Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority

GRIDCO Infrastructure Company

Score
Sec Question
Name
A 5 points
Please briefly tell us about yourself and explain why you think you are the best suitable
1.0
candidate for the job?
Outline two of your outstanding achievements to date which you feel enriched the Authority’s
1.1
image or position or how they contributed in achieving the authority’s goals and objectives.
1.2 What is the job of the Chief technician in Protection? Do you feel graduate engineers are
necessary in maintenance and can you support your answer?

1.3 Are the functions of Senior Test Engineer, Chief Technician and Principal Technician different
and in what way?
10points
Given that you succeed to be the Chief Technician, what will be your role in achieving the
2.0
section’s vision, mission & objectives? What are they?
What are the characteristics of a good protection system and what should be done to achieve
2.1
this?
B 5 points
What are fault levels and How are they calculated? What is the use of fault levels? Which are
3.0
the three fault levels does one normally calculate? What is protection coordination and how is it
done?
What is the difference between numeric and solid state relays and what are the advantages of
3.1
one over the other? In automatic voltage regulation:- what is line drop compensation and what
parameters used to effect it. – what is bandwidth and what is it set as.
What is the difference between a CT and a VT? Please define CT saturation and the term knee
4.0
point? What is the relevance of knee point to relay settings? In the class 5P20 what does the 5
& 20 stand for? What is overfluxing and what causes it? What sort of protection do expect to get
on a 50MVA and on a 2MVA transformer, what determines the level of protection on such
transformers. Can you give two methods of inrush detection and what are the advantages over
the other methods.
What is the purpose of auto-reclosing on distribution and transmission lines. What determines
4.1
the number of reclosers to be set? What parameters do you set in an auto-reclose relay and
what is the purpose of each? Describe one intertripping scheme which is normally used on the
authority’s transmission network and its features? What is zone one extension? What is the
use of an SVC, how does it operate and what is its protection like?
10 points
Please outline the mist difficult assignment you have undertaken in your career and how you go
7.0
about solving the problem.
-A 30 v battery & charger set at a station is completely damaged beyond repair and there is no
spare available, do you treat this as an emergency or not. If so what will be action?
-During commissioning you discover that you don’t have a polarity tester, what improvisions can
you make?
You have been appointed team leader of a cross-functional team (projects, assets care 5points
8.0 &protection), what will you do to promote team cohesion and motivation.
What is the purpose of standards? Does protection section need to be ISO certified , what are
the benefits and what is the role you are going to play in this regard?
What is the purpose of Admin notes, employment regulations and code of conduct? How will
8.1 you deal with a situation of a subordinate who is absent from duty without leave? Can you give
examples of category A, B, C & D misconduct and how you will deal with them?
Please explain what you understand causes powerswings and what can be done on the protections to 10 points
5.0 counter the effects of power swings. What is the use of underfrequency schemes. What do you understand
by synchronism and what is likely to happen to a tranformer and a generator if the system is closed out of
synchronism and what can be done to prevent this?
What are your aspirations and where do you see yourself (career wise) in the next five years

The Score Sheet Is to be used together with the ZESA Managerial Interview Score Sheet. For example scores of section A 1.0 , 1.1
etc should add up to score put in 1 of the managerial interview score sheet.
 Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
GRIDCO Infrastructure Company
Protection Business
Chief Technician Interview Questions & Score Sheet

Score
Sec Question Mathe Mutomu Garande
Name
A 5 points
Please briefly tell us about yourself and explain why you think you are the best suitable
1.0
candidate for the job?
Outline two of your outstanding achievements to date which you feel enriched the Authority’s
1.1
image or position or how they contributed in achieving the authority’s goals and objectives.
1.2 What is the job of the Chief technician in Protection? Do you feel graduate engineers are
necessary in maintenance and can you support your answer?

1.3 Are the functions of Senior Test Engineer, Chief Technician and Principal Technician different
and in what way?
10points
Given that you succeed to be the Chief Technician, what will be your role in achieving the
2.0
section’s vision, mission & objectives? What are they?
What are the characteristics of a good protection system and what should be done to achieve
2.1
this?
B 5 points
What are fault levels and How are they calculated? What is the use of fault levels? Which are
3.0
the three fault levels does one normally calculate? What is protection coordination and how is it
done?

What is the difference between numeric and solid state relays and what are the advantages of
3.1
one over the other? In automatic voltage regulation:- what is line drop compensation and what
parameters used to effect it. – what is bandwidth and what is it set as.
What is the difference between a CT and a VT? Please define CT saturation and the term knee
4.0
point? What is the relevance of knee point to relay settings? In the class 5P20 what does the 5
& 20 stand for? What is overfluxing and what causes it? What sort of protection do expect to get
on a 50MVA and on a 2MVA transformer, what determines the level of protection on such
transformers. Can you give two methods of inrush detection and what are the advantages over
the other methods.

What is the purpose of auto-reclosing on distribution and transmission lines. What determines
4.1
the number of reclosers to be set? What parameters do you set in an auto-reclose relay and
what is the purpose of each? Describe one intertripping scheme which is normally used on the
authority’s transmission network and its features? What is zone one extension? What is the
use of an SVC, how does it operate and what is its protection like?
10 points
Please outline the mist difficult assignment you have undertaken in your career and how you go
7.0
about solving the problem.
-A 30 v battery & charger set at a station is completely damaged beyond repair and there is no
spare available, do you treat this as an emergency or not. If so what will be action?
-During commissioning you discover that you don’t have a polarity tester, what improvisions can
you make?
You have been appointed team leader of a cross-functional team (projects, assets care 5points
8.0 &protection), what will you do to promote team cohesion and motivation.
What is the purpose of standards? Does protection section need to be ISO certified , what are
the benefits and what is the role you are going to play in this regard?
What is the purpose of Admin notes, employment regulations and code of conduct? How will
8.1 you deal with a situation of a subordinate who is absent from duty without leave? Can you give
examples of category A, B, C & D misconduct and how you will deal with them?
Please explain what you understand causes powerswings and what can be done on the protections to 10 points
5.0 counter the effects of power swings. What is the use of underfrequency schemes. What do you understand
by synchronism and what is likely to happen to a tranformer and a generator if the system is closed out of
synchronism and what can be done to prevent this?
What are your aspirations and where do you see yourself (career wise) in the next five years

The Score Sheet Is to be used together with the ZESA Managerial Interview Score Sheet. For example scores of section A 1.0 , 1.1
etc should add up to score put in 1 of the managerial interview score sheet.