New Protection Standard for

Generators
Embedded Generation Interface
Protection (EGIP)
Stephen Walsh
Liaison Group 7th February 2012

Purpose of Protection Standards

Customer connections with purely passive loads
All such connections at MV and HV require protection on the
incoming CB
Its purpose is to detect and remove faults on the customers plant
and operate before upstream ESBN system protection operates

Customer connections with active loads

Protection at the interface with embedded generation
Its purpose is to
identify and disconnect the IPP contribution to any fault on the
local connection to the ESBN system
identify an islanded condition and disconnect the IPP in that
event
It is distinct from and in addition to the standard incomer protection

Current position
Protection at the interface with embedded generation
ESB Distribution Standard 931030 Parallel Operation of Private
Generators, August 1995.
Requirements and settings were subsequently embedded in the
Conditions Governing document issued to customers (G10)
Specific issues addressed in individual protection studies

In the interim
Huge increase of the number and size of Generators on the ESBN
system
Moving from a passive system to an active system
The operating landscape has changed significantly
Improved modelling of fault response
Drive for sustainability e.g. Facilitation of Renewables (FoR 2020).

ENTSO-E Code
European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity

Draft ENTSO-E European Network Code produced in late 2010

Focus on keeping generators connected to the system for as long as
possible during frequency/voltage excursions
EGIP settings must now conform to these new European standards

Wind Connections MW

11,158

6,610
3,990
1,260

1,360

Connected

Contracted

Gate 3

Connected
Post Gate 3

In
Queue

Issues reviewed
Considered the impact on Distribution protection
Low short circuit current contributions from some Generators
Connection voltage different protection schemes in use on the ESBN
110kV, 38kV, 20kV & 10kV networks
ESBN own and control interface breaker and protection*

Facilitate Renewables by improving System-wide impact

Improved fault ride-through;
Frequency disturbances
Voltage disturbances
Earth faults

Replacement of directional
overcurrent protection at MV
Review showed directional overcurrent protection is not reliable
with some modern Wind Generators

Replaced by distance protection as standard protection at 38kV

since 2006
Backup Under-Voltage protection introduced now at MV

Interface Breaker
Volts
Freq
RoCoF

= Breaker with
disconnect & earths

ESBN CB
IPP CB
Impedance
Under-Volts
Differential

Tripping for earth faults

A. Faster tripping for earth faults on LOW impedance neutral earthed
systems and high impedance neutral earthed systems with EFT

Reduce tripping time from 30-45s to 5s for EGIP NVD protection as follows:

Systems operated with solidly-earthed neutral (e.g. 110kV system)

Systems operated with Resistance-Earthed Neutral (e.g. 20kV, some 10kV)

Systems operated with Isolated Neutral and EFT (e.g. urban 10kV systems)

B. Removal of tripping for earth faults on high impedance neutral earthed

systems

EGIP protection will indicate only (rather than trip) for single phase earth faults on the
following systems:

Systems operated with Arc-Suppression (e.g. 38kV and some MV systems)

Systems operated with Isolated Neutral and FPE (e.g. rural 10kV systems)

Again this supports the national sustainability drive under the Facilitation of Renewables
(FoR 2020)

Anti-Islanding
Anti-Islanding is also called Loss Of Mains protection.
Currently this is done using RoCoF relays (Rate of Change of Frequency) or Vector Shift relays. The
settings of these pose a system wide risk if there are large numbers on at the same time.
The new increased settings will significantly reduce this risk. Also at 110kV we plan to use Special
Protection Schemes which monitor connections in the local area.
Generator technology

New RoCoF Setting (to be

finalised)

Old RoCoF Setting

0.6Hz/s & SPS for 110kV

0.4Hz/s - 0.6Hz/s

Fixed-Speed Induction (>80% min-excitation level)

0.6Hz/s - 2.0Hz/s

0.4Hz/s - 0.6Hz/s

Fixed-Speed Induction (<80% min-excitation level)

2.0Hz/s

N/A

Double-fed Induction Generator

2.0Hz/s

0.4Hz/s - 0.6Hz/s

Inverter-Interfaced Induction Generator

2.0Hz/s

0.4Hz/s - 0.6Hz/s

Type 5 Generators (with Synthetic Inertia)

0.6Hz/s

0.4Hz/s - 0.6Hz/s

Synchronous

Multi-stage OV/UV and OF/UF

Recommendation to use multi-stage rather than single stage
Under Voltage and Frequency protection:

Under-Voltage:
Over-Voltage:

Under-Frequency:
Over-Frequency

Voltage
< 0.87pu
< 0.80pu
> 1.12pu

Trip Time
3.0s
1.1s
0.7s

OLD
<0.90pu; <1s
---------------->1.10pu; <1s

Frequency
<= 47.5 Hz
<= 47.0Hz
>= 52.0Hz
>= 52.5Hz

Trip Time
20s
0.5s
20s
0.5s

OLD
<48.0Hz; <1s
---------------->50.5Hz; <1s
-----------------

EGIP at 38kV and 110kV

Protection type

New

Old

Under and Over Voltage

YES

YES

Under and Over Frequency

YES

YES

YES (SPS)

YES

Impedance

YES

NO/study

Earth Fault

TRIP/ALARM

TRIP

YES

NO/study

Loss of Mains

Differential

(cabled interconnections)

EGIP at MV
Protection type

New

Old

Under and Over Voltage

YES

YES

Under and Over Frequency

YES

YES

Loss of Mains

YES

YES

Directional overcurrent (Synchronous)

YES

YES

Backup undervoltage (DFIG/IIEG)

YES

NO

TRIP/ALARM

TRIP

Earth Fault

Summary of Improvements
Better continuity for generators

Removal of earth fault trip at 38kV & 10kV*

Wider voltage and frequency ranges
Two stage trips to reduce transient fault trips
Wider Loss of Mains / RoCoF range

Fault clearing
Impedance more reliable than overcurrent
ESBN own/control fault switching @ interface
Faster clearing of Earth Faults

Implementation starting with offers

accepted on or after first September 2012

Q&A