SPCC Plans for Electrical Substations....General Question
SPCC Plans for Electrical Substations....General Question
(OP)
I am currently preparing Substation SPCC plans for some clients and am interested on input from others on the subject. I have been preparing SPCC plans for 3 years now, but that is not my specialty. I recently read that secondary oil containment (other than conrete O.C. basins) was defined as structures such as berms and dikes, or on-site absorption materials (PIG barrel, etc.) adequate enough to handle a spill from that site. Is that true ?
What I often run across is that some believe that 6" of gravel in the substation is considered secondary containment, and it may have been true in the past. But I do not think that is the case anymore. I have read thru the CFR code and the EPA scripts and there is not a definitive answer as I could see. I have been keeping up with all the deadline changes and such over the past several years, this is just a question I never really had anyone that I could ask.
What I often run across is that some believe that 6" of gravel in the substation is considered secondary containment, and it may have been true in the past. But I do not think that is the case anymore. I have read thru the CFR code and the EPA scripts and there is not a definitive answer as I could see. I have been keeping up with all the deadline changes and such over the past several years, this is just a question I never really had anyone that I could ask.





RE: SPCC Plans for Electrical Substations....General Question
http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/pdfs/contain.pdf
Also check out the text of EPA final revised SPCC rule, 40 CFR 112. See section B 112.7(c), which spells out similar types of secondary containment. Also, section B 112.8(c)(11) discusses means of containment in more general terms for onshore facilities.
In any event, 6" of gravel is not sufficient unless it is underlain by an impermeable material and designed to convey spilled material to a retention pond or sump.
RE: SPCC Plans for Electrical Substations....General Question
RE: SPCC Plans for Electrical Substations....General Question
However, although not required to provide secondary containment, oil-filled equipment must meet other SPCC requirements and provide “appropriate” containment and/or diversionary structures to prevent discharged oil from reaching a navigable watercourse.
Also, check out the following two industry standards:
IEEE Guide for Containment and Control of Oil Spills in Substations (IEEE Std 980-1994)
USDA Design Guide for Oil Spill Prevention and Control at Substations (Bulletin 1724E-302)
I'm currently working on this issue with a large utility company with hundreds of substations who put this off way too long. Not fun.
RE: SPCC Plans for Electrical Substations....General Question
In addition to the list provided in this thread of approved secondary containment systems, we have used the BaySaver Separation System on several projects in the Southeast. This technology was taken from the stormwater treatment industry and found a niche for spill control in rural areas.
RE: SPCC Plans for Electrical Substations....General Question