Grid

We leverage our industry-leading technical skills to develop and execute supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and automation projects of all sizes and complexity. We design, configure, and integrate automation systems to maximize site visibility, ensure reliable controls, and improve system resiliency with cybersecurity in mind. We offer services that cover all brownfield and greenfield substation automation applications, including legacy upgrades and new state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems.

We are proficient in coordinating and controlling projects from conception through execution. Our experience includes the design, configuration, testing, on-site implementation, and troubleshooting of SCADA and communication systems.

Our SCADA systems are designed to accommodate our clients’ operational needs, and we specialize in meeting the telemetry requirements of interconnections to energy market regulators. We provide unbiased equipment assessments for all SCADA and communications devices, and we are experienced in operations support and troubleshooting. Our automation engineering services include:

• SCADA design drawings.
• Substation SCADA point lists.
• Remote terminal unit (RTU) programming and implementation.
• Programmable logic controller (PLC) programming and implementation.
• Network design and implementation.
• Human-machine interface (HMI) design and implementation.
• Phasor data concentrator (PDC) design and implementation.
• Project startup, lab testing, and commissioning.
• Custom logic.
• Event monitoring and collection.
• Substation and distribution automation.
• Program management.
• Operations support.

Our telecommunications engineering services include network planning and design that successfully provide the robust network topology necessary to provide lower latency and highly reliable communications services. We are experienced in the engineering, design, and planning of wireless microwave and fiber-optic network infrastructure. Our network designs include robust, diverse, self-healing architectures that can support native time-division multiplexing (TDM) hierarchy, multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), and other protocols.

We provide solutions for applications ranging from simple to highly complex systems including:

• Protective relaying.
• SCADA.
• Smart grid and distribution automation (DA).
• Smart metering (AMI).
• Land mobile radio (LMR).
• Private long-term evolution network (PLTE).

Telecommunications technology has advanced significantly in recent years. With the initiation of grid modernization, the type of information and the demand of rapidly exchanged and/or acquired data between intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) are growing exponentially. The incrementation of data that allows the utility to monitor, operate, and control the electrical system more effectively and economically now requires transport network services that meet this demand. This has pushed utilities to upgrade from their legacy networks to migrate and increase network capacity.

We combine advanced radio topologies, protocols, and high-performance fiber-optic communications with comprehensive planning and engineering designs to achieve a robust, scalable telecommunications infrastructure that can address increased demands for reliability, payload capacity, and security in a cost-effective manner.

We analyze existing grid infrastructure to provide solutions that serve distribution automation and smart meters. Our last-mile designs are focused on cost-effective wireless microwave network infrastructure strengthened with fiber optics to achieve a global solution for serving devices along distribution feeder lines.

Our wireless services include:

• Licensed point-to-point (PtP) microwave design.
• Radio frequency (RF) propagation studies.
• Frequency coordination.
• Antenna structure registration.
• Interference case analysis support.

Inside plant (ISP) and outside plant (OSP) designs (fiber):

• Optical ground wire (OPGW), all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS), and underground fiber (UGF) design.
• Survey utility engineering (SUE) coordination.
• 811 coordination.
• Pole attachment coordination with pole owners.

Our substation project experience extends to both greenfield and brownfield facilities, including distribution substations and transmission switchyards in a multitude of configurations, 13.8kV – 765kV. We possess extensive experience in gas-insulated substations and specialized equipment design, including static volt-ampere reactive (VAR) compensators (SVC), static synchronous compensators (STATCOM), high voltage direct current (HVDC), and other flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS).

From conceptual design to complete construction-ready design packages, we develop creative solutions for challenging projects, including innovative physical arrangements to accommodate space constraints and irregular site boundaries, enclosed substation designs compatible with urban environments, grading and drainage designs to comply with stormwater runoff and retention regulations, and integrating new control and protection systems into existing substations.

Our substation design services include:

• Single line, relay and metering schematics, relay panel and rack elevations, and wiring drawings.
• Detailed physical drawings (2D and 3D), including general arrangements, plans and sections, grounding, conduit, cable trough, and bills of material (BOMs).
• Station structural designs, including steel, piers and slab on grade foundations, and transformer oil containment systems.
• Site grading, including sheet and subsurface drainage systems as well as applicable permitting.
• Calculations including AC and DC systems, grounding, lightning and shielding protection, cable fill, and cable ampacity.
• Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and telecommunication designs, from drawings through programming.

A secure utility infrastructure is vital to the safety of our nation and communities. We play a key role in helping utilities evaluate, plan, design, and execute the changes necessary to protect and provide reliable power to their customers. Additionally, we protect the substations and assets that are imperative for a safe, reliable, and operable grid.

