OREANDA-NEWS. October 15, 2012. Two branches of IDGC of Centre — Belgorodenergo and Voronezhenergo have received their certificates readiness.

Certificate of readiness for the autumn-winter 2012-2013 number one was handed over to Director of Belgorodenergo Roman Tkachenko by Head of Department of Technical Inspection of IDGC of Centre Oleg Rochagov.

The ceremony was attended by Chairman of the commission on the state regulation of prices and tariffs of the Belgorod region Vladimir Chepelev, head of department of the state energy supervision and gas transmission network supervision in the Belgorod region of the Upper Don Rostechnadzor Ivan Zinoviev.

On the eve the commission summed up and signed the act of readiness of Belgorodenergo to work in the autumn-winter period. Previously certificates of readiness were handed over to all Districts of Electrical Networks of the branch, as well as to the services of substations, power lines, electrical diagnostics, relay protection and automation, the Grid Control Centre and other structural units responsible for reliable electricity supply in the region during the winter peak loads. All units got prepared for winter in full and at the proper level.

Currently Belgorodenergo has fully equipped its emergency stock, employees are provided with new special vehicles and equipment for restoration operations. Emergency response trainings at low temperatures have been held with operational and maintenance personnel, eight mobile crews were formed that can be quickly sent to any part of the region to assist districts in the time of possible technological disturbances. The readiness to use backup power supply sources has been tested. The power supply of social facilities will be available from 88 redundant power supply sources that are in the Districts of Electrical Networks. Compared to last year the number has increased to 65 pieces.

Much work has been done by power engineers of Belgorodenergo within the maintenance and investment programs. Over 208 million have been spent on the implementation of the repair campaign — the main component of the preparation of the electric grid to ensure reliable operation in the winter.

Power engineers repaired more than 1,500 km of power lines of 0.4-110 kV, 90 high voltage and 606 transformer substations. Over 920 hectares of ROWs along overhead power lines were cleared off trees and shrub seedlings and extended. All of the facilities have been prepared for the winter, which the successful operation through the winter peak loads depend on.

Currently, all organizational and technical measures aimed at improving the reliability of the electric grid of Belgorodenergo for the winter have been taken and the Certificate of Readiness confirms the commitment of the branch on uninterrupted supply of electricity during the period of low temperatures.

IDGC of Centre — Voronezhenergo division has also received its certificate of readiness. The presentation was held in a festive atmosphere: Deputy Chief Engineer for electric grid facilities of IDGC of Centre Evgeny Turapin handed the certificate over to the branch Director Ivan Kleymenov.

The timely receipt of one of the main documents has become an excellent assessment of the huge work performed by specialists of the branch: the readiness of Voronezhenergo for the winter was assessed by the Commission with participation of specialists of IDGC of Centre, RTN and a branch of SO UES Voronezh TCC.

Since the beginning of this year, Voronezh power engineers have cleared 161.2 hectares of ROWs along power lines, having performed the plan at 100%. Over 175 km of power lines of different voltage levels, 408 transformer substations of 6-10/0.4 kV and distribution stations of 10-6 kV, 217 circuit breakers of 6-110 kV have been repaired. The repair of 5 substations of 35-110 kV has also completed.

To perform restoration operations the branch has 41 around the clock first responding mobile crews. In addition, in the autumn and winter of 2012 8 mobile crews of 46 people and 16 vehicles will be used, equipped with tools, devices and food for three days.

To provide power to critical customers and critical infrastructure for the period of work on emergency response specialists of IDGC of Centre — Voronezhenergo division have 76 redundant power supply sources at the disposal with a total capacity of 1.2 MW.

"The branch has performed all planned activities in the shortest possible time. However, the winter will give us with its real evaluation, and all the hard work, of course, is yet to come," — underlined Deputy General Director of IDGC of Centre — Voronezhenergo division director Ivan Kleymenov.