Protection at the heart of railway asset management

This paper describes the principles of protection systems on the 25 kV electrified railway and how using developments in distance protection and fault location, data recorded during short circuits has become an integral part of maintenance techniques and the management of electrification assets. A short circuit analysis tool (SCAT) has been developed to improve the management of information collected from protection relays. This will increase our understanding of the power supply system and also improve decision making when reclosing circuit breakers following short circuits. The need to standardise our reporting of root causes of short circuits and ensure further monitoring and remedial actions are closed out is also discussed.