Hotline of power engineering specialists:
At the X interregional specialized exhibition «Energy and Electrical Engineering. Housing and Utilities» IDGC of Centre — Belgorodenergo division introduced visitors to the concept of «smart grid», which is being implemented in the region. This is part of the project «smart city», whose infrastructure is based on new technologies that allow efficient and effective use of energy resources. The branch was awarded the medal of the exhibition for the «Best exposition».
The choice of the topic is not accidental. Recently, interest in the concept of «smart grids» and «smart city» has passed from the stage of discussion to implementation. In the Belgorod region new solutions in the electricity sector the company has been implementing for about five years, and they are aimed primarily at improving the reliability of the electric grid, energy efficiency, energy saving and quality of energy metering.
At the exhibition IDGC of Centre featured a wide range of components of the «smart grid» — the modern equipment and intelligent automation systems, which have long been used with success in the electric grid of the Belgorod branch of the company.
The central part of the exhibition is the layout of a single site of the «smart grid» that demonstrates the presence and interaction of all components, from a power plant and substation, and ending with intelligent grid equipment — reclosers, boosters, pole-mounted transformer substations, automatically controlled outdoor lighting and other elements that provide reliable and quality of electricity supply to consumers.
Reclosers, for example, in the case of an unplanned power outage automatically sectionalize sections of the grid, switching power supply from one line to another, minimizing the number of de-energized consumers. Telemetry control of substations allows remotely to receive signal and measurement data from feeding centres, which, in turn, reduces the time of fault location and troubleshooting. All 100% of 35-110 kV substations of Belgorodenergo have remote control.
Not long ago, IDGC of Centre started implementing a radically new concept of constructing 0.4-10 kV distribution networks. With a small transformer (a pole-mounted substation), located on the pole in the immediate vicinity of the household now it is possible to reach with 10 kV network to virtually every consumer. Experts have already realized the benefits of the equipment, and consumers will have to do it, because the «Individual» substation minimizes the number of de-energized power supply facilities as a result of interruptions.
The whole huge set of components requires good management and maintenance, and the very strategy of creating the «smart grid» needs constant adjustment. A great contribution to the development of energy saving and energy efficiency of the power industry was noted by Director of the Belgorod branch of FGBU «Russian Energy Agency» of the Ministry of Energy Anastasia Evteeva. «IDGC of Centre is a leader in the development of energy conservation,» she stressed,« so as it systematically applies the best practices and techniques, modern equipment and, most importantly, a comprehensive approach.»
The concept of the «smart grid» provides a systematic approach, the relationship and the gradual improvement of all aspects of the electric grid. Important part of the project is the one that is responsible for electricity metering. It is not possible to manage what one cannot measure, as experts believe. Smart meters of an AMR systems meter energy resources, allow to control the quality of power supply of households and to obtain information necessary for planning measures to reduce losses.
«The Belgorod region in recent years has taken a big step forward in terms of electricity metering. About 90,000 smart meters have already been installed in the region,» stressed the head of energy conservation and energy efficiency Office of IDGC of Centre — Belgorodenergo division Natalia Yakshina. «While we still have consumers who do not have meters, their number decreased over the last year by five thousand. Moreover, on the initiative of the very consumers. This suggests that people are no longer passive consumers of electricity, beginning to actively participate in the process.»
The Exhibition «Energy and Electrical Engineering. Housing and Utilities» was held from 13 to 15 March in the exhibition complex «Belexpocentre» under the auspices of the Department of Construction, Transportation and Housing and the Belgorod Chamber of Commerce. In total, their achievements and developments were presented by over 260 participants from 26 regions of Russia, Belarus, the Ukraine and Belgium. Specialists of Belgorodenergo besides consultations on energy efficiency, introduced guests and participants of the exhibition with a range of value-added services that are provided by power engineers to residents of the region.