Big Network Renovation: DTEK Dnipro Grids improved power supply for 500,000 residents in the region
Throughout the year, the company reconstructed 249 km of networks, 1,200 substations and distribution centers, installed 67,000 smart meters and 50 reclosers. In total, 1 billion hryvnias of investments were allocated to upgrade the energy infrastructure in the region thanks to the RAB regulation. 500,000 residents of the region are now able to save money with new smart meters, have fewer outages thanks to reclosers and receive high-quality and uninterrupted power supply due to the line renewal.
To ensure reliable operation of the energy infrastructure, DTEK Dnipro Grids reconstructed two large 150 kW high-voltage substations, namely Koltsevaya Levoberezhnaya in Dnipro, and 150 Novomoskovskaya, which provides electricity to 29,000 customers living in the Novomoskovsk, Gubinikha and Orlov districts. New transformers were installed there: huge units weighing several tons, which will allow regulating the network voltage. By achieving this, the company ensures that the needs of these cities’ residents in a reliable power supply are met, and there are fewer blackouts.
The Severnaya substation in Zhovti Vody also received more reliable and modern equipment. As well as the LB-2 substation in the Dniprovsky district, which supplies power to the residential buildings in Dnipro, the neighboring villages of Goryanovsky and Obukhovka, as well as the city clinical hospital No. 11 and other facilities. In total, the company invested more than UAH 200 million in the reconstruction and technical re-equipment of substations in 2021.
The company also reconstructs high-voltage lines in Krivyi Rih, Dnipro, Novomoskovsk, Nikopol, Zelenodolsk, Pokrov, and renovating low and medium voltage power lines throughout the region. In total, 249 km, 103 km of which are 0.4 kV lines, which supply power to residential buildings. This year, more than UAH 439 million were allocated for their renovation. During the reconstruction, the energy workers completely changed the electrical wires to more reliable and modern ones. Thus, there will be fewer failures, which means fewer power interruptions for customers.
“In 2021, thanks to the RAB tariffs that stimulate investments, we allocated almost UAH 1 billion to the development of networks in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which is 34% more than in 2020. We are now in a position to complete large-scale projects that should have been done many years ago. This means, that now we can provide a stable power supply to almost half a million customers. To make the lines safer and more reliable, 50 reclosers were installed, which, in the event of an emergency, automatically turn off the damaged section and prevent large-scale blackouts. We also re-equipped 1,200 distribution centers and transformer substations to avoid failures and power interruptions for customers in the future,” says Andrii Tereshchuk, Head of DTEK Dnipro Grids.
In addition, the company has installed 67,000 smart meters. Such metering devices automatically send electricity readings. Besides, people can save on electricity bills thanks to the night tariff. UAH 90 million was allocated within the investment program.
The plans for 2022 are to continue the lines renovation and technical modernization to improve the electricity supply to customers. Namely, the company plans to renew 5.4 km of a high-voltage 150 kV overhead line in Dnipro and transfer to a cable one from the Uzlovaya substation to the Topol substation, which will improve the power supply of this living district. And also, to complete the reconstruction of the Grushevskaya substation in Manganets, which was started in 2021. It is the main source of power supply for the city. Upon work completion, the renewed substation will provide additional capacity, and the equipment will operate without overloading. Thus, there will be power supply of high-quality and reliability for more than 35,000 of the company's customers.