On 15-16 December, Slavianskaya TPP of Donbassenergo hosted a field meeting of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine devoted to the performance of the industry following the results of 11 months of 2016. One of the key issues of the meeting was related to ensuring a reliable power supply. As part of the discussion, solutions for reconstruction of the outdoor switchgear (OSG) of various voltage classes developed by experts of Teploelektroproekt for Slavianskaya TPP were presented.

Presenting the project "Electricity output in the reconstruction of power unit no.6 of Slavianskaya TPP with the division into power generating units no.6b and 6a, 330 MW each", Mr Valeriy Kuleba, the deputy Technical Director of Donbassenergo voiced three possible modernization options for 330, 220 and 110 kV OSGs. Each of them, in addition to the installation of modern equipment, provides for the possibility to connect future power units of SlavTPP: power unit no.6b - to field no.5 of 330 kV OSG, power unit no.6a unit - to newly designed cell of 110 kV outdoor switchgear.

The possibility to implement the proposed solutions has been confirmed by the findings of experts from Ukrenergosetproekt NII (design institute): additional checking calculations taking into account the electrical network configuration changes (due to disconnection of some overhead lines of Donbassenergo's power system) have shown that the power output by Slavianskaya TPP when commissioning power units no.6b and 6a, as well as the regime parameters by "voltage" criterion in the area of the plant's location will be met without any limitations both in winter and in summer periods.

The option that presupposes componentwise replacement of the equipment of 330 kV and 110 kV OSGі, dismantling of 220 kV equipment and transfer of 220 kV consumers to the voltage of 110 kV, as well as construction of ten new 110 kV cells is considered to be the optimal one out of the explored OSG reconstruction solutions, both technically and economically. This solution, in addition to reduction of electricity losses, will raise the reliability of the 110 kV OSG circuit due to the partitioning, will offer an opportunity to expand the 110 kV through the installation of additional cells for the consumer, and will make it possible to give up using prospectless equipment of 220 kV voltage class. Moreover, the upgraded 330 kV and 110 kV OSGs will fully ensure the power output by new power units of Slavianskaya TPP, as well as connection of new lines, which can be built to cover the power shortage in Donbass.

Arguments of Donbassenergo’s experts and the presented calculations turned out to be convincing - the minutes of the December meeting recorded an assignment to develop, by the end of the first half of the year, a feasibility study for reconstruction of 330 kV, 220 and 110 kV OSGs and to exclude 220 kV outdoor switchgear from the main electric circuit diagram of Slavianskaya TPP. As part of the feasibility study that will be developed on the basis of the Terms of Reference agreed with Ukrenergo National Energy Company and DTEK Power Grid LLC, measures will be foreseen to ensure the operation of the adjacent 110 kV network and power supply to respective power consumers.