With today’s urgent and necessary focus on security and integrity, it doesn’t change the fundamental assumption that the technology still needs to be reliable and work!

As part of a major development for the Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera, the successful Construction Contractor John Holland tendered to a number of Electrical Contractors for the Supply and Implementation of an upgraded HV System for Gallipoli Barracks. After selections were completed Parasyn was engaged to provide the SCADA system to the successful Electrical Contractor Sovereign Energy. Parasyn’s scope included providing an operational and maintenance platform for the HV system.

The technical scope included adaptation for redundant 33KV ring supply from Energex feeds 33-11KV transformers located in two locations in Enoggera military base. These two transformers feed two 11KV distribution substations. A third substation located separately, receives two incoming 11KV feeds, one from each of the other two substations with an inter tie breaker centrally positioned. This infrastructure allows redundant feeds to ten 11KV – 400V secondary distribution substations.

Parasyn provided the specified RTU and time based SCADA systems in each of the three substations, capable of monitoring all HV protection relays and other auxiliary’s such as battery systems, power factor systems, and transformer voltages. Switching can also be carried out for any substation from either of the other two substations via the SCADA.

Technology Outcomes

Parasyn provided equipment, design, configuration, engineering and testing services as specified by AECON, the principle consultant for the project. The equipment and engineering services supply included;

  • Kingfisher CP30 RTUs
  • Schneider CitectSCADA 15000 point licenses
  • Time based SCADA monitoring of all protection and utilities in all three substations
  • The ability to control switching in any of the three substations from any of the three substations.
  • Provision of DC-DC converters and computer equipment.

For Parasyn this was a 3 year contract with a changing scope to meet  improved requirements. This was progressive as SMEs became involved in the execution and design of the solution providing the necessary detail for an effective overall resolution.

One thing can be said for modern Electrical Substations, there is a quiet audible hum and little else to observe because there are no moving parts to be seen and not much to look at when everything is going as it should. . That can quickly change under fault conditions. How faults are managed has a lot to do with the design and the overall alarm management strategies in place. Thorough testing provides confidence that if one day a fault occurs the right information will be provided in the SCADA system to effectively diagnose cause and impact. Using reliable equipment which provides millisecond details of everything that occurs means a post mortem analysis of how to safely restore power can be achieved with speed and confidence.  Substation SCADA provides the necessary visual of what is really going on.