Electrical Testing and Commissioning - Acceptance Testing, Start-Up and Turnover

• Electrical Engineers
• Commissioning Agents and Commissioning Engineers
• NETA Electrical Testing Technicians
• Protection and Control Technicians
• Electrical Contractors and Project Managers
• Plant Electricians and Maintenance Electricians
• Electrical Maintenance Supervisors and Managers
• Instrumentation and Control Technicians
• Consulting Engineers and Engineering Technologists
• Data Center and Critical Power Facility Engineers
• Utility and Substation Field Personnel
• Electrical Inspectors and Safety Professionals
• Owner's Representatives and Facility Managers

Electrical Testing and Commissioning Training – Course Outline

DAY ONE – PLANNING, SAFETY AND TEST METHODS

MODULE 1 – COMMISSIONING FUNDAMENTALS AND TESTING STANDARDS REVIEW

• What Testing and Commissioning Are, and Why They Matter
• Factory, Acceptance, Commissioning and Maintenance Testing
• Roles and Responsibilities: Owner, Engineer, Contractor, Testing Firm and Commissioning Agent
• Commissioning Levels 1 to 5, From Factory Testing to Integrated Systems Testing
• Standards Map: NETA ATS, ECS and MTS; NFPA 70E and CSA Z462; NFPA 70B and CSA Z463; NEC and CE Code; IEEE Test Guides
• How to Read and Apply a NETA ATS Section and Acceptance Table

MODULE 2 – PLANNING AND MANAGING A COMMISSIONING PROJECT

• Owner's Project Requirements, Basis of Design and the Commissioning Plan
• Commissioning Specifications and Scope Definition
• Pre-Functional Checklists and Functional Performance Test Procedures
• Turnover Packages and System Boundaries
• Drawing Control, Field Mark-Ups and As-Built Records
• Test Sheet Control, Task Tracking and Deficiency (Punch List) Management

MODULE 3 – DOCUMENTATION AND DESIGN VERIFICATION

• Single-Line, Three-Line and Riser Diagrams
• AC and DC Protection and Control Schematics and Wiring Diagrams
• IEEE Device Function Numbers (Quick Reference)
• Relay Setting Sheets, Settings Files and Time-Current Curves
• Verifying Short Circuit, Coordination and Arc Flash Study Results Are Implemented
• Arc Flash Labels, Ground Fault Protection and Arc Energy Reduction Verification

MODULE 4 – ELECTRICAL SAFETY DURING TESTING AND ENERGIZATION

• NFPA 70E-2027 and CSA Z462:24 Requirements for Testing Work
• Qualified Persons, Job Planning and Energized Work Justification
• Test Hazards: High-Potential Testing, Stored Energy, Open CT Circuits and Back-Feed
• Test Zones, Barriers, Temporary Grounds and Discharging Equipment
• Lockout/Tagout, Switching Orders and Permits
• Construction Site Hazards and Temporary Power

MODULE 5 – TEST METHODS, TEST EQUIPMENT AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

• Insulation Resistance, Polarization Index and Temperature Correction
• DC, AC and Very Low Frequency (VLF) Withstand Testing
• Power Factor, Dissipation Factor and Tan Delta Testing
• Winding Resistance, Turns Ratio and Contact Resistance Testing
• Primary and Secondary Injection Testing
• Selecting Test Equipment, Recording Results and Writing Test Reports

MODULE 6 – TRANSFORMER COMMISSIONING

• Receiving Inspection, Impact Recorders and Field Assembly
• Vacuum Filling, Oil Handling and Nitrogen Systems
• Dry-Type and Liquid-Filled Transformer Acceptance Tests per NETA ATS-2025
• Excitation Current, Bushing Power Factor and Sweep Frequency Response Analysis
• Insulating Liquid Testing and Dissolved Gas Analysis Baselines
• Tap Changers, Protective Devices, Alarms, Trip Checks and Vector Group Verification

DAY TWO – EQUIPMENT COMMISSIONING AND START-UP

MODULE 7 – SWITCHGEAR, CIRCUIT BREAKER AND CABLE COMMISSIONING

• Metal-Clad and Low-Voltage Switchgear Inspection and Testing
• Bolted Connections, Interlocks, Racking Mechanisms and Auxiliary Contacts
• Low-Voltage Breakers and Trip Units: Primary Injection Testing
• Medium- and High-Voltage Vacuum and SF6 Breakers: Timing, Contact Resistance and Insulation
• Busway Testing and Switchgear Withstand Test Values
• Medium-Voltage Cable Acceptance Testing: VLF Withstand, Tan Delta and Partial Discharge

MODULE 8 – INSTRUMENT TRANSFORMERS, PROTECTIVE RELAYS AND METERING

• Current Transformer Ratio, Polarity, Excitation and Burden Testing
• Single-Point Grounding and CT Circuit Integrity
• Voltage Transformer Testing, Fusing and Draw-Out Checks
• Relay Settings File Review and Version Control
• Element, Functional, End-to-End and IEC 61850 Testing
• Trip and Close Circuit Verification, Test Switches and Metering Checks

MODULE 9 – GROUNDING, SUBSTATION EQUIPMENT AND DC SYSTEMS

• System Grounding Methods and Resistance-Grounded System Commissioning
• Ground Grid Testing: Fall-of-Potential, Soil Resistivity, Step and Touch Potential
• High-Voltage Disconnect Switches, Reclosers and Surge Arresters
• SF6 Gas Handling, Quality Testing and Leak Detection
• Station Batteries and Battery Charger Commissioning
• Substation Control Building and Auxiliary Systems Checks

MODULE 10 – MOTORS, DRIVES AND CONTROL SYSTEMS

• Motor Pre-Start Inspection, Insulation and Winding Tests
• Uncoupled Runs, Rotation Checks, Vibration and Load Testing
• VFD Checkout, Auto-Tuning, Harmonic Checks and As-Left Settings
• Field Device, Input/Output and Loop Checks
• PLC, DCS and SCADA Program Verification, Alarms and Trending
• Device Configuration Control and Cybersecurity at Turnover

MODULE 11 – EMERGENCY POWER, INTEGRATED SYSTEMS TESTING AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

• Generator and Automatic Transfer Switch Functional Testing
• UPS Acceptance and Transfer Testing
• Load Bank Testing
• Level 5 Integrated Systems Testing and Utility Failure Scenarios
• Data Center and Critical Facility Commissioning Practices
• Battery Energy Storage and Solar PV Acceptance Testing per NETA ATS-2025

MODULE 12 – FIRST ENERGIZATION, START-UP AND TURNOVER

• Pre-Energization Checklists and Readiness Reviews
• Switching Plans and Energizing Sequence
• Phase Rotation, Phasing Checks and Soak Tests
• On-Load Checks: Differential Balance, Directional Elements and Infrared Survey
• Handling Defects During Energization
• Final Acceptance, Baseline Data for NFPA 70B and CSA Z463, and Turnover to Operations

COURSE TIMETABLE

Both Days:
Start: 10:00a.m. Eastern Time
Finish: 4:30 p.m.