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Appendix C
SUBSTATION BUS CONFIGURATIONS

Most substation are organized similarly to one of four standard configu-

rations. These are referred to as bus configurations. The aluminum cable or
pipe typically used to make power connections among individual substa-
tion equipment is referred to as the conductor. The collection of equipment
used to connect one or two transmission lines (depending on the bus config-
uration) into a substation is called a position. The main conductors that serve
to connect positions together are called a bus. It is the configuration of the
bus that gives a configuration its name. While there are many minor varia-
tions, the four bus configurations are called breaker-and-a-half, double-bus-
double-breaker, double-bus-single-breaker, and ring bus.
An operating diagram is typically used to describe a substation. A single-
line operating diagram gives a simplified schematic circuit diagram of the
substation. It gives an overall view of what equipment is at the substation
and how it is connected. It does not show the physical layout of the substa-
tion, although there is often a close correspondence and it is simplified in
that the three phases are shown as a single line. Figure C-l shows a simpli-
fied, operating, single-line diagram of a substation with a 500-kV switchyard
in a ring bus configuration and a 230-kV switchyard in a breaker-and-a-half
bus configuration. Note that the bus in each of these configurations serves to
connect the transmission lines together from a node in the system. Also note
that, in both configurations, there is a disconnect switch on each side of each
circuit breaker. In this way, the circuit breaker can be isolated for performing
maintenance. In the ring bus, any circuit breaker can be damaged and taken
out of service without affecting the operation of the system. If two adjacent
circuit breakers are taken out of service, the line between them will be iso-
lated from the substation. If nonadjacent circuit breakers of the bus are taken
out of service, the original node formed by the ring bus will be divided into
two nodes and change the configuration of the network.

321

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FIGURE C-l. Single-Line Operating Diagram with a Ring Bus and a Breaker-
and-a-Half Bus.
Note: For simplicity, other equipment usually shown on single-line diagrams has
been eliminated.

In the breaker-and-a-half bus configuration, each position services two

lines. If any single circuit breaker in a position is taken out of service, there
will be no effect on operations. If two circuit breakers are taken out of ser-
vice, the line between them will be isolated from the substation. Note that
each position has two lines and three circuit breakers, or a breaker-and-a-
half per line, the source of the name for the bus configuration. This is gener-
ally the most common type of bus configuration for transmission lines.
These diagrams are simplified in that other equipment, such as wave traps,
potential transformers, and current-voltage transformers, have not been
shown. In real operating diagrams, each element is assigned a number, usu-
ally associated with its position. While the numbering systems vary among
utilities, for a given utility the numbering system simplifies identifying the
location of the equipment in the switchyard.
Figure C-2 shows a simplified single-line operating diagram of a 230-kV
switchyard in a double-bus-double-breaker configuration and a 60-kV
switchyard in a double-bus-single-breaker configuration. In the double-bus-
double-breaker switchyard, a circuit breaker in each position can be taken out
of service without effecting operations. Note that this is the most expensive
configuration, as each line requires two circuit breakers. However, it is not

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 APPENDIX C: SUBSTATION BUS CONFIGURATIONS 323
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FIGURE C-2. Single-Line Operating Diagram with a Double-Bus-Double-

Breaker Bus and a Double-Bus-Single-Breaker Bus.
Note: For simplicity, other equipment usually shown on single-line diagrams has
been eliminated.

significantly more reliable than a breaker-and-a-half configuration, because

the failure of circuit breakers is relatively rare (except in earthquakes).
In the double-bus-single-breaker configuration, there is one breaker for
each line. To provide some measure of reliability, a tie-breaker is added
across the busses. In normal operation, all lines are connected to Bus 1. If, for
example, the circuit breaker on line 2 is taken out of service, the line is con-
nected to Bus 2 and the tie breaker is used to connect Bus 1 to Bus 2. In this
way, the tie breaker provides protection to Line 2. In this bus configuration,
only one breaker can be taken out of service for all positions. In the other
double bus configurations, one breaker in each position can be taken out of
service. Note that in the double-bus-single-breaker configuration shown,
each circuit breaker has isolation and bypass disconnect switches.

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FIGURE C-3. Schematic Diagram of a Breaker-and-a-Half Bus Configuration

with a Transformer Bank.

Figure C-3 shows a schematic diagram for two positions of a breaker-and-

a-half bus. This diagram contains other substation equipment, such as wave
traps and instrumentation transformers, not shown on the above diagrams.
The schematic shows all three phases and pictorial representations of the
equipment. While this diagram provides much more information about
installation details and equipment configurations, for an understanding of
the network configuration the simplicity of a single-line diagram is more
convenient.

Guide to Improved Earthquake Performance of Electric Power Systems