Innovative & Sustainable Solution for Protection Relays Life Cycle Management

This paper explains an innovative approach taken in managing protection relays towards operational optimization and excellence. Protection relays are critical in ensuring an electrical power system is dependable and safe. They are often regarded as one of the Safety Critical Elements (SCE) in electrical systems, protection relays are subjected to regular recalibration to ensure integrity and operability during electrical fault. Failure of protection relays to operate correctly will result in production loss, extensive equipment damage and danger to personnel. Nowadays, with digitalization become more relevant and demanding, data centralization and the efforts towards digitalization of control and real time monitoring of protection relay status and information is crucial especially with the advancement of technology and availability of various technology applications. With centralized database and status supported with analytical tools, managing a wide range of protection relays in large scale electrical installation becomes simpler, more efficient, and enables users to take calculated risks improving decision making. In large scale electrical installations, these digitalization requirements will become eminent to supplement human intervention in daily operation and maintenance activities. This digitalization effort shifts the paradigm of protection relay management aligning business towards operational cost optimization and efficiency.