The major direction of the investment activities of IDGC of Centre — Lipetskenergo division in 2011 was the retrofit of substations (SS).
76 million rubles have been spent on the retrofit of SS 110/35/6 kV “Cement”, which was commissioned in 1963. To date, the design work to expand the facility and the necessary equipment procurement procedures have been performed. Currently construction, installation and repair work is being performed. After completion of all planned activities at the end of this year the capacity of the substation, which prior to the reconstruction was 115 MVA, will be increased by 43 MVA. This will allow industrial enterprises of Lipetsk to fulfill their increased energy demand and provide capabilities for technological connection of new production facilities.
In the fourth quarter of 2011 Lipetskenergo plans to commission the first stage of the reconstructed SS 110/35/6 kV “Bugor”. At the facility the work on installing a new switchgear of transformer T-1 with a capacity of 63 MVA is being completed. In 2012, another transformer with a capacity of 63 MVA will be installed at the power facility. The cost of construction, installation and commissioning works on putting into operation two transformers with total capacity of 126 MVA with the delivery of power equipment will be about 277 million rubles. The increase in the capacity of the substation “Bugor”, one of the oldest city substations, operating since 1935, will allow eliminating the emerging shortage of power in the central part of the city of Lipetsk. The implementation of the project will increase annual electric power transmission up to 51.1 million kWh, which is two times more compared to 2010. This will enable the connection of new consumers, create capacity reserve for increasing the reliability of power supply, supply electricity to promising development sites in the older districts and downtown area.
This year Lipetskenergo has started performing design work on the retrofit of one more important substation — SS 110/35 kV “South West”. In 2012 its capacity will be increased by 40 MVA through putting a third transformer into operation.
Totally in 2011 1.02 billion rubles have been spent on retrofit and reconstruction of power facilities. Execution of the investment program in 2011 will allow Lipetskenergo to increase 691 km of transmission lines and 288 MVA additional capacity.
“Retrofit of the grid complex is a prerequisite for further improving the quality and reliability of power supply, as well as solving current challenges of energy efficiency”, — noted Deputy Director for Capital Construction Rashid Rikamov.