Hotline of power engineering specialists:
Power engineers start to summarize the autumn-winter operation period of 2016-2017. IDGC of Centre – Smolenskenergo division analyzed the data of the winter control measurement of electrical loads and voltage levels in the grids. As part of this event, the power engineers conducted hourly control measurements of the actual flow distribution, voltages and loads in the nodes, load capacity connected to the emergency control system and included in the schedules of temporary outages. The control time for determining the measurements was established by the Regional Dispatch Office of the power systems of the Kaluga, Bryansk and Smolensk regions (Smolensk Transmission Control Centre).
As the Grid Control Centre of IDGC of Centre – Smolenskenergo division informed, the maximum consumption of electric power of consumers of the Smolensk energy system (taking into account power losses in electric grids) was about 680 MW, which exceeded the last year’s figure by 2.5%. Connection of new customers to the branch grid allows to maintain a high level of electricity consumption in crisis conditions.
In 2016, the number of 35-110 kV substations increased, at which control measurements were carried out without involving personnel and equipment using modern software systems. Thanks to the modernization of the information collection and transmission system and the AMR system, the number of such substations was 64 (14 more than in 2015). This allows not only to obtain the most accurate data and simplify their processing, but also primarily to reduce transportation costs and significantly reduce the labour costs of the branch staff.
Based on the results of the control measurements, the data allow to balance the operating modes of electric grids and carry out long-term and short-term load planning. The results of the measurements are used to develop a scheme for the future development of the power system, calculate and analyze losses in the branch grids, generate emergency outage schedules, and configure emergency control devices. All these measures are ultimately designed to improve the efficiency of regional electric grids, prevent the occurrence of technological violations and disruptions in the electricity supply to consumers.
Also, based on the results of the control measurements, a list of 35-110 kV substations is made, the emergency loading of which, according to the results of the control measurements, is more than 75%, is specially allocated and controlled. In the future, this information is taken into account when considering requests for connection to these power centres and when considering operating requests for changing the operating status of equipment, to avoid overloading transformers. So, due to the implementation of reconstruction measures, replacement of the branch equipment and construction of a new 110 kV Sofia substation in 2016, the load of the main power centres of Vyazemsky and Gagarinsky districts decreased: the 110 kV Vyazma-1 Substation (10%) and the 110 kV Gagarin Substation (20 %), which allowed to significantly reduce the risk of overloading equipment in emergency mode during peak loads of the autumn-winter operation period.
