Principles of Substation Design and Construction

Lodging

DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Downtown

525 West Johnson Street
Madison, WI 53703

Accommodations include: Complimentary WiFi and Local/Airport Shuttle. Parking available $15/night.

800-222-8733

608-251-5511

Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club

One West Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53703

Room: rates start at $160

Accommodations include: Complimentary WiFi, Local/Airport Shuttle, Pool, and Fitness Center.

Fluno Center

601 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

Accommodations include: Your stay includes hot breakfast buffet, fitness center, business center, convenient on-site parking. Guest rooms are complete with Keurig coffee maker, refrigerator, complimentary high-speed Internet, and 40-inch, flat screen, high-def TVs.

More Madison Lodging Options

Instructors
Kevin Borgmeyer
Kevin Borgmeyer, PE, is a retired Senior Manager of Electrical Engineering in Wisconsin. In this role Kevin managed the departments of Substation Engineering, System Protection Engineering, CAD Engineering Services, and Relay, SCADA, and Telecommunications Technical Support. He has managed electric utility substation projects for more than 30 years, during which he has worked in a variety of engineering management positions. Kevin also has extensive design experience as a substation and transmission engineer and senior system protection engineer. Borgmeyer received a BSEE degree with electric power emphasis from Iowa State University.
Sheldon Silberman
Sheldon I. Silberman, PE, Retired as Senior Manager of Engineering and Design Outsourcing Transmission Services after 46 years at Xcel Energy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this role, Silberman managed all consulting services for the engineering and design of Northern States Power (NSP) substation and transmission line projects. In his career with Xcel Energy/NSP he held various engineering and management positions related to substation design, construction and maintenance. Silberman received a BSEE degree in electric power systems from the University of Minnesota.
Program Director
Kevin Rogers

Total Credits:

CEU 2.3,

PDH 23,

Course Administration

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

"This is the fourth course I've taken from UW and I would recommend their courses to anyone. Always very helpful, especially the practical examples and real-world issues presented. Sheldon Silberman is very knowledgeable and personable! Kevin Borgmeyer is a great teacher; I hope some day I'll know as much as he does (or even half that much)!"
"I can't imagine that any organization could prepare a better introductory substation design course. All of the instructors were excellent."

Course Details: RA00063-E286

Day 1

Substation Types and Purposes

Fundamentals of power system operation
Objectives of substation design

Overview of the Substation Design and Construction Process

Establishing the need for substation facilities
The project scope document: what it is and what it should contain
Site selection and environmental issues
Engineering design: equipment specifications and drawings
Construction
Testing, start-up, and commissioning

Initial Steps in the Design Process: Setting the Bounds for the Overall Project

Reviewing and understanding the project scope document
Information to gather before the first site visit
What to look for on the initial site visit
Determining site adequacy for initial and future requirements
Environmental, zoning, and public perception issues
Construction and construction outage requirements: access for construction and O&M equipment
Ordering material/delivery date issues

Site Selection and Design

General requirements
Environmental and permitting issues
Site preparation
Drainage and erosion protection
Surface materials
Roads and access

Permitting and Environmental Issues

Acquiring necessary permits
Zoning and ordinance restrictions
Longterm site impacts
Impacts during construction: runoff/stream pollution

Foundation Design

The site visit and what to look for
Understanding soil test reports

Bus Designs for Reliability

Bus configurations and 1-line diagrams
Forced and planned outage performance
Cost-reliability comparisons

Day 2

Substation Layout: Converting 1-line Diagrams to Physical Layouts

Substation components and required code clearances
BIL, insulation coordination, and surge arresters
Future expansion
Access for O&M
Design exercise

Grounding and Ground Grid Design

Purpose of grounding
Field-testing ground grid resistance and soil resistivity
Materials and installation

Major Substation Equipment

High-voltage and medium-voltage disconnect switches
Design exercise

Day 3

Secondary Substation Equipment

Surge arresters

Major Substation Equipment

Circuit breakers
Circuit switchers

Auxiliary Equipment and Systems

AC/DC station power and control system supplies
Design exercise

Protective Relaying and Control

System protection objectives and philosophies
Protective relaying schemes for major substation equipment
Typical relay types and applications

Expansion and Upgrade of Existing Substations

Feasibility and limitations

Course Location

Holiday Inn Orlando Official Walt Disney World Hotel

1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

407-828-8888

877-394-5765

Lodging

Holiday Inn Orlando Official Walt Disney World Hotel

1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Room: rates start at $159

Group Code: PS7

Reserve by: January 22, 2027

Accommodations include: Find room and resort amenities through the Online Reservations link provided below. A $39 Resort Fee is added to final booking costs. If you book using the Online Reservations room block link, the resort fee will be discounted to $18 at checkout. If you do not use the link below and book through a 3rd party website, the hotel staff cannot adjust your reservation you will be charged the full resort fee. Parking is NOT included in the Group Rate. Parking is an additional $25-30 per day.