Our substation physical security services include:

• Owner review of material vendor designs.
• Site construction support.
• Substation physical security engineering and design.
• North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) critical infrastructure protection (C I P) security assessment services.
• Permitting and engineering field support.
• On-site construction management.
• Certified protection professional (CPP) on staff.

Our designs include:

• Anti-cut and climb fencing systems.
• Precast concrete perimeter walls.
• Motorized and crash resistant gates.
• Pan tilt zoom (PTZ) and infrared cameras.
• Video analytics.
• Microwave and fiber detection systems.
• Instant-on LED yard lighting.

Climate change and unpredictable weather are an ever-increasing source of potential disruption to the electric grid’s reliability and successful operation. It’s critical to take steps to minimize the frequency and duration of outages caused by weather-related forces. We actively mitigate risks to the reliability and successful operation of the grid by providing vulnerability assessments, resiliency planning, and pinpoint solutions. Each vulnerability assessment identifies current and potential weaknesses, liabilities, and gaps. The resiliency plan provides tangible measures to harden the electric grid to meet reliability and operability targets.

Our expertise spans the following grid assessments and hardening services

• Pole replacement: We provide pole assessment services to verify the structural integrity of the pole and determine whether proactive replacement should occur.
• Infrastructure reinforcement: Our experienced engineers perform monopole, lattice transmission tower, substation structure, and foundation assessments and analyses to determine if additional reinforcement or strengthening can be achieved in lieu of replacement.
• Flood hardening: To combat flooding, we work with the asset owner to assess and offer an array of solutions to alert and eliminate impacts from flooding. These solutions include technology advancements, upgrade, modification, and replacement of civil or structural assets, flood prevention measures, equipment raising, equipment replacement, stormwater solutions, pumping solutions, and monitoring and detection measures.
• Undergrounding: Our underground distribution and transmission engineers provide unparalleled experience and quality in taking overhead lines and undergrounding them to provide enhanced service reliability.
• Distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS)/smart grid solutions: We offer DERMS/smart grid solutions that modernize existing infrastructure and enhance operational controls and coordination to minimize customer and asset outage frequency and duration.

As the demand for power continues to grow, so does the need for transmission lines. This often leads to a requirement for lines in areas that are densely urban or visually sensitive and require the evaluation and design of underground transmission lines.

Underground transmission line design is highly specialized and presents several unique challenges. We have broad experience with underground projects up to 345 kilovolt (kV) that require ingenuity and collaboration to ensure project success, including cable replacements, overhead to underground conversions, and new underground transmission line design. Additionally, we have experience delivering designs that avoid visual impact in both complex urban environments and rural areas.

We provide the following underground transmission line services:

We specialize in crafting reliable, safe, and cost-effective overhead transmission line designs, up to 765kV AC and HVDC. Our team possesses a wealth of experience spanning all facets of overhead transmission line design, ensuring we consistently deliver solutions tailored to meet the unique requirements of each overhead transmission line project from concept to completion.

The electric grid industry is rapidly changing with the shift in power generation to renewable and clean energy sources, replacement of aging infrastructure, and increased power demand from the public. This change creates challenges that require quality, creativity, and innovation to develop effective overhead transmission design solutions. From Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 1000 and newly issued FERC Order 1920 to other large extra high voltage (EHV) projects that are interconnecting our grid to single pole replacements, we constantly evolve to support our clients through all phases of engineering.

We provide the following overhead transmission line services:

In today’s world of ever-changing technologies, unpredictable weather, and rapid residential and commercial development, utilities face an unprecedented challenge to adapt their distribution grids to meet customer demand. From planning studies to engineering and design to construction management, we provide end-to-end distribution engineering services to meet our clients’ needs.

We pride ourselves on recognizing our clients’ needs based on geography, weather, customer base, size, and other factors. We’ve worked with a variety of clients on projects as “small” as insulator replacements to large, system wide hardening programs and everything in between.

We provide the following services:

• Standards revision: Leveraging our broad experience working with utilities, we apply our knowledge and expertise when reviewing standards to propose suitable modifications.
• Storm damage assessments: We take an agile response to severe weather events and are prepared to rapidly assess storm damage and restore power to affected areas.
• Feeder and lateral hardening: From replacing wood poles to converting overhead to underground, we have the expertise and resources to achieve our clients’ infrastructure hardening and resiliency goals.
• Right-of-way relocations: We have worked in various states with utilities and local transportation agencies to relocate distribution lines and accommodate roadway changes.
• Overhead to underground conversions: Based on field data, our engineers calculate cable sizes and the number of transformers needed to meet expected loads.
• Distribution system planning studies: We provide distribution planning for voltage and VAR optimization, distribution automation, and distributed energy resources (DERs) to provide our clients with estimated costs to make required system upgrades prior to interconnection.

The transition to a 100% renewable grid by 2050 has made energy storage systems (ESS) a critical solution. We have over a decade of experience with both long- and short-duration ESS projects and are well-versed in several different technologies we leverage to offer tailored solutions to fit our clients’ energy storage needs.

