Utility
The demand for electricity continues to grow and has no indication of stopping. Now more than ever, it is essential that you have a proven and trusted engineering partner to ensure delivery of safe and reliable power to your customers. Our senior leadership brings over 150 years of combined industry experience in developing studies and designs for electric utility and industrial substations.
Our completely optimized designs are engineered to be adaptable for accommodating foreseeable technologies and project expertise for optimized control, physical system efficiency, and reliability of your infrastructure.
With ASSET Engineering as the substation hardening leader, we understand that protecting your infrastructure is a top priority. We have worked hard to provide the best expertise in everything from perimeter shielding to substation security.
For more detailed information about our Core Services and Competencies, please visit the Why ASSET? page on our site.
Select Projects
Brown’s Ferry Plant Upgrade (Decatur, AL)
TVA contracted ABB to upgrade the Brown’s Ferry Nuclear plant’s warm cooling tower 4.16 kV switchgear. ABB served as the equipment provider and overall project manager and hired ASSET Engineering to provide all the electrical engineering on the project. Major scope elements of this project included installing circuit switchers in the 161kV upper yard to provide protection for the two 161 kV lines serving the warm cooling tower yard, replacing two (2) existing power transformers with four (4) new power transformers; four (4) existing metal clad switchgear lineups with four (4) new metal clad switchgear line ups; two (2) existing 161 kV underground feeder lines and the addition of two (2) Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) enclosures, one 161 kV cross channel tie line, and (1) 4.16 kV bus duct tie line.
ASSET complied with TVA’s drawing update process by developing the drawing package to distinguish the project stages of demolition and installation. We developed demolition drawings to detail the removal of existing equipment and add drawings to detail the integration between new and existing / remaining equipment and cabling. ASSET used AutoCAD Raster to import the datedexisting TVA drawings to assist with the timely development of the new deliverables.
A major challenge ASSET overcame during the design phase of the project centered on the clients desire to reuse the existing power and control cables. TVA required the new switchgear be installed perpendicular to the existing switchgear footprint resulting in the existing cable not being of sufficient length to terminate in the new locations. Compounding this challenge, splicing of the cables was only allowed in the 5kV junction vaults adjacent to the area. ASSET developed a plan for demolition of cables back to the man-hole, splicing of new cable, and reuse of existing conduits to reroute existing circuits nearest their new destination, along with multiple cable section details to confirm tray fill and routing. Coordination with the building foundation design (by others) was key design component. Constructability and maintenance were at the forefront of the design concept. ASSET’s solution and design were considerate of the need for sufficient working space and head room for the contractor to install and the clients’ personnel to maintain.
The overall project schedule presented another challenge that ASSET helped our client overcome. The project would be engineered in 2016 and the purchase of equipment and installation would not occur until 2017. The concern was that the Issued for Construction engineering deliverables might not align with the non-ABB provided equipment drawings if the equipment was not ordered during the engineering effort. ASSET assisted the client by guiding them to selected manufacturers on a limited notice to proceed agreement to ensure that once equipment was ordered, the “for construction” drawing package would align with the manufacturer’s drawings.
The engineering and design was completed in a staged approach with drawings issued to meet the client’s final project dates. Our scope of services was completed on time and under budget in August of 2016.
CLECO Power (Central Louisiana)
CLECO initiated a multiyear program in 2013 to add SCADA capability to the substations in their distribution network. Each year, a group of up to fifty substations was selected for implementation. The scope included migrating the distribution monitoring from the transmission control system to a dedicated distribution control and monitoring system. The modifications to the substations included adding Real-Time Automation Controllers (SEL-3530 RTAC’s) and connecting to relays through fiber-serial ports that communicated to remote transmission/distribution operators through radio networks.
ASSET Engineering assisted CLECO in this program from the outset. Our scope of work included programming and development of RTAC configuration files based on substation equipment and relays, testing of all monitored functionality of the SEL relays and connected RTAC, and testing of the RTAC configuration files with the distribution monitoring system. ASSET also participated in the commissioning of the system by uploading the new settings and gathering the as-left relay settings, performing field functional checks of analog and digital inputs for relays, and performing field functional commissioning of breaker remote operation, such as trip, close, reclosing, and ground disabling.
