Rețele Electrice România, part of the PPC group in Romania, has invested over 12 million lei in modernization works of the 110 kV Azur transformer substation, which serves over 3,400 customers in the eastern area of Timișoara.
“The modernization of the distribution infrastructure is a strategic priority for Rețele Electrice România and a responsibility to the communities. Through such projects, we ensure that our network is ready to support both current consumer requirements and the economic and residential development of the areas in which we operate. Timișoara is a city in full development, and the modernization of the Azur transformer substation will directly contribute to increasing the safety and reliability of the electricity supply for thousands of inhabitants and economic agents in the area”, said Mihai Pește, General Director of Reţele Electrice România.
The substation has a capacity of 50 Mega Volt Amperes (MVA) provided by two power transformers of 25 MVA each. The modernization works aimed at switching from 10 kV to 20 kV on the medium voltage side, which allows an increase in customer consumption and a better quality of the distribution service.
The main activities included the construction of a new 20 kV busbar section, equipped with primary and secondary equipment, 8 20 kV medium voltage cells, protections and control circuits. A new transformer with an installed power of 25 MVA was also installed to power the 20 kV busbar.
In parallel, the 110 kV primary equipment was completely replaced with modern hybrid equipment, including 2 110 kV line cells, 2 110 kV/MV transformer cells and a 110 kV busbar system.
The modernization included the partial restoration of the substation building, the complete restoration of the roads, as well as the security systems, so as to ensure the continuity of the integration of this building into the urban landscape of the area.
The company Rețele Electrice România operates networks with a total length of about 136.000 kilometers in three major areas of the country: Muntenia Sud (including Bucharest), Banat and Dobrogea, covering one third of the local distribution market, and develops an investment program to improve the quality of services, safety and performance of the networks and local implementation of the environmental standards of the PPC group. The electricity infrastructure operated by Rețele Electrice România includes 293 power stations and over 26.000 secondary substations.
