Substation Electrician Apprentice Program
1.0 Purpose The purpose of the program is to produce well trained employees in Colton Electric Utility by providing on-the-job training accompanied with an educational curriculum to ensure qualified personnel to operate and maintain the City’s electric system.
2.0 Program Requirements, Conditions, and Guidelines 2.1 Requirements 2.1.1 Qualifications Experience, knowledge, and/or training in electric power systems or electric trade/occupation. 2.2 Conditions 2.2.1 CEU’s Substation Electrician Apprentice program will be under the direction of the Electrical Management Committee who is direct representatives of the Electric Utility Director. The chairman of this committee shall be the Substation Superintendent. 2.2.2 The committee will review each apprentice to evaluate their performance insuring that the apprentice is exposed to the requirements and experience needed to advance in this program. 2.2.3 The committee shall report the apprentice’s progress in writing to the Electric Utility Director. 2.2.4 The apprentice shall demonstrate to the committee that they have completed the requirements and acquired the knowledge and ability to complete the items outlined for each step in the apprentice program. 2.3 Guidelines 2.3.1 The entire period of the Substation Electrician Apprentice program is probationary, including six months at Step E – Substation Electrician. 2.3.2 The apprentice program is a three-year training program and, if all requirements are fulfilled, it will lead to the classification of Substation Electrician. 2.3.3 Schedule for Substation Electrician Apprentice Program 1st – 6 Month Period - Step A 2nd – 6 Month Period – Step B 3rd – 6 Month Period – Step C 4th – 6 Month Period – Step D 5th – 6 Month Period – Step E 6th – 6 Month Period – Step D (Substation Electrician)
2.3.4
7th- 6 Month Period – Step E (Substation Electrician) Completion Upon satisfactory completion of all training requirements the Substation Electrician Apprentice will be promoted to the position of journey level Substation Electrician in Colton Electric Utility.
3.0 Program Outline 3.1 Step A- First Six Months Under the supervision of a qualified substation supervisor or electrician, may perform construction and maintenance tasks on de-energized substation equipment. Under direct supervision, may work energized AC and DC voltage up to 240 volts. Must satisfactory complete required coursework and able to answer questions or demonstrate the following abilities. 3.1.1 Abilities 3.1.1.1 Check or test a piece of equipment de-energized. 3.1.1.2 Demonstrate the correct procedure to install personal grounds. 3.1.1.3 Proper volt/ohm meter usage, i.e. testing AC/DC voltages, readings, ohms, fuses, continuity, and contacts 3.1.1.4 Understand and demonstrate connecting station batteries in series. 3.1.1.5 Identify breakers, transformers, and their locations/positions using a station one-line diagram. 3.1.1.6 Identify substation structures and equipment, such as transformers, VCBs, OCBs, GCBs, switchgear, disconnects, bus work, bushings, and insulators. 3.1.1.7 Explain the usage of alarms on breakers and transformers 3.1.1.8 Know the location of all substations 3.1.1.9 Explain the procedure of placing a circuit breaker on the transfer-bus 3.1.2 Curriculum/Coursework 3.1.2.1 Introduction to Power Delivery 3.1.2.2 Substation Safety 1 3.1.2.3 Working in Elevated Positions 3.1.2.4 Knots, Splices, and Ropes 3.1.2.5 Electrical Systems 3.1.2.6 First Aid 3.1.2.7 Applied Mathematics 3.1.2.8 Basic Electrical Theory 3.1.2.9 Introduction to Substations 3.1.2.10 OSHA 1 3.2 Step B- Second Six Months Same as Step A with the following additions and/or changes. Under direct supervision, may work energized AC and DC voltages up to 600 volts. Review all material and experiences that are in Step A along with satisfactory complete required coursework and able to answer questions or demonstrate the following abilities. 3.2.1 Abilities 3.2.1.1 Demonstrate the procedures to test or check a piece of equipment deenergized and the purpose of installing personal grounds.
