Systems and methods for facilitating medium voltage microgrid operation to manage critical loads

A system, comprising:

• at least two utility circuit breakers, each of the at least two circuit breakers are configured to control a flow of power from each of at least two utility feeders of a grid to corresponding at least two portions of a data center load, the at least two utility feeders comprising a first utility feeder and a second utility feeder, the at least two portions comprising a first portion and a second portion;
• a load circuit breaker positioned between the at least two portions of the data center load, the load circuit breaker configured to control a flow of power through the at least two portions of the data center load,
• wherein the first utility feeder and the first portion of the data center load are connected to a first fuel cell system configured to operate in one of at least two operating modes based on an operation of each of the at least two utility feeders of the grid,
• wherein the second utility feeder and the second portion of the data center load are connected to a second fuel cell system configured to operate in one of the at least two operating modes based on the operation of each of the at least two utility feeders of the grid,
• wherein the at least two operating modes comprise a grid-forming mode and a grid-following mode;
• and
• a controller electronically coupled to the at least two utility circuit breakers and the load circuit breaker, the controller configured to:
• receive a plurality of values corresponding to one or more electrical parameters from the at least two utility circuit breakers and the load circuit breaker;
• detect at least one of:
• an availability status of each of the first utility feeder and the second utility feeder to supply power to the first portion and the second portion of the data center load respectively, based at least on the plurality of values;
• and
• a connection status associated with the load circuit breaker positioned between the first portion and the second portion of the data center load, based at least on the plurality of values;
• and
• facilitate each of the first fuel cell system and the second fuel cell system to operate in one of the at least two operating modes in response to the at least one the availability status of each of the first utility feeder and the second utility feeder, and the connection status associated with the load circuit breaker.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a controller, a plurality of values corresponding to one or more electrical parameters from at least two utility circuit breakers positioned between at least two utility feeders and corresponding at least two portions of a critical load respectively, and a load circuit breaker positioned between the at least two portions of the critical load;
• detecting, by the controller, at least one of:
• an availability status of each of the at least two utility circuit breakers to supply power to the corresponding at least two portions of the critical load respectively, based at least on the plurality of values;
• and
• a connection status associated with the load circuit breaker positioned between the at least two portions of the critical load, based at least on the plurality of values;
• and
• facilitating, by the controller, each of at least two fuel cell systems to operate in one of at least two operating modes in response to at least one of the availability status of each of the at least two utility feeders, and the connection status associated with the load circuit breaker, wherein the at least two operating modes include a grid-forming mode and a grid-following mode.