Our Approach
We help protect, control, and monitor critical infrastructure starting at the generation source.
Our Solutions
Products and systems that work together to securely and reliably integrate into new or existing plant control systems.
Our Services
Strengthen your defenses and streamline maintenance and compliance.
Our Support
We support everything from traditional generation sources to renewables to full microgrid control systems.
Our Approach
Generation is the beginning of everything in the electrical world. It is where mechanical energy gets converted to electrical energy through a complex system of prime movers, generators, transformers, inverters, sensors, and more. Without generation there is no transmission, distribution, or industrials.
Fundamentally, we need to generate electric power to meet the demand the moment it’s needed. That energy conversion starts at the generation source. The addition of renewables, retirement of traditional generation sources, and the sheer expanse of increasing power demands create a need for more reliable, efficient, and simple generation solutions.
Building Blocks of Generation Protection
As the starting point of the power grid, generation systems require a strong foundation built on protection. Properly protecting generators requires a wide variety of protection functions as they may suffer different faults and other abnormal operating conditions. Generation system protection needs to be reliable, which implies being both dependable and secure. Dependability means detecting any abnormality (such as faults or other abnormal conditions) which could damage the generator, exciter, prime mover, or auxiliary system when something goes wrong. The protection system must disconnect the generation unit before it suffers any damage.
Security means allowing the generator to stay online during any conditions that don’t compromise its normal operation—like external faults with CT saturation, for example. Protection system security increases the generation continuity of service.
The faster your protection system responds the faster you protect your people and equipment. Through protection innovations like advanced stator ground fault detection and universal differential elements, we're now able to get ahead of a fault and identify it faster than previously ever thought possible.
From our knowledge base
- Webinar: Protection Advancements to Benefit Generators of All Sizes and Types
- Technical Paper: Generator Protection Validation Testing Using a Real-Time Digital Simulator: Stator Winding Protection
- Technical Paper: Understanding Generator Stator Ground Faults and Their Protection Schemes
- Technical Paper: Lessons Learned from Generator Event Reports
Building Blocks of Generation Protection
As the starting point of the power grid, generation systems require a strong foundation built on protection. Properly protecting generators requires a wide variety of protection functions as they may suffer different faults and other abnormal operating conditions. Generation system protection needs to be reliable, which implies being both dependable and secure. Dependability means detecting any abnormality (such as faults or other abnormal conditions) which could damage the generator, exciter, prime mover, or auxiliary system when something goes wrong. The protection system must disconnect the generation unit before it suffers any damage.
Security means allowing the generator to stay online during any conditions that don’t compromise its normal operation—like external faults with CT saturation, for example. Protection system security increases the generation continuity of service.
The faster your protection system responds the faster you protect your people and equipment. Through protection innovations like advanced stator ground fault detection and universal differential elements, we're now able to get ahead of a fault and identify it faster than previously ever thought possible.
From our knowledge base
- Webinar: Protection Advancements to Benefit Generators of All Sizes and Types
- Technical Paper: Generator Protection Validation Testing Using a Real-Time Digital Simulator: Stator Winding Protection
- Technical Paper: Understanding Generator Stator Ground Faults and Their Protection Schemes
- Technical Paper: Lessons Learned from Generator Event Reports
Improved Resiliency With Systems Monitoring
System monitoring builds greater generation system awareness and uses communications protocols to integrate the monitoring provided by the various generator devices—like relays, controllers, voltage regulator, speed governor, etc.—into one wholistic system.
Monitoring allows generation systems to be more resilient by reducing the reaction time to failures and reducing wasted capacity without making the power system unstable or vulnerable. It does this by collecting synchrophasors, fault and disturbance records, and historical trends, etc., and communicating that information to foster proactive decision-making. In the case of an outage, improved situational awareness tools enable you to reroute power and systematically triage what loads are important and which aren’t—all faster than previously possible.
All of this is where our mission comes in. By controlling a generation system more precisely and communicating data to better inform decision making, the generation system becomes safer, more reliable, and more economical.
From our knowledge base
Improved Resiliency With Systems Monitoring
System monitoring builds greater generation system awareness and uses communications protocols to integrate the monitoring provided by the various generator devices—like relays, controllers, voltage regulator, speed governor, etc.—into one wholistic system.
Monitoring allows generation systems to be more resilient by reducing the reaction time to failures and reducing wasted capacity without making the power system unstable or vulnerable. It does this by collecting synchrophasors, fault and disturbance records, and historical trends, etc., and communicating that information to foster proactive decision-making. In the case of an outage, improved situational awareness tools enable you to reroute power and systematically triage what loads are important and which aren’t—all faster than previously possible.
All of this is where our mission comes in. By controlling a generation system more precisely and communicating data to better inform decision making, the generation system becomes safer, more reliable, and more economical.
From our knowledge base
Maintaining Simplicity in a Complex World
With system complexities increasing—whether that be from integrating renewable energy sources, cybersecurity threats or fears, or the general demand for more energy—simplicity is key to keeping your generation system both safe/well-protected and stable.
