with the conven-
tional scheme. This feature can be helpful during maintenance,
when, for example, if a section of busbars is dead, any isolator
can be operated in any order, whilst remaining fully inter-
locked. As a further example, in the double-busbar substation
•EST
ieai
>T}5"1 injection
>' =.J points
Fig. 10
Electrical-interlock circuits for Fig. 8: new scheme
a Nonoperate dual-check circuit
b Operate parallel-path check circuit
it is possible to transfer a feeder on load without the aid of
the bus coupler, or to split two sections of busbar by the
bus-section isolators, should a bus coupler or section switch
be out of service. Many other examples can be cited where
the new scheme allows for operational sequences which are
not possible with the conventional schemes without defeating
the interlocks.
A practical scheme of interlocking on a 4-section double-
busbar 132kV substation, using the d.c. method, has been
in successful operation for the past nine years, where there
has been at least one case of unorthodox switching being
carried out, and no failures of the scheme to prevent safe
switching have come to notice.
11.2 Commissioning and maintenance features
A reference to Fig. 6b for the 3-section double-busbar
arrangement shows, for example, that the group of auxiliary
switches m,, rx, b{ and l{ comprises a local interlocking
circuit for the main bar isolator m{ independently of the rest
of the substation, and further examination will show that
each such busbar isolator group comprises an identical
interlock module.
1070
This great simplicity and uniformity of circuit design facili-
tate commissioning and especially enables an entire interlock
scheme to be committed to memory without difficulty. This
feature is demonstrated with the 4-switch mesh substation of
Fig. 10a and b, where, in comparison with the conventional
I2O
32O
-O 0—
toX224Fig.||6
toXI28 toXI28 Fig.116
X224Fig.lla
Fig. 11
Complete electrical interlock of Fig. 12: new scheme
a Nonoperate dual-check circuit
b Operate parallel-path check circuit
c Detail of key on relay generator injection switch
scheme, the great simplicity of circuit design is shown, in
marked contrast to the cumbersome arrangement of Fig. 9.
This is because of the fundamental modular nature of the
new circuit design, which avoids the use of repetitious arrange-
ments of contacts to achieve a specific single objective for
each isolator to be interlocked.
It has been found that, contrary to expectations, it requires
very little practice once the basic principles of the new scheme
have been mastered, including the art of dual conversion, to
be able to write down at once the interlock scheme for any
substation arrangement, no matter how complicated, with
the full confidence that it will be correct the first time.
11.3 Economics
In making an economic comparison of the new and
conventional schemes, both should really be based upon
presenting the same degree of flexibility, but as it is regarded
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966
as impracticable to produce a conventional scheme to cover Table 3
the same degree offlexibilityas the new scheme, comparison 400kV/275kV 4-SWITCH MESH WITH MESH-OPENING ISOLATORS
is based upon the former, taking no account of the additional
operational features which the new scheme makes available. Auxiliary switches
Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4 summarise the number of circuit Switch designation Number
components required by the two schemes for a range of mesh- Conventional scheme New scheme
type substations; these are all examples of planar-type
arrangements. Mesh breaker. 4 44 8
Breaker isolators 8 56 16
Mesh-opening isolator 4 20 8
Table 1 Line isolator 4 8 4
1 3 2 k V 3-SWITCH SUBSTATION WITH BYPASS Transformer isolator. 4 8 4
132kV oil circuit 4 4 4
breaker
Auxiliary switches
Switch designation Number totals . 140 44
Conventional scheme New scheme

Section breaker 1 1 2
Section isolator 2 2 4 Conventional scheme New scheme
Transformer breaker . 2 6 4
Busbar isolator 2 2 4 Complete ring buswires 12 3
Line isolator . 2 2
Bypass isolator ' . 2 2 4
Transformer isolator . 2 2
Low-voltage breaker . 2 2 2
15 24 Table 4
totals
4 0 0 k V 6-SWITCH MESH SUBSTATION

Auxiliary switches
Conventional scheme New scheme Switch designation Number
Conventional scheme New scheme
Complete ring buswires 3 3
Mesh breaker . 6 42 12
Breaker isolator. 8 40 16
Mesh isolator . 4 12 8
Table 2 Line isolator 4 4
1 3 2 k V 3-SWITCH SUBSTATION WITH BYPASS AND THIRD Transformer isolator 4 12 4
TRANSFORMER 132kV breaker . 4 12 4

