DTEK Dnipro Grids specialists have completed live line works training with an American expert in Poland
The method of conducting live line repair is a world-wide practice that only recently started to be applied in Ukraine. It ensures uninterrupted power supply to residents when conducting scheduled and emergency repairs. Now, DTEK Dnipro Grids specialists are the first in the country to be mastering the machinery on the 6-20 kV medium voltage lines that will make it possible to conduct repairs, while not disconnecting entire streets or neighborhoods. For that purpose, they have been trained by the Altec company, world’s leading provider of products and services at the grids markets, and received corresponding certificates.
“DTEK continues to develop modern technologies. Our goal is to provide quality European-level power supply services to Ukrainians. Despite the war, we continue to introduce new technologies and train our specialists for live line repairs. It became possible due to conducted Altec training and our Polish friends from Wiśniewski Nidzica Sp.zo.o. that provided us with location and machinery. As we are still unable to use our recently completely renovated training ground in the village of Mezhyrich. 16 our specialists have completed a three-week training in Poland. Now, they can pass their knowledge to their colleagues, scaling up the much needed experience,” – underscored the company.
Specialists that completed full course of training have formed a crew to work on the lines. It includes repairs, required to prepare for the 2022-2023 heating season, to ensure reliable operation of the grids infrastructure during autumn-winter period. New special machinery will be used for this work – a special aerial platform that can work with voltage up to 20 kV.
Pilot project of live line repairs in the Dnipropetrovsk region was launched in 2018. DTEK Dnipro Grids specialists were trained in Poland and then trained their local colleagues. By the beginning of 2022, the company has already been conducting over 35% of live line repairs and gradually expended the list and complexity of works. Last autumn, energy workers from Dnipro started a course of training on the medium-voltage lines at the specially equipped training ground in the village of Mezhyrich with an American expert Tim Self, who personally came to the Dnipropetrovsk region. But, since the beginning of war training of Ukrainian specialists was suspended.
After the end of hostilities, the company plans to continue developing the project and conduct most repairs on the live lines.