DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids to earmark UAH 614 million to upgrade the energy infrastructure in 2021
“DTEK makes a significant contribution to the transformation of the energy sector. This year, the company is investing over UAH 614 million in the development, upgrade and reconstruction. One of the large-scale projects is the construction of a new 110/35/10 kV Kozin substation with two 40 MVA transformers and a 110 kV Pidgirtsi-Kozin supply cable line. This will provide Obukhiv and the district with reserve capacities that will improve the quality and reliability of power supply and give an impetus to the development of construction and industry,” - says Vitalii Shaida, DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids CEO.
In addition, in 2021 the company will complete a large-scale reconstruction of the Hostomel substation, which will improve the reliability of power supply in the Buchansky district*, install 157 reclosers on the most critical 10 kV overhead lines in Kyiv Region. In the event of an emergency, the recloser quickly puts the line into operation, excluding the sections where the accident occurred. Thus, the energy workers will spend less time to eliminate the consequences of emergencies, and our customers will still have their power.
The volume of the DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids investment program for 2021 got bigger by 44% compared to 2018-2020 owing to the incentive tariff setting introduced starting January 1, 2021. Now, the state regulator NEURC uses a new, more efficient method to set a tariff for electricity distribution, which makes it possible to increase the financing volume to develop the power grids. At the same time, the stimulating tariff setting in Ukraine differs significantly from the European practice; therefore, it will not increase the financing level for network development to the level of developed European countries. Therefore, it will take much longer to achieve the European level of power supply quality.
Investments will be allocated to improve the quality of power supply to customers in tune with the planned indicators determined by NEURC: reducing electricity losses in power grids and improving the SAIDI indicator (power outage time).
In 2021, DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids intends to follow up with automation and digitalization projects. The company will develop an automated dispatch control system that will allow monitoring the technical condition of electrical equipment in real time. The system will help to track and eliminate failures more quickly. Such automation and digitalization technologies will further transform the current infrastructure of electric grids into a Smart Grid that meets the needs of the modern economy and customers.
Moreover, the company plans to improve the customer experience. Thus, DTEK is upgrading the equipment and software of the contact centers. Modern remote channels and services are now available for our customers: an online portal, a chatbot, and such. This will make the interaction of customers with the company faster, easier and more convenient.
* a new administrative and territorial division of Ukraine at the regional and basic levels that was approved by the government of Ukraine in June 2020, and endorsed by the Verkhovna Rada resolution in July 2020.