Substation Technician

Objectives

To perform predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance, and operation of equipment in distribution, transmission, and generation station facilities. This position will focus on implementing the Association’s reliability‑centered maintenance program and on data collection, analysis, and trending involved in predictive maintenance.

Reports to:

Senior Substation Technician or Substation Technician Leadman. Works in conjunction with Instrument/Control Technicians, Electronics Technicians, Relay/Control Wiring Technicians, and Substation Lineman.

• Maintain competency in testing and maintenance techniques, including safety practices, through training and on‑the‑job experience.
• Observe safe practices and use computer equipment to write test reports, maintain inventory and equipment history, interrogate and analyze data, and test and program equipment.
• Assist in design, testing, and construction of new equipment installations; complete as‑built drawings and material orders for assigned projects.
• Coordinate work with other technicians, substation linemen, and engineers.
• Perform switching, grounding, and clearing of equipment in substations for the Power Control Center.
• Analyze detailed prints such as AC/DC diagrams, interconnect, single‑line and three‑line diagrams of circuits before starting projects.
• Prepare, forward, and update station drawings, inventory data, installation and commissioning test results, as‑builts, and other relevant data as construction, maintenance, and commissioning work is completed.
• Perform other duties related to this classification as assigned.
• Perform testing procedures for substation equipment: oil circuit breakers, SF6 and vacuum breakers, transformers, circuit switchers, air‑break switches, motor‑operated switches, capacitors, reactors, load tap changers, surge arresters, SVC apparatus, regulators, reclosers, batteries, charger systems, and related equipment.
• Collect data, trend, and analyze for predictive maintenance techniques and Reliability‑Centered Maintenance philosophy.
• Interpret result test data and benchmark as‑found and as‑left conditions.
• Perform diagnostic tests:
  Acoustic, Infrared, Partial Discharge, Battery conductance/impedance, Fault Gas Sampling, Mechanism / Ancillary equipment data evaluation.
• Execute as‑found/As‑left tests: LTC Reduced Voltage, Insulation Dissipation/Power Factor, V & C Transformer Insulation, Motion Analysis, Contact Resistance, High Current, Capacitance, Battery capacity, Oil Dielectric, Surge Arrester, Fuse Resistance, Transformer Turns Ratio, Winding Impedance, SFRA, First Trip.
• Perform winding resistance, vacuum bottle, high potting, insulation resistance, dewpoint measurement, leak testing, transformer turns ratio, oil sampling, contact resistance, battery capacity, fuse continuity tests.
• Operate N2 and SF6 gases; handle SF6 gas equipment; operate forklifts, aerial lifts, snow blowers; install and maintain auxiliary equipment such as battery banks, monitoring devices, and gauges.

• High School graduate with two‑year technical college degree in electric power maintenance or equivalent with two or more years experience in testing, maintenance, repair, and installation of substation equipment, including predictive maintenance analysis and Reliability‑Centered Maintenance implementation.
• Proficiency in Trigonometry, Algebra, and advanced math skills. Optional four‑year electrical engineering degree with power system engineering experience will be considered.
• Experience in electrical theory, circuit breaker operation, transformer operation, current transformer application, wiring techniques, protective relay and control device operation, communication devices, substation construction and maintenance practices.
• Knowledge of high and low voltage switching and clearance procedures.
• Basic understanding of Power System Operations, synchronization, real and reactive power flows.
• Must be able to read AC/DC control, relay wiring, and schematic drawings; operate substation test/diagnostic equipment.
• Familiar with PC operation, Windows, Excel, SCADA, Power System Communication, NEC, NESC.
• Valid…