ASSET collaborated with CLECO on our approach for each yearly allotment of substations scheduled for upgrade. We equipped our in-house lab with the necessary relays to simulate substation conditions, enabling us to perform the bulk of testing in a controlled environment. We grouped stations by geographic location throughout central Louisiana for the onsite work. We deployed multiple teams based on that grouping and the installation schedule of the SCADA equipment by others. The testing and commissioning processes were reviewed every year, and strategic changes were implemented to provide improved efficiencies for site time, resulting in reduced costs to CLECO.
The program has been highly successful. Utilization of our in-house lab and testing procedures eliminated issues with the programming in the field, leaving only minor issues with equipment and / or construction anomalies to deal with during commissioning. ASSET has delivered on our scope within budget and on schedule for the duration of the program.
FMPA for FPL (Ft. Pierce, FL)
Ralls 230 KV Switchyard and Treasure Coast Energy Center Collector Bus. This 500 MVA generating plant required a 2-circuit collector bus with interface to the plant’s control system and protection and the adjacent switchyard’s protection systems. The Ralls Switchyard is a three-position ring bus configured as a future breaker-and-a-half, with one connection to the plant and two 230 kV line positions.
CenterPoint Energy/HVB (Deer Park, TX)
Center Substation 345KV breaker-and-a-half GIS, with outdoor connections to 345 kV transmission lines and power plant GSU and auxiliary transformers. Completely redundant protection and control and battery systems. Workscope included comprehensive electrical design and coordination of GIS equipment, interfaces with other disciplines and with plant.
CenterPoint Energy (Houston, TX)
Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Substation. Conceptual substation design and preparation of major equipment specifications.
IP&L Capacitor Job (Indianapolis, IN)
138 kV 160 MVAR Capacitor Bank addition to existing Castleton Substation. Electrical arrangement, grounding, protection and control designs in accordance with IP&L standards, conduit and interconnections designs for the capacitor bank, inrush reactors, single-phase operated zero-crossing circuit breaker and isolation switch.
Alabama Power Company (Opelika, AL)
North Opelika Transmission Substation. Complete electrical design responsibility for 230 kV Ring Bus, auto-transformer and 115 kV Ring Bus, designed to APCo standards, including the general arrangement, control building, raceways, protection and control.
Texas-New Mexico Power (Texas City, TX)
Protection and Control Modification Designs for TNMP’s Terminal Switching Station and Texas City Main Substation to accommodate Valero’s Bayview Substation Addition to the 138kV system. One Line diagrams, three lines, DC elementaries, panel wiring diagrams and interconnection diagrams were revised at these stations to complement the new protection installed (also in ASSET’s design scope) at the Bayview Substation.
Delta EPA (Cleveland, MS)
West Cleveland 115 kV Substation. Completed electrical design responsibility for this radial distribution substation that included 115 kV circuit breaker, power transformer 13.2 kV distribution structure, control building and protective relaying.
Gainesville Regional Utilities (Gainesville, FL)
Ironwood 138 kV Substation. Raceway design, grounding design, control cable list and interconnection diagrams.
Gainesville Regional Utilities (Gainesville, FL)
138 kV Sugarfoot Substation. Electrical design for the addition of circuit switchers to protect existing transformers, including the general arrangements, conduit, ground grid modifications, cable list, interconnection diagrams, and protective device settings.
Gainesville Regional Utilities, RTU Upgrade (Gainesville, Florida)
Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) engaged ASSET Engineering (ASSET) to provide engineering design support to upgrade their legacy GE-D20 remote terminal units (RTU) to SEL-RTACs. The main driver for this project was the age of the existing units and the limited availability of replacement parts and experienced technical support. The overall program involves replacing thirteen (13) GED20 RTUs and eighteen (18) SEL-2032 communication processors with fifteen (15) new SEL-RTAC units at twelve (12) locations. A few of the stations have multiple RTU units. Phase 1 of this program was to complete the upgrades at four stations (Rocky Point, Ironwood, Kanapaha & Springhill) by the end of the 2020 fiscal year (September).
