An analysis of the National Electrical Code® requirements for Critical Operations Power Systems (COPS) and the effect on refineries and petrochemical facilities

During the 2008 National Electrical Code (NEC) [1] cycle, Article 708, Critical Operations Power Systems (COPS), was introduced. As stated in Article 708, Scope, “the provisions of this article apply to the installation, operation, monitoring, control and maintenance of the portions of the premises wiring system intended to supply, distribute, and control electricity to designated critical operations areas (DCOA) in the event of disruption to elements of the normal system.” Refineries and some petrochemical facilities may be included in this scope due to the criticality of their continuous operation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect the new requirements that a hardened electrical system will have upon design and engineering for these facilities. Key points are 1) risk assessment of the system, 2) power distribution requirements, 3) power sources and, 4) documentation of the emergency operations plan, all based on NEC [2] requirements and NFPA 1600-2010 [4], Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs. The term “hardened” in this paper is used to describe an installation that is highly resistant to damage or disruption and having a high degree of resiliency and dependability.