Evaluating Substations to the NFPA 70B 2023 Standard

With the 2023 revision of NFPA 70B from a recommended practice to a standard, there is a need for examples and best practices on how to evaluate equipment maintenance programs to the new NFPA 70B requirements. Processes for evaluating both new and existing equipment should be done in a pragmatic and unbiased approach. The authors partnered to review the electrical maintenance program for both a newer substation and an older substation to the 2023 revision of NFPA 70B. The process reviewed and compared the existing electrical maintenance plan against the requirements in NFPA 70B and the original equipment manufacturer's recommendations, highlighting and addressing gaps discovered. The partnership provided a chance to develop and implement a method to evaluate the equipment condition in an unbiased manner. This paper disseminates the evaluation's findings and lessons-learned intended to support a broader IEEE technical community.