Overcurrent & Earth Fault Protection Fundamentals

Power system protection is one of the most critical disciplines in electrical engineering. Every electrical network is designed with protection systems to detect faults, isolate faulty equipment, and ensure that the remaining system continues to operate safely and reliably.

This beginner-friendly course introduces the fundamentals of protection coordination and explains why protection systems are essential in modern power systems. Through practical engineering concepts, you will understand how protection relays operate, why backup protection is necessary, and how protection coordination minimizes the impact of electrical faults.

The course covers the key principles of protection engineering, including selectivity, operating speed, main and backup protection, and the classification of protection schemes. You will also learn the fundamentals of overcurrent and earth fault protection, along with an overview of voltage-based, current-based, frequency-based, and directional protection functions.

What you'll learn

• Fundamentals of power system protection

• Protection coordination principles

• Selectivity and operating speed

• Main and backup protection

• Overcurrent and earth fault protection

• Classification of protection relays

• Current, voltage, frequency, and directional protection

• Foundation for relay coordination studies

This course is ideal for electrical engineering students, fresh graduates, power system engineers, protection engineers, and professionals working with substations and industrial electrical systems.

No prior experience with protection coordination is required. By the end of this course, you will understand the principles behind protection systems and be well prepared to explore advanced relay coordination and protection studies.