The initial discovery phase had been completed based on site investigations at each location prior to the start of this project and helped determine the prioritization and grouping of stations. The information collected was also used as the basis for the engineering effort. During the design phase, ASSET developed the engineering documentation required by construction for the removal of the existing GE-D20 units and associated wiring, design of the new installations for the SEL-RTAC units and other associated devices, and develop the required programming for the SEL-RTAC units and associated relays.
In addition to SEL-RTAC units, other auxiliary devices were installed at various locations including transformer monitors (Advanced Power Technologies – ECLIPSE), annunciators (SEL-2523), security gateways (SEL-3620) and associated test switches for analog or control signals. The quantity of supporting devices varied by location. ASSET provided on site testing and commissioning support for the first station that was upgraded.
Site drawings often do not match current physical installations. To remedy this on the first project, ASSET aided in on-site field investigation and hands-on engineering during commissioning. For future stations, ASSET aided in prompt off-site phone support to validate and correct station drawings to match field implementation. The ASSET scope was completed on time and under budget.
JEA (Jacksonville, FL)
230-27 kV Forest Substation. ASSET Engineering supported Jacksonville Electric Authority by working with a Contractor to engineer, procure and construct this new station consisting of a three bay breaker and a half 230 kV High-Side with three line positions and three transformer positions. The initial configuration consisted of dressing out two of the line positions and two of the transformer positions. The design was based on JEA’s current standards which clearly identified the Owners’ design concept. The protection and control portion of the design and the associated control house was based on the supply of eight (8) relay and control panels (plus space for four additional panels) in the main switchboard room, a separate battery room for two battery systems, and a communications room for housing ten (10) JEA supplied communication/security panels.
The completion of the green field station to meet the Owner’s intention was enhanced by JEA’s detailed reference sets which aided ASSET and the Contractor in presenting initial station layout and protection concepts in compliance with the Engineering Staff’s expectation and a good deal of communication between ASSET/Contractor and JEA’s engineering team to incorporate the latest JEA best practices.
ASSET maintained responsible charge for the General Arrangement & Electrical Sections, Grounding, Conduit and Cable Schedules, Control House Layout and Sections, and the complete protection and control design. All drawings were complete in Microstation and complied with JEA drafting standards.
KEYS Energy (Key West, FL)
Kennedy Drive Substation Switchgear Replacement. Replacement of existing 13.8 kV Switchgear “B” air magnetic switchgear in existing CMU building with vacuum switchgear in a packaged outdoor building complete with all building systems, replacement of existing transformer electromechanical relaying, ties to existing SCADA, and development of relay, communication processor and RTU programming.
New Smyrna Beach (New Smyrna Beach, FL)
115-24 kV Field Street Substation. Electrical design responsibility for the addition of circuit switchers to protect three 30 MVA transformers, 24 kV feeders and the complete replacement of all protective relaying and SCADA equipment in well-planned staged replacement, using existing conduits, control building floor space.
Virgin Islands WAPA (St. Thomas, VI)
Long Bay Substation 34.5 – 13.2 kV Substation comprised of two indoor switchgear line-ups, two 30 MVA outdoor transformers, protective relaying and SCADA in a separate control room, and extensive ductbanks and manholes for interface to existing underground and overhead construction.
Central EPA (Philadelphia, MS)
Philadelphia Substation 46 kV OCB replacements with SF6 breakers and the replacement of electromechanical relays with microprocessor-based relays and their settings.
East Mississippi EPA (Meridian, MS – Client: East Mississippi EPA)
Bonita 115 – 25 kV 20 MVA substation design, drawings, construction specifications and equipment, and material package bid specifications. Assisted in project from inception, through contractor close-out.
East Mississippi EPA (Multiple locations, MS)
Townsend, Handle, Scooba, King Road, Noxapater Substations. Developed protection and control scheme for the addition of a second transformer at each of these sites (or the relocation of existing protection) and integrated it with existing relay panels. Developed relay coordination, settings, and settings files.
