NEI was asked to complete the LAMSO (Lamar South) 115kV - 24.9 kV substation after the originally assigned consultant had exhausted the budget without completing the design or meeting their obligations as design professionals.  NEI reviewed the design, status of construction, and delivery schedules.  Effective communication channels were established between Lamar, Tri-State G&T, the Contractor, and suppliers.  The existing design was modified, missing components ordered, and new drawings developed, while working closely with the Contractor and suppliers to ensure as much of the lost time and extra cost incurred on the project could be recovered for Lamar.  NEI developed relay settings, set the relays, and commissioned the substation along with the City and the Contractor.  This included setting and testing the SEL protective relays, SEL-2030, and the integration between the SEL-2030 and the Advanced Control Systems (ACS) RTU.

NEI evaluated the suitability of the existing 24.9 kV electrical distribution system for the installation of four (4) 1.5 MW GE Energy Wind Turbines.  The project was a joint effort between Lamar Light and Power (three turbines) and the Arkansas River Power Authority (ARPA), which owns one turbine.  ARPA supplies wholesale electric power to its members in Southeast Colorado: Holly, La Junta, Lamar, Las Animas, Trinidad and Springfield. Raton, New Mexico is also a member of ARPA.  The system was modeled and analyzed using ASPEN software.  Modifications to the protection schemes and grounding were required to allow the turbines to safely operate in parallel with the Lamar system.  A new SEL-351R recloser, set and tested by NEI, was installed by Lamar's crews to protect the three mile tap to the site.  NEI also assisted Lamar with setting up the radio used to connect the recloser controller to SCADA. 

In order to address aging electromechanical relays and the possibility of increased wheeling charges from Tri-State, Lamar elected to take advantage of the wind farm addition, completion of LAMSO substation, and NEI's experience to increase the operational flexibility of their 24.9 kV system.  NEI replaced failed and unreliable electromechanical relays and added a PT, for dead line reclose sensing, on one of the main feeders in the Lamar Power Plant Substation.  With the new relay and appropriate relay settings, Lamar is able to feed their loads from LAMSO substation, consume the wind generation, and avoid wheeling charges on the transmission feed to the Power Plant Substation.

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