Today’s LiveWire Spotlight evaluates two “teachable moments” where flaws in the physical characteristics of a grid or communications network threatened electric system reliability. In the first instance, a work crew opening a cable trench outside a substation accidentally made contact with a control cable, isolating a 138 kV bus and lowering the local voltage. In the second, a RC lost access to the ICCP data feeds at two Control Centers due to a component failure in the carrier’s network.
Act upon these Lessons Learned wherever they apply. Because of their direct impact on BES reliability, NERC takes very seriously any condition that impairs situational awareness or the ability to ride-through a voltage event – and it is best to avoid their unwanted attention.