3.2.1.2 Demonstrate the procedure to switch out a station transformer 3.2.1.3 Identify parts of circuit breakers, such as the primary contacts, secondary contacts, A and B contacts, X and Y coils. Also identify devices on transformers such as LTC, NLTC, nitrogen system, cooling fans, and sudden pressure device. 3.2.1.4 Demonstrate the procedure to check alarms on OCBs, GCBs, transformer nitrogen systems and how to adjust the regulator. 3.2.1.5 Identify what test equipment would be used to perform certain test for circuit breakers and transformers. 3.2.1.6 Demonstrate the connection of a hi-potential tester to a VCB and the purpose. 3.2.1.7 Identify on a station line the HV lines entering and leaving the station, and which breakers would isolate the line. 3.2.1.8 Identify station transformer ratings 3.2.1.9 Identify PT, LTC, bushing, insulator, and ground grid. 3.2.1.10 Explain the purpose of PTs and CTs and their functions. 3.2.2 Curriculum/Coursework 3.2.2.1 Substation Safety 2 3.2.2.2 AC Fundamentals 3.2.2.3 Working on Lines and Stations 3.2.2.4 Rigging 3.2.2.5 Disconnects and Switches 3.2.2.6 Substation Conductors 3.2.2.7 Substation Construction 3.2.2.8 Substation OSHA 2 3.2.2.9 Circuit Breakers 3.2.2.10 Substation Transformers 3.3 Step C- Third Six Months Same as steps A and B with the following additions. Review all material and experiences that are in steps A and B along with satisfactory complete required coursework and able to answer questions or demonstrate the following abilities. 3.3.1 Abilities 3.3.1.1 Demonstrate the ability to switch out any equipment needed for maintenance testing. 3.3.1.2 Demonstrate the ability to write switching procedures for field switching. 3.3.1.3 Demonstrate the ability to connect test equipment and perform the task, such as hi-pot, mirco ohm, battery integrity test, TTR, and 50% trip test. 3.3.1.4 Install ground grid, rods, and jumpers. 3.3.1.5 Install PVC conduit (duct bank) 3.3.1.6 Explain the purpose of a ground grid 3.3.1.7 Able to label and terminate wiring consistent with CEU practices. 3.3.1.8 Demonstrate the ability to perform a CB analyzer test on GCB.
3.3.1.9 Demonstrate the ability to test fiber optics and fusion splicing 3.3.2 Curriculum/Coursework 3.3.2.1 Supply Station NESC 1 3.3.2.2 Supply Station NESC 2 3.3.2.3 Substation Safety 3 3.3.2.4 Metering and Instrument Transformers 3.3.2.5 Substation Design 1 3.3.2.6 Capacitors, Reactor, and Surge Arresters 3.3.2.7 Introduction to Substation DC Systems 3.3.2.8 Electronics 3.3.2.9 Substation Maps and Standards 3.3.2.10 Substation OSHA 3 3.4 Step D- Fourth Six Months Same as steps A, B, and C with the following additions and/or changes. Review all material and experiences that are in steps A, B, and C along with satisfactory complete required coursework and able to answer questions or demonstrate the following abilities. 3.4.1 Abilities 3.4.1.1 Conduct tail gate and go over points of clearance. Facilitate with the necessary topics discussed during a tailgate and its purpose, plus the procedure of a clearance and its importance. 3.4.1.2 Identify and explain working clearance from energized equipment. 3.4.1.3 Fabricate and install rigid conduit. 3.4.1.4 Demonstrate the ability to perform routine station checks. 3.4.1.5 Demonstrate the ability to perform a complete maintenance test of a VCB. 3.4.1.6 Demonstrate the ability to perform a complete maintenance test of a transformer, i.e. insulation resistance, TTR, leakage reactance, and power-factor. 3.4.1.7 Demonstrate the ability to perform CT test, i.e. CT analyzer. 3.4.2 Curriculum/Coursework 3.4.2.1 Substation Communication Systems 3.4.2.2 Substation Safety 4 3.4.2.3 Substation Design 2 3.4.2.4 Substation Special Elements 3.4.2.5 Substation System Operations 3.4.2.6 System Automation 3.4.2.7 Substation System Protection 3.4.2.8 Circuit Breaker and Instrument Transformer Testing 3.4.2.9 Relays 3.4.2.10 Transformer Testing 3.5 Step E- Fifth Six Months Same as steps A though D with the following additions. Perform work on energized (HOT) AC and DC circuits up to 600 volts, and under direct supervision, may use protective equipment and HOT line tools on energized equipment up to 69kV. Review all material and experiences that are
in steps A though D along with satisfactory complete required coursework and able to answer questions or demonstrate the following abilities. 3.5.1 Abilities 3.5.1.1 Demonstrate the ability to perform substation switching. 3.5.1.2 Demonstrate the ability to provide circuit protection for field crews. 3.5.1.3 Perform tasks in and around substations without direct supervision after instructions and understanding of the task given, working with a journeyman or HOT apprentice. 3.5.1.4 Demonstrate the ability to perform de-energizing, HOT line testing, and grounding procedure. 3.5.1.5 Demonstrate the ability to test and diagnose underground conductors. 3.5.1.6 Demonstrate the ability to perform relay testing, i.e. Feeder, Transformer, Bus, and Transmission relays. 3.5.1.7 Demonstrate the ability to identify phasing with phase analyzer. 3.5.1.8 Identify and explain the different “zones” of protection in varies protect schemes. 3.5.2 Curriculum/Coursework 3.5.2.1 Introduction to Symmetrical Component 3.5.2.2 Protecting Power Systems 3.5.2.3 Relay Testing Basics 3.5.2.4 Feeder Relay Testing 3.5.2.5 Transmission Substation Relay Testing
