161kV Switchyard Relay Upgrade

The client’s substation, a NERC medium impact facility and critical north-south power flow path built in the 1970s, required relay upgrades and infrastructure improvements to enhance reliability and maintenance. Allgeier Martin’s solution involved upgrading nine of the thirteen existing duplex relay panels that control equipment across thirteen bays of 161 kV switchyard equipment. The remaining four duplex panels remained in use due to contractual obligations with a remote smelter customer. A new building was constructed adjacent to the original with a connecting corridor to house updated equipment.

Outages were carefully planned during the design phase and carried out between November 2019 and March 2022. Scheduling minimized service disruption by coordinating outages by line, generator, and bus, aligning with weather, generation schedules, and system conditions. The project successfully balanced extensive upgrades with operational continuity.