Auxiliary switches totals . 118 48

Switch, designation Number
Conventional scheme New scheme
Conventional scheme New scheme
Section breaker 1 4 2
Section isolator 2 6 4
Transformer breaker . 2 10 4 Complete ring buswires 7 3
Busbar isolator 2 8 4
Line isolator . 2 2
Bypass isolator 2 4 4
Transformer isolator . 3 6 3
Table 5a
totals 38 23 275kV/132kV 2-SECTION DOUBLE-BUSBAR SUBSTATION: EIGHT
FEEDERS PER SECTION

Conventional scheme New scheme Auxiliary switches

Switch designation Number
Complete ring buswires 4 3 Conventional scheme New scheme

Feeder breaker . 16 16 32
Main bar isolator 16 32 32
It will be seen from Table 1 that there is no economic Reserve bar isolator . 16 48 32
benefit in adopting the new scheme for the simple type of Bus-coupler breaker . 2 4 6
substation, and that the advantage increases as the size and Bus-coupler reserve 2 . 6 6
bar isolator
complexity of the substation increases. For example, in the Bus-coupler main-bar 2 4 6
case of the 400 kV 4-switch mesh with the mesh-opening isolator
isolators of Fig. 8 and Table 3, there are striking economies Bus-section breaker . 1 2 2
Bus-section isolator . 2 4 4
to be made with the new scheme, since these substations Reserve-bar section 2 4 4
occupy a large area and the saving in multicore cabling of isolator
1 : 4 and in auxiliary switches of 1 : 3 between the new and
the conventional schemes is of considerable significance. totals . 120 124
This same pattern is reflected, but to a less-marked degree,
with the multisection double-busbar substation, where
Tables 5a, 5b and 5c show that there is no saving between Conventional scheme New scheme
the two schemes for a 2-section busbar but that the saving
increases progressively to about one in two for the 4-section Number of buswires 5 5
arrangement. As this arrangement is typical for a major
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966 1071
400 kV power-station busbar, the savings in these cases will Table 5c
be significant, in view of the large site area involved. 4 0 0 k V 4-SECTION DOUBLE-BUSBAR SUBSTATION—FOUR FEEDERS
PER SECTION

12 Application to remote and automatic Auxiliary switches

control Switch designation Number
The complete flexibility of the- new scheme suggests Conventional scheme New scheme
that it would be ideally suited to automatic substation
operation, where, with the future possibility of computer Feeder breaker . 16 16 32
control of the system, it would be an important requirement Main bar isolator 16 32 48
for there to be no artificial constraints placed upon switching Reserve bar isolator . 16 80 48
Bus-coupler breaker . 4 16 12
operations, other than those determined by the capabilities Bus-coupler reserve 4 28 12
of the switchgear itself. bar isolator
In this sense, as the scheme provides an automatic circuit Bus-coupler main bar 4 16 12
analogue of all safe switching conditions, it would be comple- bar isolator
Bus-section breaker . 3 12 6
mentary to other necessary automatic control functions, such Bus-section isolator . 6 24 12
as fault duty and current-rating assessment, which are both Reserve-bar section 6 42 12
design criteria. isolator
A further application, by suitable circuit design using tele- totals 266 194
communications methods, is to provide a scanning arrange-
ment which, taking each isolator position in turn on the
Conventional scheme New scheme
Table 5b
275kV/132kV 3-SECTION DOUBLE-BUSBAR SUBSTATION: SIX
Number of buswires . 13 5
FEEDERS PER SECTION

Switch designation
Feeder breaker .
Main bar isolator
Reserve bar isolator .
Bus-coupler breaker .
Bus-coupler reserve-
bar isolator
Bus-coupler main-bar
isolator
Bus-section breaker .
Bus-section isolator .
Reserve-bar section
isolator
totals .
Number of buswires
Auxiliary switches
Number mimic diagram at the control centre, could indicate those
Conventional scheme New scheme which were available for immediate operation. The scanning
circuit suggested by Fig. 12 would automatically repeat a
18 18 36 scan of the entire substation for each circuit change (e.g.
18 36 54 a circuit breaker or isolator operation) and store this until
18 72 54 the next change, thereby giving an almost instantaneous
3 9 9 review of the possible immediate switching operations.
3 15 9 This application could be further developed so that the
3 9 9 mimic diagram could be used as an instructor device upon
which an intended complex switching sequence could be first
2 6 4 tried before actually carrying out the switching on the
4 12 8 primary equipment.
4 20 8
It has already been stated that a requirement of the new
scheme is that only one operation should be performed at a
197 191 time, and since local and remote control of isolators is a
requirement for all 275 kV and 400kV substations, arrange-
ments have to be made to ensure that a local and remote
Conventional scheme New scheme operation could not be performed simultaneously. This is
also a desirable feature in the case of any scheme of electrical
9 5 interlocking, and is achieved by arranging for the local key
switch, when operated, to interrupt the d.c. supplies to the

