Microsol, Inc., Seymour, Connecticut, has been awarded a multimillion dollar project for the supply and commissioning of the Palo Seco GIS Substation Distributed Control System. The substation, which has 10 bays (breaker-and-one half) of 115-kV transmission and five bays (single/transfer bus) of 38-kV sub-transmission, is critical to Puerto Rico’s transmission grid as well as the distribution reliability of San Juan. When completed, it will include integration of more than 100 protective relays and IEDs, hardwired I/O modules, a redundant LAN, substation network monitoring and security, and a wall projection HMI.
In terms of complexity and functionality, the project is one of the most ambitious T&D automation projects in the Western Hemisphere. Up to four levels of redundancy will be provided for critical data points, with automated source switching between IEDs and hardwired points. Any analog value can be captured and stored in two-second increments for up to three months. The 2 x 2 wall display will be EMS control center quality, with the ability to display real-time and information from the HMI.
“The system will integrate all the main elements that make up a modern control system such as: SCADA, data storage and access, HMI, security, user access, redundancy and network management” said Rick Liposchak, vice president of engineering and Palo Seco project manager. “It will have automated failover logic so that switching between IEDs and even hardwired control will be completely transparent to the operator, even during IED maintenance and reprogramming. It will also have LAN security and performance monitoring to alert station and utility IT personnel of any potential degradation of the system”. Microsol will also provide maintenance services after commissioning which include 24/7 phone support and emergency on-site response within 72 hours.