407-828-8888

877-394-5765

Instructors
Kevin Borgmeyer
Kevin Borgmeyer, PE, is a retired Senior Manager of Electrical Engineering in Wisconsin. In this role Kevin managed the departments of Substation Engineering, System Protection Engineering, CAD Engineering Services, and Relay, SCADA, and Telecommunications Technical Support. He has managed electric utility substation projects for more than 30 years, during which he has worked in a variety of engineering management positions. Kevin also has extensive design experience as a substation and transmission engineer and senior system protection engineer. Borgmeyer received a BSEE degree with electric power emphasis from Iowa State University.
Sheldon Silberman
Sheldon I. Silberman, PE, Retired as Senior Manager of Engineering and Design Outsourcing Transmission Services after 46 years at Xcel Energy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this role, Silberman managed all consulting services for the engineering and design of Northern States Power (NSP) substation and transmission line projects. In his career with Xcel Energy/NSP he held various engineering and management positions related to substation design, construction and maintenance. Silberman received a BSEE degree in electric power systems from the University of Minnesota.
Program Director
Kevin Rogers

Total Credits:

CEU 2.3,

PDH 23,

Course Administration

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

"This is the fourth course I've taken from UW and I would recommend their courses to anyone. Always very helpful, especially the practical examples and real-world issues presented. Sheldon Silberman is very knowledgeable and personable! Kevin Borgmeyer is a great teacher; I hope some day I'll know as much as he does (or even half that much)!"
"I can't imagine that any organization could prepare a better introductory substation design course. All of the instructors were excellent."

Course Details: RA00063-E164

Day 1

Substation Types and Purposes

Fundamentals of power system operation
Objectives of substation design

Overview of the Substation Design and Construction Process

Establishing the need for substation facilities
The project scope document: what it is and what it should contain
Site selection and environmental issues
Engineering design: equipment specifications and drawings
Construction
Testing, start-up, and commissioning

Initial Steps in the Design Process: Setting the Bounds for the Overall Project

Reviewing and understanding the project scope document
Information to gather before the first site visit
What to look for on the initial site visit
Determining site adequacy for initial and future requirements
Environmental, zoning, and public perception issues
Construction and construction outage requirements: access for construction and O&M equipment
Ordering material/delivery date issues

Site Selection and Design

General requirements
Environmental and permitting issues
Site preparation
Drainage and erosion protection
Surface materials
Roads and access

Permitting and Environmental Issues

Acquiring necessary permits
Zoning and ordinance restrictions
Longterm site impacts
Impacts during construction: runoff/stream pollution

Foundation Design

The site visit and what to look for
Understanding soil test reports

Bus Designs for Reliability

Bus configurations and 1-line diagrams
Forced and planned outage performance
Cost-reliability comparisons

Day 2

Substation Layout: Converting 1-line Diagrams to Physical Layouts

Substation components and required code clearances
BIL, insulation coordination, and surge arresters
Future expansion
Access for O&M
Design exercise

Grounding and Ground Grid Design

Purpose of grounding
Field-testing ground grid resistance and soil resistivity
Materials and installation

Major Substation Equipment

High-voltage and medium-voltage disconnect switches
Design exercise

Day 3

Secondary Substation Equipment

Surge arresters

Major Substation Equipment

Circuit breakers
Circuit switchers

Auxiliary Equipment and Systems

AC/DC station power and control system supplies
Design exercise

Protective Relaying and Control

System protection objectives and philosophies
Protective relaying schemes for major substation equipment
Typical relay types and applications

Expansion and Upgrade of Existing Substations

Feasibility and limitations

Course Location

Fluno Center

601 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

Lodging

Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club

One West Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53703

Room: rates start at $160

Accommodations include: Complimentary WiFi, Local/Airport Shuttle, Pool, and Fitness Center.

DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Downtown

525 West Johnson Street
Madison, WI 53703

Accommodations include: Enjoy complimentary business center, WiFi and Local/Airport Shuttle. Each room has a refrigerator, microwave, 42-inch HDTV, and executive desk. Parking available $15/night.

800-222-8733

608-251-5511

Fluno Center

601 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

Accommodations include: Your stay includes hot breakfast buffet, fitness center, business center, convenient on-site parking. Guest rooms are complete with Keurig coffee maker, refrigerator, complimentary high-speed Internet, and 40-inch, flat screen, high-def TVs.