powerMAX Microgrid Control System Adds Reliability and Security for Campus’ Expanding Grid

The SEL Plymouth, Michigan, office had been supporting the University of Notre Dame (UND) with their SEL relay settings for a year when UND identified the need to grow their campus load with more robust infrastructure, expanding from an older 4 kV system to a new 12 kV system.

UND needed a new power management control system to tie together their expanding grid—two new Solar turbines on the 12 kV system and the existing 4 kV system—and to manage the load balance of the two halves of campus.

Solution

SEL designed the infrastructure needed to provide SCADA automation, a control system, and protection for the campus once the system was up and running. The powerMAX Power Management and Control System included generation control, a load-shedding scheme, an automatic synchronization scheme, and a tie flow control scheme to manage the import of power. SEL also provided control panels for each of the substations.

Cybersecurity services were added to provide software-defined networking (SDN) and additional security features, like secure remote access, an intrusion detection system, malware prevention, and disaster recovery solutions.

Results

UND has achieved a robust and reliable power system that also provides the opportunity to expand in the future as their campus and power needs change and grow. The system developed includes a large and secure SDN network configuration for cutting-edge cybersecurity. The increased visibility and access to data has shown immediate benefit for UND.

Customer Profile

Customer: University of Notre Dame

Location: Notre Dame, IN

Industry: Education

Application: Microgrid Controller