MRSK Tsentra : IDGC of Centre and IDGC of Centre and Volga Region summed up the results of the season of peak loads in the grid and outlined the tasks for 2017-2018

23 May 2017, a press conference was held in Nizhny Novgorod, which addressed issues related to the autumn and winter operation period of 2016-2017, the flooding period of the current year and the tasks to prepare for the season of peak loads in the grid in the winter of 2017-2018.

Opening the press conference, First Deputy General Director - Chief Engineer of IDGC of Centre, Acting First Deputy General Director of IDGC of Centre and Volga Region - Chief Engineer of IDGC of Centre and Volga Region Alexander Pilyugin stressed that the past autumn-winter operation period demanded from the power engineers maximum consolidation of forces, increased efficiency and the implementation of a number of additional technical measures.

Moreover, the weather conditions of the autumn-winter operation period of 2016-2017 differed from those recorded in the previous similar period very much. In November 2016, the branches of Kalugaenergo, Tverenergo and Vladimirenergo fell under the influence of 'icy rain'. Passage of the cyclone was accompanied by a wind increase of up to 22 m/s with gusts of more than 25 m/s, sticking of wet snow, glaze formation on wires (up to 29 mm), 'galloping' wires. Under the weight of the formed ice crust trees growing outside the security zones of power lines, started leaning onto the wires, causing short circuits, and provoked massive disconnections of consumers.

Restoring power supply to consumers in the Kaluga region, which was crossed by the air front with a width of up to 60 km, which put a heavy blow to the energy infrastructure, required the consolidation of the forces and assets of all branches of the two energy companies. In the course and following the results of elimination of technological violations, the power engineering specialists additionally cleared and expanded the ROWs of overhead lines in the area of ​​503 hectares.

A comprehensive analysis of the contingency situation and additional technical measures developed and implemented made it possible to prevent the recurrence of the November events in the winter months.

Also during the event, Deputy General Director - Director of the Nizhnovenergo branch Ivan Kleymenov delivered a report on the features of the autumn-winter operation and preparation of the region's grid infrastructure for the 2018 World Cup in the Nizhny Novgorod region. He noted that before the season of peak loads the power engineers implemented a set of measures in the region, including the repair program performance at 105%, 101% of the program for clearing and expanding the ROWs of overhead power lines (Conductors), 108% of the investment program.

In total, over the past year, Nizhny Novgorod power engineers performed complex repairs of 35 substations (SS) of 35-110 kV, 2,179 transformer substations of 6-10/0.4 kV and 8,776.65 km of power lines. In 2016, 4,618 hectares of ROWs of Conductors were cleared and expanded. Another 120 hectares were cleared by the power engineers from tree sprouting in the first quarter of this year. Last year Nizhnovenergo put into operation 82.92 MVA of new capacities and 761.29 km of power lines. Construction and reconstruction was carried out at 3,049 facilities. In preparation for the 2017-2018 autumn-winter operation period, another 554 km of power lines and 87 MVA of transformer capacities are planned to be put into operation, 38 substations of 35-110 kV, 2,176 transformer substations of 6-10/0.4 kV, 8 847 km of power lines are to be repaired.

In parallel, the Nizhnovenergo branch continues to implement a set of measures aimed at ensuring reliable and uninterrupted power supply in Nizhny Novgorod during the Soccer World Cup. The main work will be completed before the end of 2017. During the year, specialists of the energy company will repair four substations (SS) of 110 kV: 'Kanavinskaya', 'Sputnik', 'Kovalikha', and 'Mysa'. In addition, as part of the production program, the power engineers will repair 118 transformer substations (TS) and distribution substations (DS). In particular, facades of power facilities will be repaired, switches of 6-10 kV and 10.358 km of 6 kV cable lines (CL) will be replaced. To accelerate the ground fault location in the 6-10 kV grid and decrease the time of elimination of technological violations at six substations and 19 distribution substations modern alarm devices will be installed.

Concluding the press conference, Alexander Pilyugin said that currently in the electric grid complex of 20 regions of the Central and Volga federal districts preparations are being made for the next autumn-winter operation period. At the same time, the approach to planning production programs has changed in many respects, taking into account the experience, the means of the past winter. The maximum amount of planned work will be completed in September this year. The total amount of funding for the repair programs of the two companies for 2017 is 5.371 million rubles. In 2017, in total, the energy companies plan to repair more than 49,3 thousand km of overhead power lines of 0.4-110 kV, and perform a comprehensive repair of 393 substations (SS) of 35-110 kV.