With more than 40 years of experience in the power industry, Tony Giuliante offers a historical perspective on why techniques such as testing and engineering calculations were done the way they were done in the past. He encourages students, however, to “re-engineer by using the power of today’s technology.”
Traditional relay test methods were designed on the assumption that users did not have test equipment for testing relays under power system conditions, Giuliante said. “So, traditional test procedures were developed using basic test equipment components such as variacs, phase shifters, and load boxes. With modern test equipment, power system conditions can easily be simulated. By making a profile of the operation of the scheme, malfunctions can be found faster because it is easier to identify the changes in areas that don't operate the way they are expected.”
Giuliante, the president and founder of ATG Consulting, will teach at ENOSERV’s two-day relay training program in September at the ENOSERV training facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Designed for technicians and engineers, the course will begin with an introduction to protective relaying, phasor calculations, symmetrical components, ct saturation and COMTRADE. The second day will cover an introduction to distance relaying, measuring errors, pilot relaying schemes, and dynamic relay testing fundamentals. On the last day, testing techniques will be presented with hands-on sessions.
“We’re pleased to have Tony provide this three day training program,” said Dennis Loudermilk, president of ENOSERV. “We want to do our best to help equip people in the industry with the knowledge they need to do the best job they can. It’s a very exciting opportunity for us to provide this training on the fundamentals of relay testing concepts with a very knowledgeable expert and teacher in the field.”
Dynamic relay testing is a relatively new concept that will enable companies to test relays faster with more meaningful test results, according to Giuliante. New techniques in software and monitoring help to achieve these objectives.
Giuliante’s field experience comes through in his teaching methods. He breaks down complex concepts into simple parts that can be easily understood. He is also active in the standards process and writing industry reports (he is past chairman of the IEEE Power System Relaying Committee). With new standards and techniques comes a need to train engineers and technicians, and Giuliante enjoys teaching. “To see someone’s face ‘light-up’ when they finally grasp a new concept is rewarding,” he said.
Prior to forming his company in 1995, Giuliante was executive vice president of GEC Alsthom T&D Inc.— Protection and Control Division, which he started in 1983. Before GEC, he worked with General Electric and ASEA.
In fact, he joined General Electric when the company was looking for power engineers to work in relaying after the Northeast blackout on Nov. 9, 1965, during which a relay misoperation was cited as a cause.
Now he enjoys being a consultant: “I have the freedom to choose what I do, when I do it and how I do it.”
