Case Study: University of California, San Diego ensures reliable campus power with SEL microgrid control

UC San Diego keeps critical facilities powered with SEL microgrid installed in 2015

The University of California, San Diego, a top research university, required a highly reliable power source for its critical marine and medical research facilities. Their challenge was to build a resilient microgrid that could balance generation and loads while islanded from the main grid and to integrate numerous distributed energy resources across campus. Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) was engaged to address this with their powerMAX Power Management and Control System.

SEL Engineering Services designed a solution using the SEL powerMAX system to quickly balance load and available generation during a grid disturbance. The system integrated SEL intelligent electronic devices across the campus for protection, control, and automation. As a result, the university's microgrid can now detect unstable grid conditions, island itself, and shed noncritical load to ensure reliable power for its most critical facilities, providing both resiliency and operational flexibility.

University of California, San Diego