Life Lessons from the power system

When designing and commissioning a protection system, adhering to best practices and following lessons learned gives the project the greatest chance for success. The concept of protection as a set of values (relationships, moderation, and balance) advances the notion that the success of a protection project is also linked to these key areas. Peer reviews require a working relationship with other engineers in the field who can apply their experience to a project. Applying the knowledge of one´s peers ensures that a multitude of lessons learned from different individuals is applied to a project that otherwise would draw from only a single engineer´s perspective and personal experiences. Peer reviews can help to reduce mistakes and unforeseen errors on a project. With many in the protection workforce nearing retirement, it is important for new engineers to seek reviews from their more experienced peers. That knowledge transfer helps to make current and future projects successful. The concept of moderation was evidenced in different ways. The method an engineer uses to deploy a reliable system depends on a balance of dependability, security, and economics. Similarly, negative functional tests must be used in moderation and balanced against the time allowed for commissioning. One must choose the negative tests most likely to find issues with the particular design because, for many schemes, the permutations for performing every possible negative test are inconceivable. In the end, as engineers, the goal is to keep reliable and safe electric power available to the grid, hospitals, public utilities, and industrial facilities. Working together with our peers across the industry, applying moderation and balance to protection design projects are the cornerstones to reaching that goal.