Hotline of power engineering specialists:
First Deputy General Director for Technical Policy of JSC "Russian Grids" Roman Berdnikov had a working visit to the Yaroslavl region. The main purpose of the visit was a meeting with the head of the region Sergey Yastrebov. The parties discussed the preparation of the Yaroslavl region for winter, consolidation of power grid assets, as well as innovative energy projects implemented in the region.
The working meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Natalia Shaposhnikova, Director of Department of Energy and Tariff Regulation Olga Ven, Acting Mayor of Yaroslavl Alexander Nechaev, Chief Engineer of IDGC of Centre Alexander Pilyugin, Acting Director of the branch "Yarenergo" Konstantin Kotikov and heads of different departments of the grid company.
The power engineers reported to Governor on the progress of their preparing the electric grid complex of the region for the upcoming autumn-winter operation period. The largest volume of scheduled repair, clearing and expanding ROWs is planned for the third quarter. Starting from the end of the summer training of personnel will begin, including joint exercises with EMERCOM, the single dispatcher service, community services and forest protection services. The entire preparation will end in mid-October. The result of the technical and organizational work will increase the reliability of electrical networks of the Yaroslavl region. In confirmation of this fact regulators should give the energy sector a relevant document – a certificate of readiness for the autumn-winter operation period.
Roman Berdnikov thanked Governor for the attention paid by the Government of the Yaroslavl region to the energy development in the region, noting in turn that the energy sector also is taking serious measures to improve power supply reliability, and developing in the region a number of innovative projects to attract additional sources of funding.
"In particular, we have taken a number of organizational measures within the branch of Yarenergo, which will quickly eliminate technical violations. We have also changed the methodology of first responding and restoration operations, approaches to the formation of the investment program. Today preparations for winter peak loads are realized according to an intense plan. Thus, the scope of extension of ROWs was increased with 100 hectares, emergency reserve will be enhanced with off-highway vehicles," informed Mr. Berdnikov.
Consolidation of power grid assets is also directly related to the reliability and quality of power supply. "Today, there are many networks owned by Territorial Grid Companies, which directly affects the degree of reliability. In the Yaroslavl region "Russian Grids" have a positive experience of almost 100% consolidation of territorial networks (excluding private networks)," stressed Roman Berdnikov. At the meeting with Governor the power engineers discussed the strategy of further consolidation and considered terms of lease or purchase of a number of specific cases.
The regional leadership and management of the grid company discussed the projects that will create energy of a new generation in the Yaroslavl region. They include improving the reliability and quality of power supply in Pereslasky district – modernization of 10-0.4 kV equipment with installation of reclosers and implementation of a smart metering system and processing technical data. The next project is to transfer of a 0.4 kV network to DC without reconstruction. This will allow to improve the quality and reliability of power supply, to avoid spikes, to reduce technical losses and prevent attempts to steal electricity.
In the near future in Yaroslavl there will be Russia's first electric vehicle fleet. During the meeting the creation of electricity charging infrastructure with the prospect of starting routes of contactless public electric vehicles was discussed. The issue of development of "smart grids" with installation of smart meters was also raised. As part of the project all metering points in ten districts of the region are subject to modernization.
In addition to innovative projects the discussion also touched upon the work of the power engineers in key areas. It is about improving the power system stability mechanisms for mass technological violations and allocation of subsidies to expand ROWs along power lines. A separate topic was the work of the Yaroslavl branch to increase the availability of energy infrastructure, namely, the draft amendments to the law on urban planning, which was signed by Governor of the region in late June. The adopted amendments expand the list of facilities, construction of which does not require approval. Now, this list includes cables and overhead lines of 10-0.4 kV, which greatly simplifies connecting to networks of Yarenergo and shortens the execution of grid connection contracts.
Documents were signed between the participants of the meeting governing joint activities in a number of promising directions. The first agreement concerns cooperation in the development of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. The second one is economic incentives for energy saving and energy efficiency.
"Energy is a key industry for the region, and the interaction with the largest company in this field is of great importance for the Yaroslavl region. Firstly, it is a guarantee of reliable and quality power supply to consumers in all localities and all weather conditions. Secondly, it is the prestige of the region: innovative energy projects do the Yaroslavl region more attractive both in terms of investment and social climate," stressed Deputy Governor of the Yaroslavl region Natalia Shaposhnikova.