other A relay contacts iihain

SSI2
other
ST B relay
contacts •—

o^| i-
1 on/off
switch

on/off
switch

Fig.12
Indication circuit for interlock scheme
a Interlock check circuit—d.c. scheme
b Isolator-contacts start chain
c Scanning circuit
1072 PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966
remote-interlock injection-relay buswires. A similar comple- 2 CORY, B. j . : 'An approach by means of mathematical logic to the
switching of power-system networks', Proc. IEE, 1963, 110, (1),
mentary arrangement has to be made for the remote key p. 185
switch to interrupt the local-interlock injection-relay buswires. 3 GUILLEMIN, E. A. : 'Introductory circuity theory' (Wiley, 1960), pp. 42
There are many ways of achieving this simply and reliably, but and 539
4 BLOCH, A.: 'Methods for the construction of networks dual to
they are obvious enough not to require further description. nonplanar networks', Proc. Phys. Soc, 1946, 58, pp. 681 677
Although it is accepted practice for interlocking to be and 682
5 HUTCHINSON, G. p.: CEGB Technical Disclosure Bulletin 51, 1965,
carried out at the site, and this is probably desirable for CEGB Information Services, 25 Newgate Street, London EC1,
local switching, it is suggested that, at least for remote England
operation, this is more neatly and just as reliably achieved at
the remote-control centre, where repeat relays could reflect
the position of isolators and circuit-breaker auxiliary switches, 16 Appendix
the circuit design fulfilling a fail-to-safety requirement. The 16.1 Concept of duality
interlocking circuit could then be carried out in telephone- Two linear networks are dual if
type relays and' placed into very small compass, a develop-
ment more in keeping with present-day trends in control. (a) each element of one network has a counterpart in the
other
(b) the currents through the elements in one network and
13 Conclusions voltages across their counterparts in the other have a
A review of the present situation on the British Grid constant proportionality to each other.
system has shown that it is a continuing policy to provide
interlocking in high-voltage substations, where the degree of Taking any general element Z'k in an original network, and
coverage is greater at the higher voltages such as 400kV. the counterpart general element Z'^ in the dual network
This is in contrast to some areas in the United States and on as shown in Figs. 13a and b:
the Continent, and is probably because the problem in this
country is different, there being such a tightly integrated i'kCh = e'k (1)
system to deal with, where switching errors have more serious OT = ^ (2)
consequences.
The new scheme of interlocking, described in the paper, where C^ and C? are the constants of proportionality between
was developed because of obvious shortcomings in the appli- currents and voltages in the two networks.
cation of well established conventional schemes to the more
involved switching arrangements. Ample evidence of these 4
shortcomings is to be found in the conventional scheme for AA/WV*
interlocking a multisection double-busbar substation.
These difficulties of circuit design have tended to influence
t_
primary circuit layouts, and in some instances have precluded
probably better, cheaper and moreflexibleswitching arrange- Fig. 13
ments. In addition, where interlocking prevents certain safe General case of original and dual network elements
but unorthodox switching operations, there has been a a General network element Zk'
b Counterpart dual element Zk"
growing tendency to accept the defeating of the interlocking
during these operations. This practice is regarded as dan-
gerous and has led in some instances to serious system faults.
It is felt that interlocking should cover, wherever practicable,
every switching operation, however unorthodox, and parti-
cularly during system emergencies which may require this
sort of action.
The new scheme, being based upon fundamental principles,
meets with no more difficulty when dealing with a complex
switching arrangement than a simple one, and this enables the
designing of schemes to be a very straightforward matter.
Schemes can be drawn up directly almost on inspection of the
primary layout, and, because of this, commissioning is made Fig. 14
more reliable and much more easy than with conventional Relationship between currents at a node, and voltages round a mesh
schemes. a Junction point of currents in a network
In conclusion it is suggested that the new scheme is readily b Counterpart junction of voltages in the dual of (a)
adaptable to automatic substation operation and remote-
control functions where further work could, with advantage, 2 JS_
be done in this direction.

