ENEL382-26S1 (C) Semester One 2026

Electric Power and Machines

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 16 February 2026
End Date: Sunday, 21 June 2026
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 1 March 2026
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 10 May 2026

Description

This electric power systems course encompasses the concerns of bulk electrical energy, its generation, the bulk transmission, local area distribution and final consumption (the load) as needed by industry, commerce and households. It is a complex subject, as it involves large scale power system interactions involving power-flow, transient stability and system protection, and depends on a multitude of component level characteristics. Renewable generation has added to this complexity. Students in this course will learn analysis techniques for power systems under both steady-state and transient conditions. Basic principles of protection are covered, as are relevant electrical component level concepts, including generators and transformers. The basics of renewable and other energy sources are also covered.

This course aims to equip students with a foundational understanding of electrical power systems, including the major components of the system and the basic methods used for their analysis. The analysis techniques introduced in ENEL382 assume a balanced three-phase system. To keep the focus on core concepts and enable hand calculations, simplifying assumptions are made. These assumptions are relaxed in ENEL480, where unbalanced system conditions and actual voltage levels are considered. Owing to the increased complexity, ENEL480 places a stronger emphasis on computer-based simulation rather than manual calculation.

• Electricity and Society: Historical context of its development and the concept of nodal pricing.

• Per Unit System:

• Power-flow Analysis: Single-phase/balanced power-flow

• Fault Analysis: Balanced fault analysis.

• Substation Layout: Different substation configurations (single-bus, double-bus double breaker, breaker-and-a-half and ring bus).

• Protection: Principles of protection, Overcurrent protection

• Generation & Storage:
    o Renewable energy resources (hydro, marine, wind, solar and geothermal), Thermal generation (e.g. coal, gas), Unconventional generation (e.g. Salient gradient, Magnetohydrodynamics, etc)
    o Storage technologies

• Power Systems Stability:

• Transformers:

• Rotating machines:

Learning Outcomes

  • At the conclusion of this course you should be able to:

  • LO1: Demonstrate a comprehensive, theory-based understanding of power system structure, components, and behaviour when interconnected (WA1)

  • LO2: Recognise and explain power system components, including power generation technologies, power storage technologies, including their advantages and disadvantages, as well as design of different substation layouts, and merit (WA3, WA5)

  • LO3: Perform calculations associated with electrical machines, and typical power
    systems analysis under both steady-state and transient/dynamic conditions (WA1, WA2, WA4)

  • LO4 Understand and design an appropriate protection system (WA3)

  • LO5: Appreciate the social and technical history and present state of electrical power system, including electricity markets and pricing mechanisms (WA6, WA7, WA11)
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Biculturally competent and confident

      Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.

      Engaged with the community

      Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community.

      Globally aware

      Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Timetable 2026

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 17:00 - 18:00 E7 Lecture Theatre
16 Feb - 29 Mar
20 Apr - 31 May
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 E7 Lecture Theatre
16 Feb - 29 Mar
20 Apr - 31 May
Lecture C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 10:00 - 11:00 E5 Lecture Theatre
16 Feb - 29 Mar
20 Apr - 31 May
Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 10:00 - 13:00 Elec 209 CAE Lab
2 Mar - 8 Mar
02 Wednesday 08:00 - 11:00 Elec 209 CAE Lab
2 Mar - 8 Mar
03 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 209 CAE Lab
2 Mar - 8 Mar
Lab B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
16 Mar - 22 Mar
02 Wednesday 08:00 - 11:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
16 Mar - 22 Mar
03 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
16 Mar - 22 Mar
04 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
23 Mar - 29 Mar
05 Wednesday 08:00 - 11:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
23 Mar - 29 Mar
06 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
23 Mar - 29 Mar
Lab C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
27 Apr - 3 May
02 Wednesday 08:00 - 11:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
27 Apr - 3 May
03 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
4 May - 10 May
04 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
4 May - 10 May
05 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
27 Apr - 3 May
06 Wednesday 08:00 - 11:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
4 May - 10 May
Lab D
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
25 May - 31 May
02 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
11 May - 17 May
03 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
18 May - 24 May
04 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
25 May - 31 May
05 Thursday 14:00 - 17:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
11 May - 17 May
06 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Elec 110 Electrical Machines Lab
18 May - 24 May

Examinations, Quizzes and Formal Tests

Test A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 19:00 - 20:30 E5 Lecture Theatre
20 Apr - 26 Apr
02 Tuesday 19:00 - 20:30 E7 Lecture Theatre
20 Apr - 26 Apr

Course Coordinator

Neville Watson

Lecturer

Jeremy Watson

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Test 40%
Laboratory Assessments 20%
Final Exam 40%


Labs (20%)
Students are required to complete all labs. Students will be allocated to each of the labs. The labs will run concurrently for 5 weeks with 1 TA per lab (except Lab C which will run for 4 weeks only).  Labs will be marked by TA/lecturers at end of each session.
A. Power-flow (CAE Lab) worth 6.67%
B. Harmonics and Loads (Machines Lab.) worth 6.67%
C. Synchronous machine (Machines Lab.) worth 6.67%
D. Overcurrent protection (Machines Lab.)

Lab. D will be run as a demonstration rather than hands-on lab. due to the lack of units, however, it is important for the understanding of overcurrent protection.  
In the case of illness or any other reason that meets the University’s Special Consideration criteria that prevents attendance at the allocated lab session, the lab should be completed in one of the following weeks. Non-completion of a lab. will result in a mark of zero.

Scaling of marks
In order to maintain consistency across courses and fairness for students, scaling of raw marks occurs. In the Faculty of Engineering, target course GPAs are calculated based on the performance of the cohort of students in their courses in the previous year. Scaling of the raw total course marks is normally performed so that when converted to grades (using UC Grade Scale) the outgoing GPA is in line with the target GPA for a course. Scaling up or down can occur.
The Grading Scale for the University:
https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/study/study-support-info/study-related-topics/grading-scale

Artificial Intelligence Tools
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for each of the assessments in ENEL382 is summarised in the Table below. No AI use is allowed in the tests and exam because these are closed-book invigilated assessments. Students are always responsible for the accuracy of the submitted works, regardless of which tools are used.

Assessment Item Permitted use of AI
Laboratories        Generative AI tools are not restricted for this assessment.
Laboratory Report Generative AI Tools Are Permitted for Certain Parts of This Assessment
Tests                    Generative AI tools cannot be used for this assessment.
Exam                Generative AI tools cannot be used for this assessment.

Generative AI Tools Are Permitted for Certain Parts of This Assessment
In the assessment, you are permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (AI) for the purpose of proof reading and editing the document, and for gathering and summarising knowledge. No other use of generative AI is permitted. To assist with maintaining academic integrity, you must appropriately acknowledge any use of generative AI in your work. Please include a Statement of AI use (if no AI tool has been used, then this must also be stated) and a listing of all prompts provided to the AI tool, clearly indicating which AI tools were used and how they contributed to your assessment.

Additional Course Outline Information

Mahi ā-Ākonga | Workload (expected distribution of student hours, note 15 points = 150 hours):

Contact Hours

Lectures: 36 hours
Tutorials: 2 hours
Workshops: 0 hours
Laboratories: 12 hours

Independent study

Review of lectures: 52 hours
Test and exam preparation: 44 hours
Assignments: 0 hrs
Tutorial preparation: 0 hours
Laboratory calculations: 4 hours

Total 150

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,190.00

International fee $6,488.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Electrical and Computer Engineering .

All ENEL382 Occurrences

  • ENEL382-26S1 (C) Semester One 2026