The Ministry of Industry and Energy for the Samara region organized a briefing for heads of the regional power sector companies presided by Maksim Shikhalov, Minister of Industry and Energy.
Aleksey Sofinskiy, Deputy Chief Engineer of IDGC of Volga, PJSC told about the key projects included in the investment program-2015 and implemented KPIs of Saratov Distribution Grids, a branch of IDGC of Volga, PJSC.
The branch fully implemented all winterization measures ensuring safe operation during the autumn and winter period, and obtained the Certificate of preparedness for the winter season. The branch ensured necessary levels of emergency inventory stock of materials and equipment and assigned the emergency response and repair staff equipped with necessary vehicles and special purpose machinery for rescue and recovery operations. Specialists tested and ensured operational readiness of 12 mobile backup power units, each of 30 kW and above, with the aggregate capacity of 1,256 kW. The staff received proper training.
To implement the repair program, 255 million rubles were allocated. Specialists repaired 1,172 kilometers of the overhead power transmission lines (OHTLs), rated for 35 kV and above, 2,453 kilometers of OHTLs rated for 0.4-10 kV, 112 substations rated for 35 kV and above, 1,107 transformer substations, and completed vegetation management activities in ROW area covering 1,159 ha. All planned activities under the repair program were completed in full. Equipment operates at enhanced reliability levels, with the resulting decrease in the total number of irregularities, volumes of undersupplied energy for consumers and the duration of outrages.
This year power engineers put into operation 105.41 km of power transmission lines and 33.02 MVA transformer capacities. The total volume of capital investments in electric grid facilities of the Saratov branch exceeded 521 million rubles. According to Aleksey Sofinskiy, Dergachi-I, II overhead transmission line (110 kV) is one of the critical projects on the technical upgrade and reconstruction. Specialists of Zavolzhskoye Production Department of Saratov Distribution Grids completed reconstruction of the overhead transmission line with the total length of 120 km. Reconstruction activities included reduction of spacing between supports, replacement of supports, including anchor-type supports, and replacement of porcelain insulators for the glass ones. Such reconstruction efforts provide protection against wind and icing loads, ultimately resulting in increased reliability. Automated “islanding” of the Dubkovskiy segment of overhead transmission line (6 kV), Pravoberezhny PD, is considered to be one of the key projects implemented as part of the Smart Grid program. The works completed under this project included installation of 6 disconnecting switches, 8 new reclosers, 6 new control cabinets for the existing reclosers, and replacement of oil circuit breakers for vacuum circuit breakers. At the control center of the Saratov power distribution zone, specialists deployed software for intellectual workstations for dispatchers, and a GPRS router for integration with the Systel Information System designed to facilitate the dispatch control of the power facilities. The completed works allow to automatically identify and isolate the affected grid segments, and minimize disturbance to the supply of electricity in case of damages to power transmission lines. The similar project is being implemented at Privolzhskoye Production Department.