Oxford Northeast and Southeast Substations (Oxford, MS)
Northeast Substation – Field investigation and verifications of protective relaying and control interconnections and panel internal wiring. Development of AC and DC elementaries panel wiring diagrams and comprehensive interconnection diagrams.
Southeast Substation – Review of other’s existing substation protective relay settings and recommendations for changes after misoperation on distribution single phase switching.
South Mississippi EPA (Multiple locations, MS)
Testing services for Martinville, Sylvarena, Taylorsville, Hoy, Gwinville Junction, Waldrup. The ASSET Company provided testing and testing oversight or protection and control systems at these substations. Using an associate testing firm, developed the test plan, coordinated scheduling, provided real-time oversight of verification of all control cable connections, interface to equipment alarms and breaker control circuits, relay testing for line distance, sync check, breaker failure and overcurrent, underfrequency functions, and confirmation of DC local and SCADA controls and alarms.
South Mississippi EPA (Silver Creek, MS)
Silver Creek 115 kV Substations Relay Settings and Settings Files. Four transmission lines and associated breakers, with two ties to the Silver Creek Gas Turbine Site. Step distance protections, breaker failure, undervoltage, reclosing, sync check and bus differential elements were set.
Southern Pine EPA (Mountain Creek and Homewood Substations)
Substation Equipment and Relay System Testing Services for Mountain Creek and Homewood Substations. Circuit switcher, transformer, and breakers were tested according to manufacturers’ requirements. Control cables were verified, current loops were checked, protective relays were tested at their settings, and DC controls were tri-checked.
Southern Pine EPA (Taylorsville, MS)
Leaf River 115 – 26.4 kV 33.3 MVA Substation design, drawings, construction specifications and equipment and material package bid specifications.
Chesapeake Power Project (Chesapeake, VA)
230 kV Substation
Spindle Hill Energy Center (Frederick, CO)
230 kV Substation
LSP Energy (Batesville, MS)
Design, Supply, Installation and Commissioning of custom totalizing metering system to incorporate kWH and kVAR pulses and analog signals from multiple generators and station service transformers, allocating station service loads to generators based on their relative production. The system provided register data for Entergy’s real-time data collection and periodic MV-90 historical metering data retrieval.
Brandywine Cogeneration Facility (Brandywine, Maryland)
230MW combined cycle power generation facility
Comprehensive electrical system study of the entire facility, from the incoming 230 kV transmission line down to the 120/240/480 V level. The system study included load flow, short circuit, protective device evaluation/coordination, and arc flash evaluation. The study also evaluated the impact of the 4000 kW diesel generator to the electrical system.
FMPA (Ft. Pierce, FL)
Ralls 230 kV Switchyard and Treasure Coast Energy Center Collector Bus. Complete electrical design responsibility for 130 kV breaker-and-a-half switchyard designed to FPL standards and two position collector bus for 411 MVA generation owned and operated by FMPA.
Pasadena, CA (Pasadena, CA)
Pasadena Dispatching Switchyard and Power Plant Upgrade. Electrical design responsibility for the replacement of four outdoor 34.5 kV breakers in a double-bus switchyard, modifications to existing indoor metalclad switchgear, and upgrade replacement of a number of electromechanical relays and microprocessor-based relays. Protective device study, settings and settings files were also developed.
In addition to these projects, The ASSET Company has designed numerous power plant collector buses and interconnection switchyards to comply with the standards of the host utility.
A sampling of these projects includes:
- Greystone Power
Brownsville, TN
500 kV Switchyard - Morgan Energy Center
Decatur, AL
161 kV Breaker-and-a-half Switchyard - Riverside Energy Center
Beloit, WI
138 kV Switchyard - Columbia Energy Center
Columbia, SC
230/115 kV Switchyard - Heard County Power
Heard County, GA
500 kV Collector Bus - Bellingham power Project
Boston, MA
345 kV Metering - Blackstone Power Project
Boston, MA
345 kV Metering
De
