S&C Electric Company brings over a century of expertise in resolving challenging issues for a wide range of customers, including large and small utilities, Commercial and Industrial (C&I), and renewable generation customers. Our Consulting & Analytical Service offerings are tailored to meet diverse customer needs, including renewable energy integration, increased reliability, smart grids, microgrids, advanced energy resiliency, and the system-wide deployment of automation projects such as self-healing grids.
Consulting Services
Our consulting team offers expert guidance on medium-voltage power systems, helping customers identify challenges and implement effective solutions. We deliver tailored recommendations that support customer goals and ensure reliable, efficient system performance. Through dependable expertise and a focus on continuous improvement, we aim to strengthen customer relationships and enhance the value of S&C’s products and services.
The following list is a sample of our consulting services offered:
We help you choose and apply the right S&C equipment for your system, ensuring each solution fits your specific goals and operating conditions. Our team reviews system details, available options, and potential challenges to provide clear recommendations that boost reliability and long-term value. We work closely with you to make sure every product is set up for success from day one.
Whether you're navigating a particular issue or looking to improve overall system performance, our engineers offer straightforward, actionable guidance. We not only figure out “what” is happening in your system but also explain “why” and recommend the most effective solutions. You will gain clarity, confidence, and a path toward stronger long-term reliability.
For unique or highly complex challenges, we leverage our solid domain expertise to deliver deeper insights. Whether you're exploring transient behavior, arc‑flash conditions, or any specialized system interactions, we provide the expert guidance you can trust. Sample services include:
Event Analysis
When your system experiences a disturbance or unusual event, we help you understand what occurred and what it means for your operation. We analyze recorded data, explain the findings in clear terms, and outline steps to improve future system performance. Our goal is to turn unexpected events into learning opportunities that strengthen your system.
Troubleshooting / Investigation
If something isn’t working as expected, we help identify the root cause quickly and accurately. Our engineers use a systematic approach to diagnose issues and guide you toward effective, long‑term solutions. We stay with you throughout the process to ensure you feel supported and confident in the path forward.
We offer practical, easy‑to‑understand training that empowers your team to work confidently with power systems and S&C technologies. Our interactive seminars and workshops can be tailored to your team’s experience level, making learning both accessible and engaging. The result is improved skill and decision‑making across your operations.
Think of us as an extension of your engineering team, someone who looks out for your best interests through every phase of a project. We review designs, evaluate equipment choices, and help ensure everything meets your technical and operational goals. With our support, you can reduce project risks and keep things moving smoothly.
Our laboratory services give you a clear view of how equipment will perform under real-world conditions. We conduct precision testing to answer questions, validate designs, and help verify that equipment meets your expectations. You’ll receive clear, detailed results that support confident planning and decision-making.
We create and validate protection relay settings that are customized for your system’s needs. Our team ensures every configuration is accurate, documented, and aligned with operation and protection requirements. This helps your system respond properly to faults and operate exactly the way you expect.
When you need hands‑on support in the field, we’re ready to help. Our experts assist with commissioning, troubleshooting, equipment evaluations, and more, right at your location. We work efficiently to resolve issues, verify system performance, and keep your operation running smoothly and safely. Specific services include:
Power System Measurements
We capture detailed, real‑world performance data, including voltage, current, and power quality, to help you understand exactly how your system is behaving. These measurements reveal issues that might not be visible through models or routine inspections. This insight enables targeted improvements and better planning for the future.
System Assessments
Our system assessments give you a clear, comprehensive picture of your current performance and potential improvement opportunities. We evaluate design, equipment condition, and operational practices to identify areas that could benefit from upgrades or adjustments. You’ll receive practical recommendations that strengthen reliability and reduce long‑term risks.
Data Collection
Accurate data is essential for effective decision‑making and analysis. We gather the system information needed for engineering studies, troubleshooting, and planning activities. With clean, well‑organized data in hand, you can move forward confidently and avoid guesswork.
Forensic Investigation
If an unexpected equipment or system failure occurs, we will help you understand what happened and why. Our investigations include on‑site inspections, data analysis, and engineering evaluation. You’ll receive clear explanations and actionable steps to prevent similar issues in the future.
Analytical Services
Through our leadership and expertise in all aspects of power delivery, S&C’s professionals have become recognized among the industry’s leading experts in analyzing complex power systems. Leveraging state-of-the-art technology, advanced models, and commercially available software, our teams apply their knowledge to the most pressing power system challenges.
A list of some of the software tools we use for analytical studies, which are flexible to meet customer requirements:
- CYME
- CYMTCC
- ETAP
- SKM
- EasyPower
- ArcPro
- PSCAD
- Siemens-PTI’s Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSS®E)
- GE’s Positive Sequence Load Flow (PSLF)
The following list is a sample of our analytical study services offered:
We evaluate protective devices and their settings to ensure your equipment receives the level of protection it needs during fault events. Our engineers review device timing, fault current levels, and system configuration to create coordination schemes that isolate issues quickly while limiting unnecessary outages. We also verify alignment with relevant industry standards and customer specific practices. The result is a protection plan that minimizes downtime and supports the long-term health of your equipment and reliable operation of your system.
Short circuit studies determine how much current will flow during faults and whether your equipment can safely withstand those stresses. We examine all relevant fault scenarios and compare the results against equipment ratings, protective device capabilities, and manufacturer limits. Our engineers also identify areas where adjustments or upgrades may be needed to maintain safe operation. This gives you peace of mind that your system is prepared for unexpected events.