With over 7 GW of experience spanning more than a decade, we are a recognized leader in the ESS industry. We’re at the forefront of the current technologies, working closely with clients to develop customized solutions that meet their specific needs. Our expertise encompasses a wide range of technologies, including electrochemical, thermal, mechanical, gravity, and hydrogen, allowing us to address a diverse range of requirements for a variety of applications. Additionally, we offer a full suite of financing support, asset assessments, power purchase agreement (PPA) negotiation, grid studies, and operations and maintenance services to ensure our clients’ projects operate optimally throughout their lifespan.

We provide full services for the following ESS applications:

We have extensive experience in the design of microgrid systems and the associated technologies required for successful system integration and operation. We perform feasibility studies, system modeling, and detailed engineering services, and we function as owner’s engineers for a wide range of microgrid projects.

Our experience covers complex projects, including system modeling, studies of microgrid controllers, and the implementation and integration of large-scale wind, solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and combined heat and power systems. Our expertise extends to the design of communication systems required to connect microgrid controllers to various distributed generation resources. Additionally, we are well-versed in a wide range of generation technologies, including solar, diesel engines, microturbines, reciprocating engines, BESS, and combustion turbines to assist with the development and selection of the appropriate generation resources for a successful microgrid project.

We are licensed and trained in HOMER Pro, a powerful microgrid design tool for distributed generation, and renewable generation and energy storage systems. Additionally, our staff is trained in several transmission planning and modeling programs, including Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSS®E), Electromagnetic Transient Program – Restructured Version (EMTP-RV), Alternative Transients Program (ATP), PSR, and Electrical Transient Analyzer Program (ETAP), with the goal of providing an optimized microgrid system and controller selection. The key to a successful microgrid project is the thorough understanding of all systems and components that comprise a microgrid, from communication systems and distributed energy resources to grid integration.

With the National Climate Task Force’s goal of reaching 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035, renewable energy interconnections are helping the U.S. generation portfolio evolve. We provide engineering services to support operators, affected system operators, and interconnection customers through the application and study processes set forth by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and independent system operators. The processes to connect transmission-level or distribution-level renewable generation to the bulk electric system or local distribution systems are unique and dynamic based upon the regional interconnection location.

As the nation’s demand for alternative energy sources increases and each state establishes carbon or renewable goals, we possess a dynamic understanding and expertise of the renewable energy market to help developers, utilities, and independent power producers (IPPs) navigate the requirements for interconnection applications to independent system operators/regional transmission organizations (ISOs/RTOs) and utilities. Our expertise and knowledge of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) technology, industry trends, changes in tariffs, and utility-sponsored goals help set us apart.

We work directly with our clients to support them in each phase of the interconnection process by providing the services below.

• Identification for point of interconnection (POI) through data driven analysis for onshore and offshore resources.
• Electrical studies, including:
  • Power flow analysis.
  • Dynamic model development
  • Transient stability studies.
  • Short circuit studies.
  • Sub-synchronous control interaction studies.
• Facility study reports, including:
  • Local and area network upgrade and interconnection facilities scoping and development.
  • Single line diagrams, general arrangements, bill of materials, plans, and profiles.
  • Cost estimation.
  • Schedule implementation development.
  • Desktop environmental studies.
• Interconnection agreement engineering support.
• Engineering services to meet generator interconnection agreement requirements.
• Active participation in meetings with each ISO and transmission operators, affected transmission operators, and the interconnection customers.

We offer training courses in overhead and underground transmission line design and the fundamentals of substation engineering for our clients in the utility industry. Sargent & Lundy engineers engaged in utility transmission and substation design teach the courses for utility personnel at our offices or at client locations upon request.

Transmission Line Design Course

2025 Course Dates:
June 23-26, 2025
October 6-9, 2025
Register here.

The four-day overhead course provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of overhead transmission line engineering. A separate two-day course is offered for the fundamentals of underground transmission engineering. Download the flyer with detailed course information here.

Each session offers insight from recent experience on a variety of projects, including new overhead and underground lines and upgrades to existing lines. Attendees participate in specific tasks and hands-on activities pertaining to line design.

Substation Design Course

2025 Course Dates:
June 16-19, 2025
September 15-18, 2025
Register here.

This four-day training course provides a comprehensive treatment of the fundamentals of substation physical design, protection and control systems, civil and structural design, telecommunications, and electrical testing and commissioning. Download the flyer with detailed course information here.

Each session offers insight from recent experience on a wide variety of projects, including enclosed geographical information system (GIS) substations in urban locations and extensive upgrades to existing facilities. The course is tailored to address specific substation design tasks and applications.

Make PayPal payments for the courses here.

Questions about the courses or registration?

Contact Melinda Burns at 423-475-4766.