12386 version 5

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Operate electricity generating electrical control systems on site

Level / 4
Credits / 6

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of the principles of electricity generator operation and protection; identify and communicate generating plant status and generation parameters; operate generating plant on site; respond to events; and document the generating plant operation.

Subfield / Electricity Supply
Domain / Electricity Supply-Power System Management
Status / Registered
Status date / 16 April 2010
Date version published / 16 April 2010
Planned review date / 31 December 2014
Entry information / Prerequisite: Unit 12390, Demonstrate knowledge of electricity supply systems, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0120

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1This unit standard is intended for, but not restricted to, workplace assessment. The range statements within the unit standard can be applied according to industry specific equipment, procedures, and processes.

2Safety of personnel and plant must be a priority throughout the assessment. If the safety requirements are not met the assessment must stop.

3Performance and work practices in relation to the elements and performance criteria must comply with all current legislation, especially the Electricity Act 1992, and any regulations and codes of practice recognised under that statute; the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992; and the Resource Management Act 1991. Electricity supply industry codes of practice and documented industry procedures include the Safety Manual – Electricity Industry (SM-EI)Wellington: Electricity Engineers’ Association. A full list of current legislation and industry codes is available from the Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation, PO Box 1245, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton 3240.

4The phrase in accordance with industry requirements is implicit in all elements and performance criteria in this unit standard.

5Reference to procedures and specificationsin this unit standard may be taken as including documented procedures and specifications relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out.

6Industry requirementsinclude all asset owner requirements; manufacturers’ specifications; and enterprise requirements which cover the documented workplace policies, procedures, specifications, business, and quality management requirements relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out.

7Asset ownerrefers to the owner of an electricity supply network that takes its point of supply from Transpower NZ and delivers electricity to industrial, commercial, and residential customers.

8This unit standard covers on-site electrical operation of generators not exceeding 100Mw, powered by steam, wind, or motor.

9This unit standard excludes hydro generation plant, and thermal generation plant exceeding 100Mw.

10The following terms and abbreviations relate to this unit standard:

Datarefers to the information of a written or numerical form. The latter may include summary statistics, information in tables, and numbers displayed in a variety of graphs.

The term operate is defined as manual operation and testing of electricity generation plant including plant adjustments, isolations and restorations.

Generator includes: stator core and windings, rotor poles and windings, slip rings, bearings.

Auxiliary equipment includes - main exciter, commutator, pilot exciter, voltage regulator, cooling systems, lube oil systems, seal systems, brake systems.

Switchingrefers to actions carried out by a network control centre to divert electrical current, and permit contractors to perform work safely and efficiently on an electricity supply network without discontinuing supply to customers.

SCADAis the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, a computer system that is used to operate equipment and monitor the performance of the electrical power system and/or network, gather data for analytical purposes, and generally assist the operation and delivery of electrical network functions concerning the supply of electricity to customers.

DC - Direct current

AC - Alternating current

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of electricity generator operation and protection.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – governors, generators, exciters, transformers, control and protection, batteries, communications and auxiliary plant.

Performance criteria

1.1The principles of mechanical and electrical power and energy are described.

Rangepotential and kinetic power and energy, moment of inertia, rotational energy, electrical active power and energy, efficiency.

1.2The principles of electrical power systems and electricity generators are described.

RangeAC systems, DC systems, prime movers, transmission and distribution, frequency, voltage.

1.3The principles of efficient resource use are defined and explained.

Rangegenerator efficiency and capability, resource consent constraints on operation.

1.4The responsibilities of electricity generation plant operators are defined.

Rangecontrolling output power to dispatch, efficient utilisation of fuel resource, observing resource consent limits, work control documentation.

1.5The principles of generator electrical protection are described.

Rangegenerator circuit breaker control, current transformers, voltage transformers, neutral earthing connection, thermal overload protection, protective relays for overcurrent, earth fault, generator stator differential, overall generator – transformer differential, over and under voltage, over and under frequency, rotor earth fault, field failure, pole slipping, reverse power.

Element 2

Identify and communicate generating plant status and generation parameters.

Rangelog contents, work control documents in force, voltage, active power (MW), reactive power (MVAR), fuel storage and sources.

Performance criteria

2.1Plant and auxiliary equipment status is determined.

Rangeoperator log, indications, alarms.

2.2Planned events that impact on equipment status are identified and their impact determined and recorded.

Rangeplanned outages, work requests, work control systems.

2.3Information is transferred to relevant personnel in a manner and timeframe which meets established operating requirements.

Element 3

Operate generating plant on site.

Rangegoverning, frequency, excitation, voltage, voltage phase and speed matching, synchronising, active power setting, reactive power setting, operations, SCADA operation, local operation, emergency operating.

Performance criteria

3.1Plant and equipment are operated.

Rangesingle line diagram, mover, fuel controls, governor, generator, excitation equipment, bearings, associated auxiliary equipment, switchgear, connections to system, manufacturer’s operating manuals and specifications.

3.2Operating decisions are determined in accordance with plant status, local knowledge, and operating requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – plant availability and service condition, resource consent and capability limits, impact, options, alternatives.

3.3Plant and equipment are started in sequence and within defined plant capabilities in accordance with schedules and workplace procedures.

Rangestarting and running up generator set, speed governing, excitation and matching voltage, matching speed and phase voltage, synchronising, behaviour of speed and voltage control before and after synchronising.

3.4Plant and equipment are operated.

Rangeresource consents, power ramping rates where applicable, fuel flow, cooling water discharge rates where applicable, prime mover fuel efficiency load curves, generator capability diagrams, local standing instructions.

3.5Plant and equipment are monitored within established operating requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – indications, alarms, power status, defects, action confirmation.

Element 4

Respond to events.

Rangeemergency, unscheduled event, abnormal condition, alarms, protective relay operation, power system faults, forced outage.

Performance criteria

4.1System is stabilised.

Rangeindications, alarms and protective relay operation acknowledged and reset, active and reactive power outputs stabilised.

4.2The event and/or cause of the event is/areidentified using available resources.

Rangealarms and protective relay operation identified, events lists, event recording charts, alarms and protective relay flaggings listed, SCADA.

4.3The event is acknowledged.

Rangeacknowledgement, logging.

4.4The impact of the event on generation is determined and responded to in accordance with established procedures, policies, priorities and instructions.

Rangelocal control, contingency plans, emergency operating procedures, restart procedures and limitations.

4.5The event is analysed to identify options to remedy or mitigate undesired conditions and identify future actions using established analysis tools and procedures.

Rangeevent reporting procedures, maintenance management systems, logbook, event lists, relay flag sheets, plant history records.

4.6The event reporting is conducted in accordance with established procedures and instructions.

Rangelocal instructions, event reporting standards, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Electricity Act 1992, Electricity Regulations 1997.

Element 5

Document the generating plant operation.

Rangeservice report, log book, test reports and results, plant history, work control documentation, event lists, generator availability data system, maintenance management system, electronic log, operating orders and/or switching sheets, plant outage requests, data, check sheets, statistical log sheets.

Performance criteria

5.1Recorded information is complete, concise, and legible.

5.2Information is recorded in the required format and filed within scheduled timeframe.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the Electricity Supply Industry Training if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018