Electrical Reliability Services

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Relay Upgrades - Are you looking for improved safety and reliability?

Relay protection technology has significantly advanced over the past 30 years. Today, one microprocessor relay can replace an entire rack of electromechanical relays for a fraction of the cost and improve all areas of performance. These new microprocessor relay protection systems provide built-in protocols that make data available anywhere on your system including distributed control and SCADA systems. Advanced diagnostic tools such as alarms, event recording, fault identification, and fault location can dramatically improve your ability to make decisions, report information, meet regulatory requirements, and improve overall reliability.

Please read the latest article by Chris Dansa, PE and Leif Hoegberg with ERS that was recently published in Mission Critical magazine.
Electrical Commissioning and Acceptance Testing — Are They One In the Same?

It is a common misperception that electrical commissioning and acceptance testing are the same thing or that electrical commissioning is the same as equipment startup. In reality, acceptance testing and equipment startup are only two subsets of the electrical commissioning process. Upon completion of acceptance testing and contractor/vendor startup (pre-functional testing), functional performance testing (FPT) and integrated systems testing (IST) is executed (Figure 1).

What Is Electrical Commissioning?
In the ANSI/International Electrical Testing Association — Standard for Electrical Commissioning Specifications for Electrical Power Equipment and Systems (NETA ECS-2015), electrical commissioning is defined as the systematic process of verifying, documenting, and placing into service newly installed or retrofitted electrical power equipment and systems. The process focuses on verifying and documenting that all of the electrical commissioned equipment, systems, and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the owner's project requirements (OPRs) per ASHRAE Standard 202-2013 — Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems.

Commissioning is critical for all new or retrofit installation projects to verify the correct system operation to the design intent, which ensures safe, reliable operation of the electrical system.

The commissioning process involves OPRs, a basis of design (BOD), factory acceptance tests, field acceptance tests, verification of the component interconnections, and functional testing of the system in part and in whole (IST). Acceptance testing and commissioning work (FPT) provides baseline results for future routine maintenance of the system and related components.

Acceptance testing is performed to confirm equipment is built, installed, and calibrated to functions per the design specifications. Field tests assesses the suitability of the initial energization of electrical power equipment and systems, ensures performance expectations are met, minimizes downtime, and maximizes the life expectancy of equipment.

When to Initiate Electrical Commissioning
To be most effective and realize all of the benefits of electrical commissioning, the electrical commissioning provider should be engaged from the pre-design/programming phase throughout the design, construction, acceptance testing, occupancy, and post-occupancy phases. This allows problems to be found as early in the process as possible, reducing the cost and rework as necessary. The electrical commissioning process progresses along with the building commissioning process to ensure all aspects of the electrical system are tested and verified.

The Commissioning Team
The commissioning team is usually made up of the owner/owner’s representative, a building commissioning provider, an electrical commissioning provider, the architect or engineering representative, general contractor, subcontractors, other vendors, and operations and maintenance staff.

The owner/rep provides the commissioning provider with all electrical plans and supporting documents that will be used to validate the equipment and system design against the power and operational requirements of the facility. Specific deliverables include, but are not limited to engineering studies, electronic setting files, electrical drawings and specifications, factory and field acceptance reports, project schedule, site-specific hazard notification and safety training, OPRs, BOD, designated representatives for the project commissioning activities.

The electrical commissioning provider acts as a trusted partner and consultant. According to ANSI/NETA ECS-2015, it is recommended that the commissioning organization be an independent, third-party entity that can function as an unbiased authority, professionally independent of the manufacturers, suppliers, and installers of equipment or systems being evaluated. The organization and field personnel should be regularly engaged in the commissioning of electrical equipment, devices, installations, and systems and submit appropriate documentation to demonstrate that it satisfactorily complies with these requirements.

The specific duties of the commissioning provider include the oversight, ex*****on, management, and organization of the entire electrical commissioning process. The commissioning organization will provide the following:

- All necessary services and technical expertise to conduct electrical commissioning.
- Notification to the designated representative(s) prior to the commencement of any electrical commissioning activity.
- Timely notification of deficiencies based on the results of the commissioning activities.
- Written record of all electrical commissioning activities and a final report.

