Application of an electrical load shedding system to a large refinery

The authors describe how a decision to expand the production facilities of a major oil refinery led to the reevaluation of the load shedding strategy. The plant was being doubled in size and the requirements of the new load shedding system were being driven by a philosophy primarily focused on protecting the electrical system. The major design goal of the new system was to maintain the operation of the refinery while shedding less critical loads when one or more generators were lost. Preventing a power system shutdown was of utmost importance to the refinery.