Substation & MV Switchgear Operations
This course covers the construction, protection, and switching operation of metal-clad medium-voltage switchgear used at data-center substations and unit substations, governed by the IEEE C37.20.2 metal-clad switchgear standard and the protective-relay coordination practice of IEEE C37 protection standards. Students learn switchgear bus and breaker construction, protective relay function codes, racking of drawout breakers, and the switching-order discipline required to safely isolate, ground, and restore a substation lineup. All racking and switching is performed on de-energized training equipment; primary-injection relay testing uses a relay test set at the AL-2 pod. The course builds directly on the shock and arc-flash framework from Medium-Voltage Fundamentals, and every switching, racking, or grounding competency is treated as safety-critical and evaluated by a licensed qualified person. Coverage aligns with the OctoPod MEGABOX substation procedure set.
What you'll be able to do
- Identify the major compartments and components of a metal-clad switchgear lineup per IEEE C37.20.2 construction categories.
- Interpret a substation single-line diagram and protective relay function-code table to determine the correct switching order for a de-energization sequence. Safety-critical
- Rack a drawout circuit breaker from connected to test to fully withdrawn position using manufacturer-specified interlocks. Safety-critical
- Perform voltage-absence verification and apply temporary protective grounds on a de-energized switchgear compartment. Safety-critical
- Perform a primary-injection or secondary-injection protective relay test using a relay test set and evaluate the trip response against the coordination study setpoint. Safety-critical
- Calculate available fault current and verify a switchgear lineup's interrupting rating is adequate for the calculated value.
- Execute a full lockout/tagout and isolation on a substation lineup before authorizing entry for maintenance. Safety-critical
- Document a switching order, relay test result, or lockout event in the substation operating log per utility-style recordkeeping practice.
- Escalate an out-of-tolerance relay test result or a suspected switchgear fault indication to the responsible protection engineer. Safety-critical
- Participate in a supervised live-site substation switching observation under an employer field-placement or Campus Node arrangement. Safety-critical
Train the team that runs the factory.
The Institute travels with every SAVRN campus.