Energy workers of DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids are mastering the live repairs technique (repairs without power shutdowns for the customers): 1,700 such works have been performed in 2023

Thermal power generation26 January 2024

Despite the war, DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids continues to create infrastructure for rebuilding of Ukraine and recovery of the economy. Energy workers of the company develop smart grids to be used as a foundation for resurrection of Ukrainian cities – new, modern, “smart”, and change approaches to work. In order to be able to conduct scheduled and emergency repairs in the nearest future without shutting down power for the customers, DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids is mastering the method of live works. In 2023, energy workers conducted 1,792 repairs on the lines without de-energization of customers in the Kyiv region.

Energy workers of DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids are mastering the live repairs technique (repairs without power shutdowns for the customers): 1,700 such works have been performed in 2023

Energy workers of the DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids constantly improve methods of works on the grids. Since 2020, they started mastering live repairs technique (repairs without power shutdown). The goal is to conduct the majority of repairs in the nearest future without de-energization of customers.

“In 2022, we had to suspend our energy workers’ training for live repairs, as all resources were directed to repair of the electrical infrastructure after hostilities and restoration of electricity to homes of residents of the Kyiv region, - told Vitalii Shaida, CEO at DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids. – Now, we are gradually returning to the projects on development and application of modern technologies on the grids. Including, live repairs. Since the beginning of the year, we have conducted 1,700 repairs without de-energization of customers.”

Depending on the difficulty of works, training of energy workers lasts from 3 days (works in the meter cabinets) to 3 months (works on the 6-20 kV overhead lines) and is conducted at the special training landfills in Ukraine and Poland. From 2020 to 2023, live works method has been mastered by 723 energy workers of the DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids.

The company constantly extends the list and difficulty of works. Currently, the works are conducted not only on the low-voltage facilities, but also on the medium-voltage lines. In 2023, energy workers of the DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids have conducted 1,792 repairs on the lines without de-energization of customers.

DTKE Grids, which includes DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids, intends to further scale the project and increase a number of live works, but doing that requires provision of corresponding resources in the company’s investment program at the national regulator level and changes in the regulatory base that regulates training of energy workers and actual performance of such works on the grids at the state level.