| dc.description.abstract | Generating plants in United States have 30 to 40-year-old electrical distribution equipment that is reaching the end of its useful life. The demand for electric power is expected to increase by about 25 percent, over the next ten years. Coal plants in the United States have begun major efforts to perform life extension projects of major equipment such as the turbines and generators. Also, over the next few years coal plants will began to install mandated air quality control equipment. For these types of projects to be successful, the electrical distribution equipment for coal plants will need to be evaluated. Feasibility assessment will need to be performed to analyze alternatives ranging from replacing the existing electrical equipment with new equipment to continuing to perform maintenance on the aging equipment until failure occurs. This paper will discuss how to develop a Business Case for electrical system replacement projects, by performing a feasibility study. This paper will be a guide for using feasibility studies as the justification for electrical upgrade projects. The development of available options for rehabilitating the electrical equipment will also be discussed.The paper will detail how to perform qualitative and quantitative assessments of existing electrical equipment, including details on evaluating the mechanical integrity of the equipment, and discuss how to perform load flow, short circuit, and arc fault studies on existing equipment. This paper will discuss how to estimate proposed options, and how to use reliability analysis as an essential tool for developing economic justification and ranking the proposed options for electrical upgrade projects.The concepts of reliable electrical systems, and the use of IEEE Std 493, “IEEE Recommended Practice for the Design of Reliable Industrial and Commercial Power Systems” are detailed. The conversion of failure probability to risk cost will also be discussed. This paper will use a sample plant electrical distribution system to demonstrate the methods discussed in IEEE Standard 493.The development of conceptual solutions and current trends of upgrading electrical systems will be evaluated in this paper. This includes discussion on preparing the estimates for proposed options of upgrading the electrical system. Finally, this paper will cover the implementation process including performing equipment risk ranking, and developing a generic phased approach for completing the upgrade program. | |
