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ENGINEERING DIRECTORATE
NEDeRS MEMBER COMPANIES CONFIDENTIAL

URGENT
From: Tel: Fax:
Bernard Pentecost 020 7706 5100
bernard.pentecost@energynetworks.org

ENA Ref: DIN 2011/0006/00 Date:

02 Feb 2011

(Please inform switchboard that your enquiry relates to NEDeRS)

DANGEROUS INCIDENT NOTIFICATION (DIN)

(This form to be used only if a SERIOUS injury or fatality has or could have occurred. See Engineering Recommendation G28/4 for notes of guidance on use)

Incident Date/Time: Manufacturer: Equipment: Serial Number: System Voltage: Rating: Indoor/Outdoor: Op. Environment: Area of Failure: Cause(s): Other Plant Affected: Hyperlinks: 1

20 Jan 2011 GEC Alsthom Circuit Breaker - HWX - GEC Alsthom R084 A 6.6 kV 3150A Indoor Mechanism/Mechanical Mechanical (vibration/shock/damage/malfunction) Year Manufactured: Date Commissioned: Date Last Maintained: 2005

No exceptional environmental factors

DIN 2011/0006/00 Energy Networks Association Ltd; Reg. Office: Dean Bradley House, 52 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF. Reg. in England No. 4832301

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Incident Description:

Due to a failure of a mechanical interlock it was possible to rack in the vacuum circuit breaker (VCB) truck with the VCB in the CLOSED position. The design intent of the VCB is such that a mechanical interlock ensures that 'a circuit breaker can only be inserted into, or withdrawn from, the housing with the circuit breaker operating mechanism OFF and the isolating mechanism in the FREE position'. When inserting the VCB into the service position the interlock handle must be in the FREE position. In the FREE position the truck locking bars are retracted and the racking handle is allowed to be inserted. The FREE position can only be selected when the manual trip pushbutton is pressed and held whilst turning the interlock handle. Once the interlock handle is in the FREE position the manual trip pushbutton is held in by a mechanical interlock. This should ensure that the VCB is in the OPEN position when it is racked into the service position. In this case it was possible for the interlock handle to be in the FREE position with manual trip pushbutton held in but no actual trip given - see Photograph 1. The failure of the manual trip mechanism allowed the VCB to be racked into the service position with the VCB CLOSED. The failure of the manual trip pushbutton was due to the actuation rod not pushing the trip bar far enough to operate the trip mechanism. This appears to be caused by deflection of the actuation rod or possibly being too short - see Photograph 2. Note: The HWX VCB was originally manufactured by GEC Alstom which then became Areva and subsequently Schneider Electric.

Injuries Sustained: Immediate Action:

2

None A local investigation has been setup and the OEM will be consulted.

1. Previously known as Associated Reports. On the NEDeRS web site (http://www.enaeng.org/neders), the user can browse associated incidents by linking directly between them. 2. Any immediate action taken or proposed, including setting up a board of enquiry, informing staff and EI trade unions or any other comments.

The information contained in this Report has been prepared by one or more members of the Energy Networks Association National Equipment Defect Reporting Scheme (Scheme Members) and distributed by the Energy Networks Association (ENA) solely for the benefit of Scheme Members. No warranties, guarantees or assurances are given by the ENA in respect of any information in this Report. The information in this Report does not have regard for the particular circumstances of any party that may obtain a copy of it. Accordingly, the ENA, its Scheme Members, its partners, employees and agents accept no responsibility or liability to any third party which acts or fails to act in reliance on this Report and/or any of its contents and any such acts or failures to act are entirely at that partys own risk.

DIN 2011/0006/00 Energy Networks Association Ltd; Reg. Office: Dean Bradley House, 52 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF. Reg. in England No. 4832301

AEP Incident Report Incident: Date of incident: Description of incident: Failure of mechanical interlock on 6.6kV VCB 20 January 2011

The failure of a mechanical interlock on a 6.6kV VCB allowed the breaker truck to be racked to its service position whilst the VCB was in the closed position. This resulted in a flashover which operated the switchboard protection. No one was injured by the incident, although the VCB and switchboard suffered damage. The VCB Carriage interlock arrangement is such that a mechanical interlock ensures that "a circuit breaker can only be inserted into, or withdrawn from, the housing with the circuit breaker operating mechanism OFF and the isolating mechanism in the FREE position". In order to insert the racking handle and retract the carriage locking bars, the VCB Manual Trip button is depressed and held in by moving the Isolating Mechanism to the FREE position. The investigation has demonstrated that the VCB Manual Trip button can be depressed and the Isolating Mechanism moved to the FREE position, with the VCB operating mechanism ON (closed). This failure re-emphasises the need for visual verification of the status of a circuit breaker prior to racking into, or out of, service position.

Learning points/ action taken:

Equipment involved in incident (model, description)

Manufacturer: AREVA (Formerly ALSTOM, now SCHNEIDER Electric) Type: Vacuum Circuit Breaker HWX Form A Voltage: 6.6kV (Range 3.3 - 15kV) Manufactured: 2005

Contact:

Mike Rock 01793 892032

Photograph 1 VCB truck in FREE position and ON

Photograph 2 Close-up of Manual Trip Pushbutton Actuation Rod