Substation Maintenance (SM)

Self Study Unit 1

This course explores the components of an electric power system from production to consumption. It covers the fundamental principles of electricity (voltage, current, power, resistance, impedance) and introduces trigonometry and basic vectors that are used in calculating AC voltages and currents. Participants learn the basic math skills needed to perform calculations used in the industry. This course uses a TI-30 calculator and the text shows actual calculator strokes to work example problems. There are five chapter tests to complete for this unit. Students will be required to pass each chapter test with a 70 or above in order to continue to the next chapter.

Self Study Unit 2

Building on Unit 1, the student is taken through the principals of circuit calculations that include inductors and capacitors. It starts with single-phase circuits and then moves into three-phase circuit analysis. The material also covers items such as the relationships of voltages in currents across different transformer configurations, AC power calculations and metering fundamentals. Each section of this course has an exam that is graded by TVPPA. This unit is made up of 10 lessons covering the fundamentals of alternating currents. Students will be required to pass each chapter test with a 70 or above in order to continue to the next chapter. Completion of Substation Maintenance Unit 1 – Basic Math and Electricity is required for enrollment.

SM Self Study Unit 3

This specialist certificate course will cover typical maintenance tasks needed to keep substation equipment healthy, maximize lifespan and minimize failures. Students will receive a hard-copy workbook, access to online video segments and tests to be administered at their own pace. This course includes examination of typical preventative maintenance programs including transformer oil testing, temperature maintenance of transformers, circuit breaker mechanisms, characteristics of gas insulated switchgear and electrical busses. A data application section of the course will illustrate how utilities can utilize substation data to predict failures, avoid extra costs and increase grid reliability.

SM Lab A

This lab gives insight into DC and AC circuits, electrical measurements and equipment, polyphase vectors, power, phase sequence, three-phase connections and other exercises in which you will gain training and experience.

SM Lab B

This lab introduces students to a variety of testing and equipment including insulation resistance, power factor, dielectric strength, as well as transformers and circuit breakers. Additional topics covered include batteries, lightning arrestors, substation maintenance safety and substation drawings among other topics.