A practical guide to how protective relays detect faults, trip circuit breakers, coordinate protection zones, and improve power system reliability. Core idea: Protective relays monitor electrical quantities and command protective devices to isolate faults or abnormal. Power System Protective Relays: Principles & Practices Protective Relays - Technical Seminar Nov 2016 - Copyright: IEEE 1 Power System Protective Relays: Principles & Practices Presenter: Rasheek Rifaat, P. Eng, IEEE Life Fellow IEEE/IAS/I&CPSD Protection & Coordination WG Chair Jacobs Canada. Selectivity is a mandatory requirement for all protection, but the importance of it depends on the application. For example, unselective protection operation during a medium voltage network fault will cause an outage for an unnecessarily large number of consumers. Types of Protective Relays: Protective relays are categorized by their mechanism (electromagnetic, static, mechanical) and function. A protective relay is an electronic device used in power systems to monitor and analyze electrical parameters, such as current, voltage, and frequency, and to take action to protect electrical equipment and ensure system stability.