Power flow studies evaluate how power moves through your system under normal and contingency conditions. We analyze voltage levels, current loading, equipment capacity, and system losses to identify performance concerns before they lead to operational issues. Our team also recommends improvements such as reactive power support, system reconfiguration, or capacity expansion when necessary. This insight supports planning decisions and helps maintain efficient, stable operation.
The contingencies we examine include N-1, N-1-1, and other scenarios defined by NERC.
We assess the potential for arc flash hazards across your facilities by examining system configuration, fault levels, and protection settings, with a special focus on medium-voltage and high-voltage equipment where the risks and physics are different from low-voltage environments. Our team routinely performs studies for distribution and transmission class equipment, metal clad switchgear, substations, underground distribution, renewable plants, and complex industrial systems where many firms are out of their comfort zone.
Our engineers calculate incident energy and arc flash boundaries at each location, as well as identifying practical ways to reduce hazard levels. We explain the drivers of arc flash energy in clear terms and propose mitigation options such as adjusted protection settings, zone selective interlocking, maintenance switching, fast bus tripping schemes, and equipment layout improvements. The result is a safer work environment, better labeling, and clear steps that align with your operational constraints.
Standards and guidance we follow for arc flash studies and safety programs:
- NFPA 70E for electrical safety in the workplace including risk assessments, arc rated PPE, labeling, and safe work practices.
- IEEE 1584 2018 for incident energy calculation methods including enclosure size, electrode configuration, and gap effects.
- OSHA 1910 Subpart S and OSHA 1910.269 for electric power generation, transmission, and distribution safety requirements.
- ANSI C2 NESC for utility and substation environments including approach distances and work practices.
Our engineers investigate a range of power quality concerns such as harmonics, flicker, voltage sags, interruptions, and disturbances that may affect your equipment and systems. We use advanced measurement tools and analyzers to capture real data from your facility and pinpoint the root cause of each issue. Once we have a clear understanding of the conditions, we recommend targeted mitigation methods that restore smooth, reliable operation. This helps you protect sensitive equipment and maintain consistent performance. Specific analysis and services include:
- Harmonics
- Flicker
- Filter Design
- Reactive Compensation Sizing
- NERC Compliance
- Power Quality Measurements and Analysis
Dynamic analysis focuses on how your system behaves during fast or large changes in operating conditions. We review responses to load changes, generator trips, system restoration steps, and variations in voltage and frequency. These studies help determine whether your system can remain stable during events that place stress on equipment or operations. Our findings support regulatory compliance requirements and help improve overall system resilience. Specific analysis include:
- Load Shedding
- Black Start & Restoration
- Voltage & Frequency Stability
- NERC Compliance
We examine high frequency events that occur over extremely short time frames, such as sudden overvoltage, rapid voltage recovery, and insulation stress. These events can place significant strain on equipment even if they are not easily visible through standard monitoring practices. Our analysis identifies where vulnerabilities exist and outlines steps to protect your assets. This helps prevent damage, reduce the likelihood of failures, and extend the life of your system. Specific analysis include:
- Insulation & Protection: TOV, TRV, Insulation Coordination, and Lightning/Surge Analysis.
- Equipment Dynamics: Transformer Inrush, Ferroresonance, and Motor Starting.
- Grid Stability & Resonance: SSR/SSCI (Subsynchronous Interactions), Control Interaction Studies, and Black Start Validation.
- Power Electronics: HVDC, FACTS, and Renewable Integration (IBR) Analysis.
We review your distribution network to identify ways to improve protection strategies, reliability, resilience, energy losses, and hosting capacity for new resources. Our engineers perform detailed assessments that highlight where improvements can deliver meaningful operational benefits. These findings help you prioritize upgrades, plan for growth, and support customer satisfaction. The result is a more efficient and future ready distribution system. Specific analysis include:
- Protection Philosophy
- Reliability
- Resiliency
- Distribution System Losses
- Capacitor Placement
- Hosting Capacity
We study how adding new resources or loads will impact your existing system. This includes renewable resources, energy storage systems, distributed energy resources, microgrids, large commercial developments, and data centers. Our analysis identifies constraints, necessary upgrades, and operational considerations to ensure a safe and reliable interconnection. We help you navigate technical and regulatory requirements with clear, practical recommendations that support successful project integration.
We perform transfer analysis to determine how proposed interconnection projects will interact with the existing power system and impact on the overall system reliability performance. It provides a holistic view of whether the grid can reliably accommodate new generation or load and identifies any required upgrades, constraints, or operational considerations. Examples where this analysis is used include:
- Project siting analysis
- Generation injection analysis
- Hosting capacity analysis
We develop models and scripts of generation, load, and energy storage facilities as well as associated substations that can be used in various commercial software platforms such as PSS®E, PSLF™, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PSCAD, etc. Our engineers have extensive knowledge and experience of developing transient and dynamic simulation models of WTGs, PV inverters, power plant controllers (PPC), dynamic reactive compensation systems, and energy storage systems. These models include not only standard models but also user-written models that are tailored to specialized studies. We ensure that models developed are compliant with regulatory requirements and industry standards.
We build accurate system models that reflect actual operating conditions, allowing you to run studies with confidence. These dependable models provide the visibility you need into system behavior to take full control of your future decision-making.