14 Acknowledgments
The author wishes to thank the Assistant Regional
Director, South Wales Division of the Central Electricity
Generating Board for permission to publish this work.
Thanks are also due to W. H. Dunkley, Assistant Regional
Director, Thames South Division, for his encouragement
and for the assistance of B. J. Cory of the Imperial College
of Science and Technology. The author also appreciates the
assistance given by his many colleagues in the South Wales
Divisional Transmission Department.

15 References Fig. 15
1 'Transmission and generation safety rules, for the control, operation Section of a general network construction of dual
and maintenance of high-, medium- and low-voltage apparatus.' a Section of original network
Central Electricity Generating Board b Dual equivalent or (a)
PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966 1073
 Also, for the general element in either network, by Ohm's (i.e. two impedances in parallel), the dual must be a star of
law, two admittances; i.e. two in series.
e'k=Zki'k (3) Referring to Fig. 15a for a section of a general network,
and applying the above principles, the dual arrangement of
e
'k = (4) Fig. 156 can be drawn.
If the meshes in the original network are identified by 1, 2,
Multiplying eqns. 3 and 4 and substituting from eqns. 1 and 2 3 etc., then, taking the node A which is a junction of currents
the equivalent values for e"k and e'k, the following is obtained:
(5)
If the product C^C^ = C$, a constant of proportionality, it
follows that

(6)
'•:>•

i.e. the corresponding element in the dual network of an

impedance Z'k is an admittance \\Z'k multiplied by the con-
stant of proportionality C$. Thus, for a proportionality
constant of C% = 1, the dual of an impedance, Z'k ohms, is
an admittance of 1/Z^mhos, its direct reciprocal.
In the application of dual principles to interlocking, the
special case of only two values of impedance is used in the
original network; i.e. either
Zk=0
or
Zk = co
From eqn. 6, it will be seen that the counterpart elements are
1
Z"k=- = co
0
or
Z'k = - = 0
* oo
Fig.16
i.e. a short circuit in the original network becomes an open
circuit and vice versa. Preparation of original network for construction of dual
a Original network
b Dual of original network
16.2 Cauer's method for constructing duals of planar
Constant of proportionality, CQ = 1
networks
Consider a node in the original network which is the
junction point of several branch impedances such as Z'a, Z'b, i'a, i'd and i'e, the counterpart mesh is the voltage mesh e"a, e"d
Z'c etc., of Fig. 14a. From Kirchhoff 's equations, and e"e, where the voltage across, say, the admittance Y"a is
equal numerically to the current i'a in the impedance Z'a. It
i'a + i'b + i'c + . - . = 0 is thus convenient and permissible to identify the nodes at
each end of the admittance Y"a by the numbers 4 and 1.
From consideration of eqns. 1 and 2, and assuming that Similarly, the impedance Zd, separating meshes 1 and 5 in
C% = 1, it must follow that the voltages across the counter- the original network, has the counterpart admittance Y'_'d
part admittances Y'^, Y^', Y'c' in the dual must also add up to between nodes 1 and 5 in the dual, which can be similarly
zero; i.e. identified along with all other such meshes and nodes.
e
'a = eb + e'c + - • • = 0
This action can now be routine in manner by imagining
lines drawn between 1 and 5, 5 and 4, 4 and 2, 2 and 1, 2
For this condition to be satisfied, the voltages must form a and 3, 3 and 1 in the original network, and establishing these
closed mesh, and this constrains the counterpart admittances meshes as nodes in the dual, at the same time converting the
to be similarly connected (Figs. 14a and 14b). The corollary original impedances into the equivalent admittances.
that the dual of a mesh arrangement of impedances must This procedure is adopted in Figs. 16a and b for constructing
be a star arrangement of admittances will be obvious. In the the dual network from its-original, and is the method used
special case of an original mesh comprising two impedances for all practical applications in this paper.

1074 PROC. IEE, Vol. 113, No. 6, JUNE 1966