High Power Lab

Powertech’s High Power Laboratory offers evaluation, verification, and certification testing of medium- and high-voltage products to support manufacturers, power utilities, and other users of electrical equipment.

Areas of Focus

The lab is the largest grid-connected short-circuit testing facility in North America and operates independently of utilities and manufacturers. It has controlled power level capabilities for short-duration single-phase tests up to 400 MVA and three-phase tests up to 1,000 MVA.

Test services include load- and fault-interrupting tests, arc-resistance tests, momentary and short-time current tests, and failure-mode and exploratory tests involving applying precisely controlled distribution-level 60 Hz voltage and current to test objects.

All our certification testing, equipment development testing, quality assurance testing, and non-standard testing is performed in accordance with IEEE, ANSI, IEC, UL, and CSA standards. 

CAPABILITIES

Features

  • Three-phase source with three independent single-phase, short-circuit transformers
  • Network of selectable circuit elements for precise current, power factor, and transient-recovery-voltage control
  • Make switches for accurately timed energization
  • Dedicated team of engineers and technicians for set-up, execution, and reporting
  • Comprehensive protection, control, and instrumentation system
  • One outdoor and one indoor test cell

High Power Testing Capabilities

Max voltage 1 phase – 44.8 kV rms l-g
Max voltage 3 phase – 38.8 kV rms l-l
Max current 1 phase –100 kA rms
Max current 3 phase – 80 kA rms

SERVICES

Tests Include:

  • Load and fault interrupting tests
  • Momentary/short circuit resistance tests
  • Arc-resistance tests
  • Failure-mode/exploratory simulations

Equipment Tested:

  • Reclosers, breakers, disconnects, and sectionalizers
  • Metal-enclosed and metal-clad switchgear
  • Fuses: power, current-limiting, and cutouts
  • Transformers: power, instrument
  • Reactors
  • Insulators
  • Arresters
  • Connectors: grounds, separable
  • Junction boxes
  • Cables
  • Fault current indicators
  • Non-conventional: smart grid sensors, optical voltage and current transducers, and others

Technology Consulting:

  • Finite element analysis and advanced numerical analysis for multi-physics electrical device design
  • Test program and planning advice for standards-based and design verification testing of electrical technologies

Brochures/Data Sheets