Professional Certificate of Competency in Circuit Breakers, Switchgear & Power Transformers

The course is composed of 12 modules, covering the application, installation, maintenance, and testing issues relating to switchgear, circuit breakers, and transformers.

Module 1: Introduction to Switchgear

• Single line diagrams
• Active and passive network components
• Circuit breaker utilization
• Alternative forms of MV switchgear – ring main units and load breaking/fault making switches
• Fuse switches
• HV fuses in combination with and as alternatives to circuit breakers
• Auto-reclosers and auto-reclose operation

Module 2: Applications of Switchgear

• Principles of current interruption
• Plain break circuit breakers
• Bulk and small oil volume circuit breakers
• Turbulator (explosion pot)
• Operating mechanisms
• Transfer earth circuit breakers
• Air break and air blast switchgear
• SF6 and vacuum
• Switchgear in association with isconnectors
• Fixed and withdraw-able designs
• Switchgear standards
• Factors affecting switchgear selection

Module 3: Switchgear Specifications

• Switchgear ratings – highest system and impulse withstand voltages, load, and short circuit currents
• Simple and complex protection systems
• Switchgear ancillaries, measurement CTs, VTs and relays
• Cable terminations
• Indoor and outdoor operation
• Substation and switch room layouts and design
• Short circuit testing
  • Symmetrical and asymmetrical breaking
  • Make and break operations
  • Understanding test oscillograms
  • Case study – Specification for a 132 KV Switchboard

Module 4: Operational safety

• General safety precautions and the use of personal protective equipment
• Principles of safety rules
• Principles of personal authorization
• Operative training for the safe operation of switchgear
• Isolation in a circuit breaker context
• Safety documentation
• Operational and safety locking, caution and danger notices
• Work safety in a substation environment
• Safety interlocks
• Substation alarms
• Individual study tasks and presentation – safety policies in my company and how they might be  improved

Module 5: Asset Management in the context of Switchgear

• Case Studies
  • Sprecher and Schuh
  • Schneider
  • ABB
  • Siemens
  • Assets management in a switchgear context
  • Principles of time and condition-based asset management
  • Asset registers
  • Asset management systems

Module 6: Switchgear diagnostics, testing and maintenance

• Switchgear inspection methodologies
• Partial discharge measurement and survey
• Timing tests
• Thermovision
• Mechanisms of deterioration
• Principles of circuit breaker maintenance
• Maintaining oil circuit breakers
• Contact maintenance and contact wipe
• Oil testing
• Maintaining vacuum circuit breakers
• Maintaining SF6 circuit breakers
• SOPs and DINs
• Switchgear defects and defect control Systems

Module 7: Transformer Theory

• Construction (shell type and core type)
• Classification and type in relation to insulation, windings, core, cooling systems, voltage level, sizing, tank and breathing action
• Transformer parts
• Power transformers and safety
  • How to install, operate and work with high voltage power transformers safely
    Earthing of HV transformers

Module 8: Transformer Construction and Operation

• Electrical values and their definition in a power transformer – voltage, current, number of turns,  impedance and their interrelation
• Operation of power transformers in a power system
• Thermal performance, loading, paralleling, tap-changing, connections and vector groups

Module 9: Transformer Protection

• Surge protection
• Protective relaying (differential, over-current and earth fault)
• Buchholz relay and pressure relief relay
• Thermal devices and instruments (oil temperature alarm and trip, winding temperature alarm and trip)

Module 10: Transformer Types

• Design criteria
• Specifications

Module 11: Oil quality & testing

• Oil contents: water, acidity and dissolved gas
• Oil tests: dielectric breakdown, moisture, resistivity, interfacial tension, specific gravity, power factor and furan analysis
• Recovery voltage measurement test

Module 12: Electrical tests and preventive maintenance

• AC Tests:
• Power factor tests (insulation, oil, and bushings)
• Single-phase excitation current test
• Transformer turns ratio test
• DC Tests:
  • Insulation resistance test
  • Dielectric absorption test
  • Polarization index test
  • Step voltage test
  • Hi-pot test
• Preventative maintenance on power transformers
• Techniques to improve life expectancy

To obtain a certificate of completion for EIT’s Professional Certificate of Competency, students must achieve a 65% attendance rate at the live, online fortnightly webinars.  Detailed summaries/notes can be submitted in lieu of attendance.  In addition, students must obtain a mark of 60% in the set assignments which could take the form of written assignments and practical assignments. Students must also obtain a mark of 100% in quizzes.  If a student does not achieve the required score, they will be given an opportunity to resubmit the assignment to obtain the required score.

Please note: This 3-month programme is non-credit-bearing and non-accredited, delivered by ECT’s affiliated institute, EIT, and therefore your certificate of completion will be awarded by EIT.

You will be required to pay your tuition fee upfront before the programme start date.

For a limited time, a promotional fee of £599 applies to new applications submitted between 1 July 2026 and 30 November 2026. The standard tuition fee is £933.

Payment can be made by credit card (Visa and Mastercard only). Upfront payments must be received prior to the programme’s start date.

Please note that if the course does not proceed, you will be issued with a full refund.

The promotional fee cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. We reserve the right to amend, extend or withdraw this promotion after the advertised closing date.

Our courses are delivered by experienced engineers and technical experts from around the world. Many have tackled real-world engineering challenges and bring practical, applied knowledge directly into the classroom.

We draw from a global pool of instructors and lecturers across our organisation. Explore our full team of expert educators on the Instructors & Lecturers page here.

Please note: Not all lecturers and instructors listed on this page will teach every course. The team teaching your course will be confirmed as part of your course enrolment.

This course may use the following software:

• VPLab

Due to ongoing unit and course reviews, software may change from the list provided.

You are expected to spend approximately 5-8 hours per week learning the course content. This includes attending fortnightly webinars that run for about 90 minutes to facilitate class discussion and allow you to ask questions. This program has a 65% attendance requirement in the live webinars in order to graduate from the program. If you are unable to attend the live webinars, you have the option of watching the recording of completed webinars and sending a summary of what you have learnt from the webinar to the Learning Support officer. The summaries go towards your attendance requirement for the program.

This program is run online on an intensive part-time basis and has been designed to fit around full-time work. It will take three months to complete.

We understand that sometimes work commitments and personal circumstances can get in the way of your studies, so if at any point you feel that you are struggling with the pace of the course or finding a particular module challenging, you are encouraged to contact your designated Learning Support Officer for assistance.

Registrations are open for our upcoming intakes. Please ensure you book your place at least one week before the start date of the program.
If the course is not currently scheduled, please contact us.