IEEE-Compliant EHV, HV & MV Substation Design Services by Keentel

Electrical power substation with transformers, insulators, and overhead power lines.

At Keentel Engineering, we deliver expert EHV, HV, and MV substation design services that form the foundation of today’s electrical grid infrastructure. Backed by over 30 years of experience and multi-state Professional Engineering licensure, our team designs IEEE-compliant substations that meet the highest standards for safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. From transmission substation layouts to distribution substation design, we provide end-to-end engineering solutions tailored to utility, industrial, and renewable integration needs.

Our experience spans extra-high-voltage transmission facilities, high-voltage utility substations, and medium-voltage distribution and industrial installations. These services support greenfield developments, brownfield expansions, and mobile substations, ensuring voltage-specific performance, constructability, and long-term operational reliability.



We don’t just build substations—we engineer performance-optimized power infrastructure with full lifecycle support from feasibility and planning to detailed design, construction oversight, and commissioning.

Why IEEE Standards Matter in Substation Design

IEEE standards are the backbone of modern substation engineering. They govern grounding safety, insulation coordination, busbar design, seismic resilience, automation, communication protocols, environmental protection, and cybersecurity. Compliance with these standards ensures that EHV, HV, and MV substations perform safely under normal operation, fault conditions, and extreme environmental events.

Keentel Engineering integrates IEEE guidance across every engineering discipline to ensure consistent, auditable, and utility-grade substation designs.

Safety and Grounding Standards

• IEEE Std 80 – Safety in AC Substation Grounding – Ensures safe touch and step voltage levels through soil resistivity modeling and optimized grounding grid design.
• IEEE Std 81 – Earth Resistivity and Ground Impedance Testing – Guides field investigations used to validate grounding system performance prior to final design.
• IEEE Std 837 – Grounding Connection Integrity – Defines qualification requirements for permanent grounding connections and bonding continuity.
• IEEE Std 1246 – Temporary Protective Grounding – Applied during construction and maintenance activities to protect personnel working on or near energized systems.
• IEEE Std 1268 – Mobile Substation Safety – Supports safe design and deployment of mobile substations during emergency and planned outages.

Structural and Seismic Resilience

• IEEE Std 605 – Rigid-Bus Design – Influences conductor sizing, support spacing, and structural loading for air-insulated and hybrid substations.
• IEEE Std 693 – Seismic Design of Substations – Ensures structural systems withstand site-specific seismic forces in active fault regions.
• IEEE Std 1527 – Flexible Buswork in Seismic Areas – Applied to medium-voltage systems requiring enhanced movement tolerance.

Fire & Environmental Protection

• IEEE Std 979 – Substation Fire Protection – Governs fire detection, suppression, and separation strategies for transformers and control buildings.
• IEEE Std 980 – Oil Spill Containment – Guides containment design for oil-filled equipment to protect soil and waterways.
• IEEE Std 1127 – Community and Environmental Compatibility – Addresses noise control, fencing, visual mitigation, and public interface considerations.

Power System Reliability and Testing

• IEEE Std 998 – Lightning Shielding– Guides placement of masts and shield wires to protect substation equipment from direct lightning strikes
• IEEE Std 1240 – HVDC Converter Station Reliability – Applied to long-term reliability planning for DC-connected facilities.
• IEEE Std 1303 – SVC Field Testing – Ensures proper verification of reactive power compensation systems.

Automation, Cybersecurity & Communication

• IEEE Std 1686 – IED Cybersecurity – Shapes secure integration of intelligent electronic devices and access control policies.
• IEEE Std 1815 – DNP3 Protocol – Forms the foundation of SCADA and RTU communication architectures.
• IEEE Std C37.1 – SCADA Systems – Defines redundancy, control functions, and operational requirements.
• IEEE Std C37.2 – Device Function Numbers – Standardizes schematic symbols and protection references.
• IEEE Std 1646 – Communication Time Requirements – Ensures timing performance for protection and control signaling.

Gas-Insulated and Hybrid Substations

• IEEE Std C37.122 and related guides – Govern the design of gas-insulated switchgear bays and hybrid AIS-GIS substations, including SF₆ handling and enclosure requirements.
• IEEE Std 1125– addresses moisture control in SF₆ systems to ensure insulation integrity and long-term reliability.

Special Design Considerations

• IEEE Std 1427 – Electrical Clearances – Applied in three-dimensional modeling to ensure safe phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground spacing.
• IEEE Std 1264 – Animal Deterrents – Protects substations from wildlife-related outages.
• IEEE Std 1267 – Turnkey Substation Specifications – Forms the basis for EPC and owner’s-engineer documentation.

Keentel’s Engineering Process: From Concept to Energization

Our approach ensures full IEEE compliance across every discipline:

1. Site evaluation and soil testing guided by IEEE Std 81. – Detailed design incorporating IEEE grounding, structural, seismic, and clearance requirements.
2. Protection, control, automation, and cybersecurity design aligned with IEEE C37 and 1686 series standards.
3. Leveraging IEEE 1686 and C37 series for SCADA, IED, and cyber-secure protocols.
4. Construction oversight and field verification using IEEE-based QA/QC procedures.

Why Choose Keentel Engineering?

Keentel Engineering delivers IEEE-compliant EHV, HV, and MV substation design services grounded in practical utility experience. Our engineers apply standards as operational tools, not checklists, ensuring that designs perform reliably under real-world loading, fault, and environmental conditions.

