OREANDA-NEWS. In all regions of the Central Federal District of Russia, where IDGC of Centre provides electricity to businesses and population, the full set of measures has been developed and performed, which is aimed at ensuring reliable and uninterrupted operation of electric grid facilities in the storm period in 2016. Measures to protect substations of 35-110 kV, power lines of 6-110 kV, transformer and distribution substations (TS/DS) of 6-10 kV were fully implemented.

Events were developed based on the analysis of outages, technological failures of electrical equipment due to the impact of storm surges for the same periods of 2014-2015. Particular attention was paid to the verification and test of tools for overvoltage protection of substation equipment, elimination of "dangerous places", the presence of which entails the development of consequences of technological failures due to lightning surges.

Specialists of IDGC of Centre conducted an analysis of existing schemes and a visual inspection of the lightning protection devices and means of surge protection of switchgear equipment of substations of 35-110 kV, overhead power lines of 35-110 kV and distribution networks of 6-10 kV. They inspected all 35-110 kV substations, warehouses of fuel and lubricants, oil facilities and antenna towers. Devices for lightning protection and grounding of electrical equipment, buildings and structures were checked for compliance with the cross-industry requirements.

They cleaned insulators of switchgear and power lines in areas of high pollution of the atmosphere from industrial emissions. They reinforced surge protection sections of power lines, located in areas with an active thunderstorm activity. They checked working capacity of equipment used for recording of emergency modes (oscilloscopes, power line fault locating and recording devices, emergency operation recorders).

First responding and repair and maintenance personnel of the branch reviewed actions in thunderstorms and had emergency response drills to determine locations of faulty power lines, as well as to eliminate violations of power supply to consumers.

They also checked the status and availability of wire, satellite, radio and mobile communications, including with first responding and emergency and restoration crews.

Timely preparation of the electric grid facilities of IDGC of Centre for the operation through the thunderstorm period in 2016 will allow to significantly reduce the risk of damage to the electric grid facilities and power lines, to provide reliable and quality power supply to consumers in all regions of the Company’s activities.