Electrical Commissioning and the Big Picture
Commissioning and acceptance testing have been key disciplines in building processes for many years. Only recently has there been a more specific focus on electrical commissioning. The increasing complexity of electrical systems and the growing intolerance for unplanned downtime prompted the development of the ANSI/NETA ECS to expand the building commissioning scope and further enhance system evaluation more thoroughly than acceptance testing alone. Proper electrical commissioning can identify potential issues in design, equipment specifications, installation, functionality, performance, and environment that could result in failures or outages down the line. It is estimated that roughly 70% of early power system failures have been linked to design, installation, or startup deficiencies. By requiring an electrical commissioning provider as part of the commissioning team, owners and contractors can ensure safer installations, fewer construction delays, more efficient startups, and a more reliable power supply once energized. An independent commissioning provider will confirm the electrical equipment and systems have been installed properly to minimize any future downtime and maximize the life expectancy of the equipment and systems.

Working to Secure your Service Dates...

As businesses begin to reopen and operations increase, we are actively working with our customers to ensure that your unique needs and requirements for electrical reliability testing and service can be met. We are currently scheduling for maintenance and testing projects, many of which were postponed or delayed as a result of COVID-19. The majority of these projects have year-end deadlines to maintain safety compliance, and we are working diligently to help you meet your scheduling targets.

As we look forward to the weeks and months ahead, we encourage you to contact a member of our team to review and evaluate your upcoming electrical testing and maintenance needs in order to maintain system safety and avoid additional business disruptions beyond what we already face with COVID-19. We encourage you to plan for these projects now and secure your service dates. Our team of experienced technicians and engineers are available and ready to assist you in ensuring your operations are online, reliable, and productive. To contact us, visit ers.vertiv.com or call 1-888-468-6384.

As always, we appreciate the trust you place in us and the partnership we have with you. We look forward to continuing to work together to provide a safe and reliable work environment for you, your employees, and your customers! - Your ERS Services Team

Please help slow the spread of the virus and wear your mask/face covering both at inside and outside public places.

April 28, 2020
To Our Valued Customers and Partners:
As we continue to navigate these challenging times, we’d like to take a moment to say thank you. Not only do we value our relationship with you, we appreciate the services you provide to keep our world connected, protected, equipped and provided for during this crisis and as we recover. We are proud to partner with you to keep critical power systems operating around the globe.
Like many of you, Vertiv’s Electrical Reliability Services, Inc. (ERS) has been designated as an essential business. Our national operations continue so that we can work with you to keep critical power infrastructures, communications networks, healthcare systems, governments and other essential services operational and safe. Our field and service employees continue to report to customer sites where needed.
In all that we do, our top priority continues to be the health and safety of our employees, customers, partners and the communities where we live and work. We remain diligent in our health and safety efforts, including extensive cleaning protocols, working from home where available and social distancing measures. We are also partnering with you to protect employees and prevent the spread of the virus by asking that you share temperature screening, social distancing and sanitation processes and disclose any confirmed COVID-19 cases and isolation programs before our service teams perform work at your sites.
We are proud to partner with you to ensure that there is no interruption to power reliability during this time. Our employees are working every day – from wherever that happens to be – to make sure we are doing all we can to bring you the support you need in these difficult times. To contact us, visit ers.vertiv.com or call 1-888-468-6384.
We appreciate our relationship and are working to do all we can in these times to protect you, your employees, and your customers. Thank you for your partnership and trust.
- Your ERS Services Team

During the Holiday Season, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. It is in this spirit we say...Thank you and Best Wishes for the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

Effective acceptance and maintenance testing of electrical equipment and systems starts by using experienced and qualified testing technicians and testing companies that have established reporting systems and procedures. The Winter issue of NETAWorld Journal includes a great article by Steve Park on acceptance and maintenance testing. Please give us a call if you need to schedule testing or you would like more information on our specific qualifications.

Unmatched experience and expertise.

No one knows your electrical infrastructure like we do. With nearly 50 years of experience in electrical testing, maintenance and engineering services, amplified by decades of performance data, we bring a deep understanding of application issues and systems to every project.