Westar is a Kansas based electrical generation and transmission utility. The Buffalo Flat 345 kV Switchyard is located west of Wichita, Kansas. ECI was engaged by NextEra Energy as an “approved engineer” for Westar to provide all civil, structural and electrical R&C design to Westar standards for this station. The purpose of the engagement was to support accelerated engineering and construction of this major new facility to integrate 600 MW of wind energy into the 345 kV system. NextEra initially approached Westar about a timeline to build this interconnection; Westar provided an 18 month timeline to construct.

The Buffalo Flats Substation is a 3-rung breaker-and-one-half 345 kV yard including eight (10) 345 kV breakers, (2) 50 MVAR shunt line reactors installed to control open-end EHV line voltages and 16’ x 50’ control building.

ECI was responsible for managing the reactive studies required to define application of 345 kV line reactors used for control of end of line voltage. Westar applied a stringent requirement of 1.10 per unit to be maintained under any N-1 or N-2 system condition. Services included basis for design recommendations for reactor specification, neutral reactor application to evaluate potential for coupled line resonance associated with reactor breaker failure under switching conditions, as well as breaker TRV/switching.