With expertise spanning transmission substations, distribution networks, renewable energy interconnections, and mobile substation solutions, we help clients reduce risk, streamline approvals, and achieve long-term operational efficiency. Our integrated approach combines primary and secondary design, protection and control engineering, grounding analysis, and automation to support the full lifecycle of substation infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions – IEEE Standards for HV & MV Substation Design

Case Studies: High-Impact Substation Projects by Keentel

230/34.5 kV Greenfield Collector Substation with BESS Integration

Project Title: Utility-Scale Solar + Battery Energy Storage Substation (Confidential Client)
Location: Southwestern United States
Scope: Full-scope engineering for a 230 kV to 34.5 kV greenfield collector substation supporting a 300 MW hybrid solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS).

Project Summary

Keentel Engineering was selected to deliver comprehensive HV and MV substation design services for a renewable energy project involving utility-scale solar and storage. Our scope covered everything from primary 230 kV high-voltage yard design to MV switchgear layout, transformer integration, and SCADA-controlled automation.

Key Engineering Deliverables:

• Complete electrical design of primary and secondary systems, including substation control building.
• Grounding system engineered per IEEE Std 80™, validated by field soil resistivity testing following IEEE Std 81™.
• Lightning protection study in compliance with IEEE Std 998™, ensuring asset shielding and grid reliability.
• SCADA and substation automation integrated using IEC 61850 protocols and secure IED configuration based on IEEE Std 1686™.

IEEE Standards Applied:

• IEEE Std 80™, 81™ – Grounding system design and soil testing
• IEEE Std 693™ – Seismic resilience analysis for transformer and breaker foundations
• IEEE Std 1686™ – Cybersecurity standards for Intelligent Electronic Devices
• IEEE Std 1379™ – Communication protocol integration for protection systems

Outcome

Keentel Engineering delivered a fully IEEE-compliant substation design, meeting all utility interconnection requirements within an 8-month window. The design supported rapid approval, enabled seamless integration into the transmission grid, and helped advance renewable power delivery with minimal rework or delay.

Urban Brownfield Substation Expansion with Load Growth and GIS Integration

Project Name: Confidential Urban Substation Upgrade
Location: Northeast U.S.
Scope: Retrofit and expansion of an aging 115 kV brownfield substation to support a 40% increase in electrical load demand while improving operational flexibility and security.

Key Engineering Highlights

• Redesigned rigid busbar systems in accordance with IEEE Std 605™ for optimized conductor performance.
• Upgraded legacy air-insulated breakers with compact GIS (Gas-Insulated Switchgear) for improved space utilization and reliability.
• Implemented advanced substation physical and cybersecurity protocols as outlined in IEEE Std 1402™ and IEEE Std 1686™.
• Integrated with existing SCADA infrastructure and IEC 61850 protocol to enhance automation and monitoring.

IEEE Standards Applied

• IEEE Std C37.122™ – GIS equipment specification and layout best practices.
• IEEE Std 1427™ – Clearance optimization within confined substation environments.
• IEEE Std 1402™ – Substation physical security design.
• IEEE Std 525™ – Medium voltage cable routing and installation.

Outcome

Keentel Engineering delivered a fully modernized, IEEE-compliant substation solution that enhances urban grid resilience, streamlines fault recovery, and minimizes maintenance-related downtime. The project achieved zero safety incidents and received unanimous utility approval following testing and commissioning.

Mobile Substation Engineering for Emergency Grid Restoration and Temporary Support

Project Name: Confidential Mobile Substation Deployment
Location: Midwest U.S.
Scope: Custom engineering and commissioning of a mobile 69 kV to 12.47 kV substation designed to serve as a flexible bypass solution during planned maintenance and emergency grid restorations.

Engineering Highlights

• Designed and built a transformer trailer with flexible buswork and integrated control panels for streamlined operations.
• Developed a universal protection and control panel compatible with multiple relay schemes, supporting versatile deployment.
• Conducted detailed temporary grounding analysis in compliance with IEEE Std 1246™ for safe operations under energized conditions.
• Engineered quick-connect infrastructure for rapid installation and removal, minimizing utility downtime.

IEEE Standards Applied

• IEEE Std 1268™ – Guidelines for safe design and deployment of mobile substation equipment.
• IEEE Std 1246™ – Temporary protective grounding in energized environments.
• IEEE Std 998™ – Lightning protection for mobile and outdoor applications.
• IEEE Std 1613™ – Environmental standards for networking equipment in substation environments.

Outcome

The mobile substation was successfully deployed across multiple utility projects, helping minimize service interruptions during large-scale transmission upgrades. Keentel Engineering’s adaptable substation design, fast mobilization, and compliance with IEEE mobile substation standards ensured seamless operation across diverse site conditions.

At Keentel Engineering, our commitment to delivering IEEE-compliant substation design services is reflected in every project we undertake—whether it’s a 230 kV collector substation, a brownfield GIS retrofit, or a mobile unit for emergency grid support. Our experienced team ensures each substation is built for reliability, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. If you’re planning an upcoming utility infrastructure project, explore our full range of HV and MV Substation Design Services and Power System Studies to see how we can support your needs from concept to commissioning.

Let’s Talk & Power Your Grid with Proven Expertise

From greenfield collector stations to brownfield expansions and mobile substation solutions, Keentel Engineering delivers high-voltage and medium-voltage substation designs that exceed performance expectations and align with the latest IEEE standards. With over 30 years of engineering excellence, utility partnerships, and multi-state licensure, we’re ready to support your most complex power infrastructure challenges.

Request a Consultation today to discover how our IEEE-compliant, future-ready substation engineering services can help you reduce risk, accelerate deployment, and improve system reliability.

Call us at 813-389-7871
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Let’s engineer the future of your grid—together.