OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this lesson, the participants will be able to:

 To set out the requirements for authorization of staff who will operate ,receive or
work on the National Grid- SA network .

 To set clearly the required qualifications for staff to enter, supervise, operator or
Work in transmission substations and the necessary steps to get authorized.

 To set a clear methodology to authorize the dispatchers to capable of operating

the system, issuing, recording, following-up and closing the appropriate safety
document(s) for the field staff for the required job at work site.

 To standardize the authorization procedure in order that all the staff are subjected
to the same principle kingdom wise.

 To know Duties and Responsibilities of Personnel.

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ACRONYMS

SEC – Saudi Electricity Company

RCC – Regional Control Center
RFW – Ready For Work
RFE – Ready For Energization
S/S – Substation
OHL – Overhead Line
HLW – Hot Line Work
STW – Sanction To Work
SFT – Sanction For Test
LOA – Limitation Of Access
PEA – Portable Earth Application
IER – Isolation and Earthing Request

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• Authorizations for National Grid-SA staff for different business lines ;
Asset Maintenance, Operations and Control , Lines Maintenance and
other related activities executed by Contractors, Generation and
Distribution.
• Specific committees are formed to carry out necessary interviews
and issue proper required authorization.

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• All operations - include all switching, isolation, application portable
earths for Medium voltages, proving dead and phasing-out,
operation of tap changers, resetting of relay indications,…...

• To issue - includes authority to receive close/cancel and permit to

declare the equipment is ready for work {RFW} or permission the
equipment is ready for energization {RFE}.
• To receive includes authority to receive, close/cancel and
declare work Completion

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Interviews and tests for candidates are conducted by a
permanent committee whose members are drawn from:

• Senior engineer from network operations, “chairman”.

• Senior engineer from protection, “member”.
• Five star transmission safety engineer, “member”.
• Senior engineer from maintenance, "member".
• Senior engineer from line maintenance “member”.

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• PERMANENT COMMITTEE

- Conduct interview

-- Issue Authorization Level.

- Issue final recommendation.

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• NETWORK OPERATOR DIVISION
Issue Authorization Card

PROJECT DIVISION
Interview applicants for Contractor Staff.

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 Flowchart
NG Staff authorization

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 Start

NG Staff Secure copy of SEC Safety Rules

Concerned Division Training the Staff Theoretically and At Site

Control Dispatcher Complete the Two Training Programs For Generation & Transmission

Concerned Division Supplement the Formal Training by On-Site hands-on

Permanent Committee Create Permanent Committee

Concerned Division Fill Up The Application In Full, Detailing Experience Of Applicant, etc.

Permanent Committee Conduct Interview and Tests

Permanent Committee Use Templates for Control Dispatcher

Permanent Committee Categorize Authorization Level

Permanent Committee
Issue Final Recommendation and Send To NWO
 Application for Authorization

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The application for different authorization levels shall be
categorized as follows:

The authorization levels C1, C2 and C3 for competent persons shall

only satisfy the general interview requirement.

The authorization levels B1 and B2 for authorized and senior

authorized persons especially for Hot Line Work only

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 The authorization levels A1, A2, A3 and SA for the authorized
persons shall satisfy the required authorization test–A2,
authorization test–A1, and authorization site test as
specified in Templates:

TP-NG-8300-002-005 Authorization Test-A2

TP-NG-8300-002-006 Authorization Test-A1
TP-NG-8300-002-007 Authorization Site Test

All the Control Dispatchers shall have Senior Authorization (SA)

level to issue, close or cancel the safety documents as dictated by
their jobs.
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The final results and recommendations issued by the
Operations and Control permanent committee shall be
sent to the relevant Operation & Control Department to
issue the authorization card

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SA
A1 A2 A3

B1 B2

C1 C2 C3
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SA

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A

18
C

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• All distribution staff have a copy of the current SEC
company safety rules.
• The distribution applicants shall submit their
applications for authorization request completed in full
detailing .
• The distribution applicants shall be interviewed by the
same permanent committee.
• distribution applicants shall only obtain authorization
levels A2, C1, C2 and C3.

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 Start

Distribution Staff Secure copy of SEC Safety Rules

Distribution Staff
Submit Application For Authorization Request

Permanent Committee Conduct Interview To The Applicants

Permanent Committee Issue Authorization Level

Permanent Committee Issue Final Recommendation and Send To NWO

End
DISTRIBUTION STAFF AUTHORIZATION

• A2: To carry out operations for all distribution outgoing feeders.

