Rtd Enhances Protection, Reducesmaintenance At Vital Hydroelectric Facility

摘要

Reserve hydropower is an important support to the power grid during system emergencies. Ensuring that this standby power source is available can depend on small but powerful Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs). After almost 25 years of service, the generator and transformer protection systems at the hydropower plant of a western U.S. dam and reservoir were upgraded, including the replacement of electromechanical relays with microprocessor-based relays from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL). Originally designed for flood control on a major river, the multipurpose project now also provides irrigation water to a major agricultural area, enhances water quality, supplies domestic and industrial water, enhances fish and wildlife habitat, creates recreational opportunities, and generates electric power. Hydropower, such as that produced at this project, provides stability to the power grid and helps avoid outages due to the loss of a base-load power plant. This reserve hydropower, which can be brought online within a few minutes, provides standby electric generation that keeps the power grid stable. Such plants help compensate for fluctuating power generation and transmission flows that occur during emergencies.