Power System Study for Protection & Coordination Project for Transmission and Distribution
Power System Study Review, Gap Analysis, and Improvement for Rochester Mine Facility
Nevada, USA
- Problem Definition:
Coeur operates a large power system at the Rochester Mine site, which includes over 1000 buses ranging from 208V to 230KV. Multiple expansion projects have been completed in recent years, and the client wanted to ensure the integrity of the power system, verify protection settings, and update Arc Flash calculations per NFPA 70E requirements to enhance system reliability. - EAMEC Scope:
- Perform short circuit, protection coordination, and arc-flash study for the entire system, including 230KV, 69KV, 4.16KV, 480V, and 208V levels.
- Proposed Solution:
- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing ETAP model and develop a detailed power system study incorporating updated field data.
- Steps Taken:
- Developed a site-specific protection guideline to standardize the approach across different areas.
- Reviewed the existing ETAP model and validated data against field-collected information and the latest As-Built Single Line Diagrams.
- Examined current protection settings and devices.
- Identified mis-coordination issues between protective devices.
- Detected equipment with inadequate short-circuit ratings.
- Calculated arc-flash incident energy and arc-flash boundary for all equipment.
- Proposed revised protective device settings to improve system reliability and reduce incident energy.
- Generated a report with updated Arc Flash labels.
- Outcomes and Benefits for the Client:
- Improved system safety and reliability.
- Compliance with NFPA 70E and IEEE 1584 standards.
- Enhanced record-keeping for power system management.