C1: To receive STW transmission safety documents needed for distribution work
- Such as connection of new distribution panels with the existing switchgear.

C2 :To receive LOA transmission safety document needed for distribution work :
- Such as layout of distribution cables.

C3 : To enter transmission substation for distribution work such as taking

readings.

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• All Contractors’ staff shall have a copy of the current SEC company safety
rules.
• The nominated applicant shall be interviewed by the concerned project
divisions at first.
• After acceptance, the contractor shall fill, sign and stamp the forms
TP-NG-8300-002-003 Request for Temporary Authorization.
and TP-NG-8300-002-004.
• after being signed by project division manager and concerned division
manager for the required work.
• The authorization request to be used is as in TP-NG-8300-002-001
Application for Authorization.

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• Contractor’s applicants shall be interviewed and tested by the
same permanent committee.
• When succeeded to pass the interview, Contractor’s applicants
shall only obtain competent person’s authorization levels C1,
C2 and C3.

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 Start

Contractor Staff Secure copy of SEC Safety Rules

Project Division Interview the Applicants

Contractor Staff Fill, sign and stamp the Forms

Contractor Staff Submit the Applicants for Authorization Request

Permanent Committee Interview and Test the Applicants

Permanent Committee Issue Authorization Level

Permanent Committee Issue Final Recommendation and Send To NWO

End
Contractor Staff Authorization

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Where:

C1: To receive STW transmission safety document.

C2: To receive LOA transmission safety document.

C3: To enter, supervise and monitor transmission

substation not equipped with SCADA.

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REASONS FOR RENEWAL / CANCELLATION, WITHDRAWAL OF AUTHORIZATION

Moving from an operational to non-operational position within the

NG-SA Company

Leaving the NG-SA Company

Unsatisfactory / Unsafe practices or involved in safety violation

Switching error

Moving from one operating area to another

Note: Persons who have had their authorization withdrawn for any reason must follow the full
procedure from the start the process to be re-authorized / renewal.

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 Authorization Levels

“SA” Senior Authorized Persons for S/S maintenance

• To carry out all operations relevant to the H.V. transmission system up to and
including…….…..kV.

• To receive the S.T.W., S.F.T., L.O.A., P.E.A. safety document numbers from RCC
and to take local control of a section of H.V. network with the consent of the
relevant control engineer.

• “B1”; To receive the H.L.W. safety document number from RCC for O.H.L
Transmission System up to and including ………kV.

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 Authorization Levels

“SA” Senior Authorized Control Dispatchers:

• To carry out all duties and responsibilities of a System Control Engineer.

• To issue S.T.W., S.F.T., L.O.A., I.E.R., H.L.W., P.E.A.

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 Authorization Levels

“A1”
• To carry out all operations on Transmission System
• To receive the S.T.W., P.E.A. and L.O.A. safety document numbers from RCC.

“A2”
• To carry out all operations on Transmission System

“A3”
• To receive the L.O.A. safety document number from RCC for a precisely defined
job related to contractor work as described in the authorization card.

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 Authorization Levels

“B1”;
• To receive the H.L.W. safety document number from RCC for O.H.L
Transmission System

“B2”
• To receive H.L.W. safety document to carry out the HLW on OHL
Transmission System

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 Authorization Levels

“C1”
• To receive S.T.W., S.F.T, P.E.A. and L.O.A.

“C2”
• To receive L.O.A.

“C3”
• To enter transmission substations for work purposes such as taking readings and
general inspection.

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 Color Codes

• Senior Authorized Persons shall be in pink color.

• Authorized Persons shall be in yellow color

• Competent Persons shall be in white color

In case of multiple authorizations, the color of the card shall

correspond to the highest level of authorization held.

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Senior Authorized Persons shall be in pink color

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 Authorized Persons shall be in yellow color

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 Competent Persons shall be in white color

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 REASONS FOR RENEWAL / CANCELLATION
/ WITHDRAWAL OF AUTHORIZATION

 Moving from an operational to non-operational

position within the SEC Company.
 Leaving the SEC Company
 Unsatisfactory / Unsafe practices.
 Unsafe switching error.
 Moving from one operating area to another.
 Involved in Safety violation.

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