
Course Overview
This fundamental course leads you through a step-by-step study of the substation design and construction process. From initial site review and selection to creating substation layout drawings and equipment specifications, you will consider every phase in detail. Expert instructors with decades of substation design experience will guide you in learning how to develop reliable substation designs, control project costs, and keep your project on schedule. In-class exercises will put you in the design environment and give you the confidence to immediately apply what you've learned in this course to your job.
Learning Outcomes
- Gain the basic steps of substation design and construction, with consideration for every phase
- Develop skills to design reliable substations
- Manage your project on time and on budget
- Transfer skills from real-time classroom exercises
Who Should Attend?
- Substation design engineers and technicians
- Industrial, utility, or plant engineers
- Transmission line design engineers and technicians
- Project managers
- Construction supervisors
- Managers of design engineering departments
Course Outline
Day #1
Substation Types and Purposes
- Fundamentals of power system operation
- Objectives of substation design
Overview of the Substation Design and Construction Process
- Establishing the need for substation facilities
- The project scope document: what it is and what it should contain
- Site selection and environmental issues
- Engineering design: equipment specifications and drawings
- Construction
- Testing, start-up, and commissioning
Initial Steps in the Design Process: Setting the Bounds for the Overall Project
- Reviewing and understanding the project scope document
- Information to gather before the first site visit
- What to look for on the initial site visit
- Determining site adequacy for initial and future requirements
- Environmental, zoning, and public perception issues
- Construction and construction outage requirements: access for construction and O&M equipment
- Ordering material/delivery date issues
Site Selection and Design
- General requirements
- Environmental and permitting issues
- Site preparation
- Drainage and erosion protection
- Surface materials
- Roads and access
Permitting and Environmental Issues
- Acquiring necessary permits
- Zoning and ordinance restrictions
- Longterm site impacts
- Impacts during construction: runoff/stream pollution
Foundation Design
- The site visit and what to look for
- Understanding soil test reports
Bus Designs for Reliability
- Bus configurations and 1-line diagrams
- Forced and planned outage performance
- Cost-reliability comparisons
Day #2
Substation Layout: Converting 1-line Diagrams to Physical Layouts
- Substation components and required code clearances
- BIL, insulation coordination, and surge arresters
- Future expansion
- Access for O&M
- Design exercise
Grounding and Ground Grid Design
- Purpose of grounding
- Field-testing ground grid resistance and soil resistivity
- Materials and installation
Major Substation Equipment
- High-voltage and medium-voltage disconnect switches
- Design exercise
Day #3
Secondary Substation Equipment
- Surge arresters
Major Substation Equipment
- Circuit breakers
- Circuit switchers
Auxiliary Equipment and Systems
- AC/DC station power and control system supplies
- Design exercise
Protective Relaying and Control
- System protection objectives and philosophies
- Protective relaying schemes for major substation equipment
- Typical relay types and applications
Expansion and Upgrade of Existing Substations
- Feasibility and limitations
Testimonials
"This is the fourth course I've taken from UW and I would recommend their courses to anyone. Always very helpful, especially the practical examples and real-world issues presented. Sheldon Silberman is very knowledgeable and personable! Kevin Borgmeyer is a great teacher; I hope some day I'll know as much as he does (or even half that much)!"
—Annette Jessen, Stations Structural Designer, Idaho Power Company, Boise, Idaho
"I can't imagine that any organization could prepare a better introductory substation design course. All of the instructors were excellent."
—Dennis C. Spencer, Substation Designer, Lee County Electric Coop, North Ft. Myers, Florida
Instructors
Kevin Borgmeyer
Kevin Borgmeyer, PE, is a retired Senior Manager of Electrical Engineering in Wisconsin. In this role Kevin managed the departments of Substation Engineering, System Protection Engineering, CAD Engineering Services, and Relay, SCADA, and Telecommunications Technical Support. He has managed electric utility substation projects for more than 30 years, during which he has worked in a variety of engineering management positions. Kevin also has extensive design experience as a substation and transmission engineer and senior system protection engineer. Borgmeyer received a BSEE degree with electric power emphasis from Iowa State University.
Sheldon Silberman
Sheldon I. Silberman, PE, Retired as Senior Manager of Engineering and Design Outsourcing Transmission Services after 46 years at Xcel Energy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this role, Silberman managed all consulting services for the engineering and design of Northern States Power (NSP) substation and transmission line projects. In his career with Xcel Energy/NSP he held various engineering and management positions related to substation design, construction and maintenance. Silberman received a BSEE degree in electric power systems from the University of Minnesota.
Past dates
Principles of Substation Design and Construction
Course #: RA00063Principles of Substation Design and Construction
Date: Mon. February 03, 2025 – Wed. February 05, 2025ID: RA00063-D348
interpro.wisc.edu/RA00063
Fee:
- $1,895
-
Fee also includes a light continental breakfast, morning and afternoon coffee and beverages, scheduled lunches, and course materials.
- CEU: 2.3
- PDH: 23
Emerald & Lucern Rooms
1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Principles of Substation Design and Construction
Date: Mon. October 21, 2024 – Wed. October 23, 2024ID: RA00063-D092
interpro.wisc.edu/RA00063
Fee:
- $1,895
-
Fee includes morning and afternoon breaks, scheduled lunches, and course materials.
- CEU: 2.3
- PDH: 23
Auditorium
601 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706
Principles of Substation Design and Construction
Date: Mon. February 05, 2024 – Wed. February 07, 2024ID: RA00063-C949
interpro.wisc.edu/RA00063
Fee:
- $1,795
-
Fee also includes a light continental breakfast, morning and afternoon coffee and beverages, scheduled lunches, and course materials.
- CEU: 2.3
- PDH: 23
Emerald & Lucern Rooms
1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830