The New York Power Authority (NYPA), together with Georgia Tech, Southern Company and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), has been awarded a $2.35 million grant from the Department of Energy to begin phase two of the setting-less protection program.

The first installation of its type in the world, the setting less protection program technology will ultimately add a layer of cybersecurity and resiliency to both NYPA assets and the New York State electric grid, NYPA stated in the press release.

This will be accomplished through new setting-less digital relays that create an autonomous protection and control system, advancing both NYPA's Smart Generation and Transmission Initiative and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Reforming the Energy Vision.

Instead of focusing on a single setting for each relay, the setting-less protection approach measures as much data as possible and uses complex models of the asset under protection to develop dynamic estimations of the condition of the asset or zone being protected. Additionally, digital relays don't need to coordinate with the rest of the system to function properly, allowing for faster identification of abnormal conditions over traditional relaying.

"This is cutting-edge technology that hasn't been implemented before," said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. "We're committed to working with our partners in the industry to find new and better solutions for managing the grid of the future and improving cybersecurity."

Phase two, scheduled to be completed in 2022, is a multi-step process. After lab tests of the technology and initial system design, the new setting-less digital relays will be installed at NYPA's Marcy substation, as well as a substation owned by Southern Company.

Source: NYPA