Big Network Renovation: DTEK Donetsk Grids improves power supply for over 27,000 customers
“Big Network Renovation pursues the national Big Construction program in the energy sector. Thanks to the investment incentive RAB tariff adopted in 2021, investments in Ukraine’s power grids have increased significantly. It is now possible to upgrade the energy infrastructure that should have been done several decades ago. As part of the project, DTEK Donetsk Grids upgraded a number of large electrical infrastructure facilities. In particular, the company reconstructed the 110 kV Bakhmutskaya substation, 110 kV overhead lines KuTES-Kotlyarevskaya No. 1, 2 and 35 kV Krasnoarmeyskaya-Vladimirovka line. Earlier, we completed the first stage of reconstruction of the 110 kV Dimitrovo substation. In general, we improved the power supply for more than 40,000 people in the region,” says Oleksii Degtyarev, General Director for DTEK Donetsk Grids.
110 kV Bakhmutskaya substation is one of the backbones in the regional power supply structure. It provides power supply to the villages of Berestovoye, Lipovoye, Spornoye of the Soledar community. It is also a transit one. It provides power supply to several settlements in the Luhansk region. The substation was built in 1976 and was in dire need of modernization. As part of the reconstruction, the company installed a complete 6 kV switchgear (with vacuum circuit breakers, measuring current and voltage transformers, surge arresters and modern microprocessor devices), as well as automation and communication systems. The project budget is UAH 14.78 million no VAT included.
Another significant project is the reconstruction of the 110 kV overhead line named KuTES – Kotlyarevskaya No. 1, 2. The line was put into operation in 1956 and had a lot of equipment wear. As part of the reconstruction, 29 poles and 2.9 km of wire were replaced. The project budget was UAH 11.25 million. Thanks to the line upgrade, the power supply was improved to a few mines, the Avdeevsky coke-chemical plant, substations of the Donetsk railway, as well as consumers in Selidovo, front-line Avdeevka and nearby settlements of the Pokrovsky district. This line also supplies the Karlovskaya filter station partially.
In addition, the reconstruction of the 35 kV overhead line Krasnoarmeyskaya-Vladimirovka was completed. Some sections of the line were in operation since 1952. Significant wear and tear of equipment greatly affected the quality of power supply to consumers. As part of the modernization, the power company replaced 35 old poles with new ones and 3.6 km of wires with modern and reliable ones. The project budget is UAH 13.8 million. Thanks to the reconstruction, the reliability of power supply was improved for the company's customers in Dobropolye and Vladimirovka.
In addition, earlier the company completed the first stage of reconstruction of the 110 kV Dimitrovo substation. Thus, more than 12,000 residents of Mirnograd and Novogrodovka have more reliable power supply.
“High-quality power supply is a key to the comfort of people in the region. Unfortunately, the old networks and equipment could not withstand the increased load. Today, within the Big Network Renovation project, DTEK Donetsk Grids is working to reconstruct and increase the capacity of the electrical infrastructure in our region, which will push the development of the entire region forward,” says Denis Klyushnikov, Deputy Chairman of the Donetsk Regional State Administration. “We see that this company is our reliable partner in our goal to develop territorial communities in the Donetsk region”.