At SEL, the multifunctionality and flexibility of our products allow for simpler solutions. This flexibility enables your generation system to do exactly what you need and nothing you don’t. The flexibility of having a singular product that can serve multiple functions. The flexibility to perform updates in the field without the fear of being vulnerable to a cybersecurity attack.
Our generation solutions provide simplicity, flexibility, and robustness through the programming ease of being able to configure a product to your exacting specifications; the lifetime support of our application engineers who can help with selecting the right product, element, or settings; and our Engineering Services division, who can design, build, test, and commission a complete generation protection system to suit your specific needs.
Read more about the benefits that back our products and solutions.
Maintaining Simplicity in a Complex World
With system complexities increasing—whether that be from integrating renewable energy sources, cybersecurity threats or fears, or the general demand for more energy—simplicity is key to keeping your generation system both safe/well-protected and stable.
At SEL, the multifunctionality and flexibility of our products allow for simpler solutions. This flexibility enables your generation system to do exactly what you need and nothing you don’t. The flexibility of having a singular product that can serve multiple functions. The flexibility to perform updates in the field without the fear of being vulnerable to a cybersecurity attack.
Our generation solutions provide simplicity, flexibility, and robustness through the programming ease of being able to configure a product to your exacting specifications; the lifetime support of our application engineers who can help with selecting the right product, element, or settings; and our Engineering Services division, who can design, build, test, and commission a complete generation protection system to suit your specific needs.
Read more about the benefits that back our products and solutions.
Our Solutions
SEL continues to innovate in the space of generation. We were the first to reimplement analog protection functions into digital relays, and then added in new features—like auto synchronization—to reduce cost and complexity of installation. We also added a loss-of-field element based on the generator capability curve in our generator protection relays, allowing the user to set multiple zones to prevent generator damage. We have designed new protection approaches that allow for redundant stator protection.
Our solutions are designed to protect the pieces you already have in place and add in more elements as your needs grow.
Protection
Power system stability is key to a successful generation solution. You’re not just protecting the generator, you’re making sure that generator protection response doesn’t negatively impact the power grid while also meeting NERC PRC requirements. If the protection isn’t reliable, then you risk the loss of a generator, or worse, a widespread blackout. You can’t prevent a fault from happening, but when equipped with the tools to respond quickly, you minimize damage and ultimately keep the power on for everyone.
Our generation protection solutions provide both primary and backup protection for generators, transformers, and bus bars, as well as motors, feeders, and other equipment through technologies and features such as advanced stator and rotor fault protection, innovative protection against abnormal operating conditions, and autosynchronization.
Employing these SEL protection solutions helps customers enhance generation system performance and health and increase availability while avoiding potential equipment damage or failure. They also provide safe power system interconnections with renewable energy sources.
From our knowledge base
- Technical Paper: The Impact of Synchronous Generators Excitation Supply on Protection and Relays
- Technical Paper: Capability Curve-Based Generator Protection Minimizes Generator Stress and Maintains Power System Stability
- Technical Paper: Understanding Generator Stator Ground Faults and Their Protection Schemes
Protection
Power system stability is key to a successful generation solution. You’re not just protecting the generator, you’re making sure that generator protection response doesn’t negatively impact the power grid while also meeting NERC PRC requirements. If the protection isn’t reliable, then you risk the loss of a generator, or worse, a widespread blackout. You can’t prevent a fault from happening, but when equipped with the tools to respond quickly, you minimize damage and ultimately keep the power on for everyone.
Our generation protection solutions provide both primary and backup protection for generators, transformers, and bus bars, as well as motors, feeders, and other equipment through technologies and features such as advanced stator and rotor fault protection, innovative protection against abnormal operating conditions, and autosynchronization.
Employing these SEL protection solutions helps customers enhance generation system performance and health and increase availability while avoiding potential equipment damage or failure. They also provide safe power system interconnections with renewable energy sources.
From our knowledge base
- Technical Paper: The Impact of Synchronous Generators Excitation Supply on Protection and Relays
- Technical Paper: Capability Curve-Based Generator Protection Minimizes Generator Stress and Maintains Power System Stability
- Technical Paper: Understanding Generator Stator Ground Faults and Their Protection Schemes
Control, Automation, and Monitoring
Control, automation, and monitoring solutions from SEL work together to support individual generation unit operation as well as complete generating stations.
Automatic Generator Control
- Optimize unit loading within a plant or across a fleet—thereby reducing fuel use and increasing revenue—through automatic generation control and high-accuracy metering.
- Increase response speed and reduce operation complexity through remedial action schemes, runback systems, and fast tripping. Automatically and safely shut down generation during an unexpected loss of load with generation-shedding schemes.
- Return assets to normal operation faster and more reliably—while using less equipment—with automatic synchronization systems for individual generators, power plants, and even islanded systems.
Asset Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance
- Streamline operation of multiple generators and plants by looking at the available data for fleet of generators, and then use that data to optimally dispatch the running generator.
- Collect, automate, and store event report data and perform root-cause analysis and predictive maintenance based on information collected.
