Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

Black & McDonald (BMD) is a Toronto-based construction contractor that operates across Canada; one of their areas of focus is a specialized engineering department that designs, installs, and commissions electrical substations and their Protection and Control (P&C) systems. BMD is currently challenged because their substation commissioning must be done at clients’ sites without prior off-site testing. This industry standard practice is inefficient and prone to delays as technicians must troubleshoot onsite–sometimes while the equipment is already operational. This issue will become more prevalent as Canada aims for its 2050 net-zero targets. To meet net-zero targets substations must be updated to integrate emerging green technologies and the required digitization of the grid. The imperative to upgrade electrical substations with advanced technologies is underscored by the necessity for enhanced external communication capabilities and the mitigation of escalating cybersecurity threats. To maintain a leading position in the P&C and substation domain and continue delivering quality project outcomes for their clients, BMD is partnering with the Mohawk College Energy and Power Innovation Centre (EPIC) to address these challenges. We will design and build innovative and cost-effective electrical Substation Automation Sandboxes. The sandboxes will be a testing ground for BMD to replicate, test, and build further capacity for upcoming substation automation projects, new equipment configurations, and improve commissioning practices. The sandboxes will replicate substations and simulate portions of the electrical power system via hardware-in-the-loop. The sandboxes will allow BMD to test hardware integration, pre-empt onsite commissioning problems, and improve training and best practices for BMD staff. BMD and EPIC will also use the sandboxes to research microgrids and cybersecurity substation integration. From this we will create case studies that will inform best practices, strengthening the resiliency and responsiveness of critical infrastructure while supporting the transition to renewable and low-emission energy sources. In summary, this project will build joint capacity to improve BMD’s field commissioning practices for their ongoing and future substation automation projects, create a controlled research environment to investigate cybersecurity and microgrid integration, and provide a leading-edge training platform for students and junior technical staff.