Potential loss as a criterion for the selection of electrical equipment diagnostic and protection systems

Solutions aimed at ensuring safety and minimizing losses, implemented in both operating and newly developed protection systems for power equipment, require the improvement of existing loss calculation methodologies, the justification of new performance indicators, cost analysis, and the assessment of the consequences of poor power quality. When selecting diagnostic and protection means for power equipment, the situation is not entirely unambiguous or definite. A wide range of alternative protection systems and devices may be considered, each of which can be regarded as technically justified. The substantiation of new decision-making criteria for the selection of protection systems, diagnostics, and the forecasting of accident development is one of the key directions in identifying pre-emergency states and in the development of relay protection systems for electrical equipment. This paper considers the issues of selecting the structural components of relay protection systems based on a justified criterion of potential damage. A multilevel system for diagnostics and protection of electrical equipment is proposed. The developed system enables the design of relay protection schemes and the identification of damage types depending on the probable emergency condition of electrical equipment and the expected level of losses.Recieved:14.01.2026.Recieved:16.03.2026.Accepted:17.04.2026.