- Expand the life of system assets by using comprehensive relay data and asset monitoring to provide critical information on generator, prime mover, transformer, and breaker operating conditions. Historical trends can then be analyzed to inform available remaining life as the system is currently running. This information can serve for operating adjustments and maintenance tasks.
From our knowledge base
- Case Study: Automated Power Management System—An Economical Approach to Greater Operational Dependability
- Case Study: Multitasking Metering System Enhances Dairyland Power’s Widespread Generation and Transmission Operations
- Technical Paper: Solving Synchronization Challenges Using Distributed Signal Acquisition With Fiber-Optic Links
- Technical Paper: Upgrading PacifiCorp’s Jim Bridger RAS to Include Wind Generation
- Technical Paper: Understanding, Predicting, and Enhancing the Power System Through Equipment Monitoring and Analysis
Control, Automation, and Monitoring
Control, automation, and monitoring solutions from SEL work together to support individual generation unit operation as well as complete generating stations.
Automatic Generator Control
- Optimize unit loading within a plant or across a fleet—thereby reducing fuel use and increasing revenue—through automatic generation control and high-accuracy metering.
- Increase response speed and reduce operation complexity through remedial action schemes, runback systems, and fast tripping. Automatically and safely shut down generation during an unexpected loss of load with generation-shedding schemes.
- Return assets to normal operation faster and more reliably—while using less equipment—with automatic synchronization systems for individual generators, power plants, and even islanded systems.
Asset Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance
- Streamline operation of multiple generators and plants by looking at the available data for fleet of generators, and then use that data to optimally dispatch the running generator.
- Collect, automate, and store event report data and perform root-cause analysis and predictive maintenance based on information collected.
- Expand the life of system assets by using comprehensive relay data and asset monitoring to provide critical information on generator, prime mover, transformer, and breaker operating conditions. Historical trends can then be analyzed to inform available remaining life as the system is currently running. This information can serve for operating adjustments and maintenance tasks.
From our knowledge base
- Case Study: Automated Power Management System—An Economical Approach to Greater Operational Dependability
- Case Study: Multitasking Metering System Enhances Dairyland Power’s Widespread Generation and Transmission Operations
- Technical Paper: Solving Synchronization Challenges Using Distributed Signal Acquisition With Fiber-Optic Links
- Technical Paper: Upgrading PacifiCorp’s Jim Bridger RAS to Include Wind Generation
- Technical Paper: Understanding, Predicting, and Enhancing the Power System Through Equipment Monitoring and Analysis
Access Control, SCADA, and Communication
Digital communications are rapidly replacing hard-wired connections across the power system, and generation plants are leaders in this area. To support these advancements, generation solutions from SEL apply international standards protocols like IEC 61850 for automation, integration, and reporting; DNP3 and Modbus, which help utilities transport data from a relay to a centralized system like SCADA or a local substation HMI; and all standard time sync protocols—like SNTP and PTP—to provide accurate time stamping for all your data.
With increasing connections, maintaining cybersecurity is paramount. SEL solutions incorporate layered cyber defenses to help keep your system secure. These defenses use security features that support the specific purpose of each part of the system, such as role-based access controls and hardened engineering access and HMI controls.
Increased capabilities of plant control systems also mean the ability to remotely operate and dispatch generation plants has grown. Key to this is reliable, secure, and high-speed communications across long distances. SEL provides complete communication solutions to connect relays, controls, and SCADA systems and provide reliable communication channels for the monitoring and remote operation of generation assets.
From our knowledge base
Access Control, SCADA, and Communication
Digital communications are rapidly replacing hard-wired connections across the power system, and generation plants are leaders in this area. To support these advancements, generation solutions from SEL apply international standards protocols like IEC 61850 for automation, integration, and reporting; DNP3 and Modbus, which help utilities transport data from a relay to a centralized system like SCADA or a local substation HMI; and all standard time sync protocols—like SNTP and PTP—to provide accurate time stamping for all your data.
With increasing connections, maintaining cybersecurity is paramount. SEL solutions incorporate layered cyber defenses to help keep your system secure. These defenses use security features that support the specific purpose of each part of the system, such as role-based access controls and hardened engineering access and HMI controls.
Increased capabilities of plant control systems also mean the ability to remotely operate and dispatch generation plants has grown. Key to this is reliable, secure, and high-speed communications across long distances. SEL provides complete communication solutions to connect relays, controls, and SCADA systems and provide reliable communication channels for the monitoring and remote operation of generation assets.
From our knowledge base
Renewables and Distributed Generation
In addition to traditional power generation sources like thermal and hydro, SEL partners in the operation of renewable resources, including solar and wind installations. Our renewable resource solutions provide dual-feeder protection in a multiple wind generator network application; the coordination of the solar plant and its intertie; and fast island detection to ensure the protection of the distributed generation source.
We also offer microgrid control solutions that help optimize the resiliency and cost of any generation source. These control systems are designed to reduce capital expenditure, simplify integration and commissioning, and improve overall system resilience. They respond quickly and accurately to the rapidly changing power system dynamics of microgrids—fast, intelligent load shedding and inertial compensation ensure that generation sources perform well under all operational conditions.