Hotline of power engineering specialists:
August 29, a press tour of representatives from leading industry publications of Russia at the branches of IDGC of Centre — Voronezhenergo and Belgorodenergo was held.
During the visit, the journalists learned the investment and innovation activity of the regional electric grid companies providing reliable and uninterrupted power supply to their consumers. Voronezh and Belgorod regions border each other, specialists of the branches are in constant contact, so they know well what the neighbours live and work about, challenges faced and how they solve them. Voronezhenergo performs enormous extensive work on the development of power grid infrastructure and timely satisfaction of consumer demand for electric power. Deputy General Director of IDGC of Centre — Voronezhenergo division director Ivan Kleymenov described the company’s key investment projects implemented in 2012-2013, among them — improving the energy supply of the regional centre. To this end, in Voronezh new underground cable lines were laid, the substation «Central» was fully modernized — in fact, on the site of the old substation a unique modern substation was constructed, which has the utmost importance for the strategic development of the city. Currently, the work is continuing on the upgrade of three more urban substations, construction of new cable lines, increasing opportunities for grid connection of new customers. The journalists visited the facilities of Voronezhenergo, saw what technologies and custom engineering solutions were used in the implementation of the investment projects. One of the most important social projects of Voronezhenergo was the implementation of a program of street lighting in all districts of the region (only last year the power engineers reconstructed street lighting in 376 towns and villages), and the reconstruction of power lines in the area of the federal highway «Don». The lighting of their own section of the M-4 highway is also being performed by power engineers of Belgorodenergo. According to Head of the Department of Economic Development — Deputy Prime Minister of the Belgorod region, Oleg Abramov, the work of the power engineers and regional authorities is aimed at ensuring that not only the federal highway, but all the roads of the region to have proper lighting. As the lighting is increasing safety, culture on the roads, the foundation of the development of road infrastructure and the emergence of new jobs, etc. In the Belgorod region they believe that all of the towns and villages of the region should be comfortable for human life. The basic element of the implementation of this idea is the concept of «Smart City — Smart Grids», which since 2009 has been launched in the region. This concept is designed for many years to come. At every stage, various projects related to increasing intellectualization of all parts of the power grid circuit and raising awareness of consumers. Deputy General Director of IDGC of Centre — Belgorodenergo division director Roman Tkachenko noted that most of the issues related to energy supply in the region are solved by Belgorod power engineers with the active interest of local authorities. The fact that all the grids of the region are consolidated in the hands of Belgorodenergo can be also considered a big plus in the work: there are no local grid companies, and therefore a unified technical and tariff policy and tight control over the activities of each power supply unit is implemented. The participants of the tour visited the Centre for Energy Efficiency of Belgorodenergo, a number of grid facilities, saw the Joint Situation Centre operation. In the course of the tour the focus was not only on the achievements and technical victories of the grid companies. Much was said about the issues that concern both the power engineers and electricity consumers.