The Energy ring connects five 330 kV substations: 'Vostochnaya', 'Volkhov-Severnaya', 'Zavod Ilyich' , 'Sever' and 'Vasilyeostrovskaya'. This major investment project of Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System of Russia (JSC "FGC UES") will provide the energy balance and a high degree of reliability of power supply of St. Petersburg, one of the ancient cities of Russia. The ring circuit involves double-way feed of each of the constituent transmission facilities, which will greatly reduce the risks of limiting electricity supply to consumers in case of disruptions.
Within the framework of this project, three new cable and two overhead power transmission lines of 330 kV, 95 km long were built between these substations. This included a unique subsurface engineering project for installation of 16.3 km underground cable line between the substations 'Severnaya'- 'Vasilyeostrovskaya', of which a 4 km long section was laid under the Gulf of Finland, from the coast of Vasilevsky Island to the village Lahti.
ABB has delivered GIS type ELK-3 for 330 kV and ELK-04 for 110 kV applications at substations 'Volkhov- Severnaya' and 'Vasilyeostrovskaya'. A total of 47 GIS switchgear bays were installed in these substations. ABB's GIS bays have also been installed at substations 'Centralnaya ', "'Youzhnaya' and 'Oktyabrskaya/ CHPP-5'. A total of 130 GIS bays including 330 kV and 110 kV have been installed in these substations.
Source: website of Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System of Russia, JSC "FGC UES"
ABB GIS type ELK-3 is a highly standardized modular system that provides greater performance with fewer components. With its compact architecture, it is ideal for installations where space is a constraint, such as in big cities like St. Petersburg. In addition, it has low impact on the environment due to the reduction of SF6 and grey energy. GIS type ELK-3 includes a robust, reliable and well proven technology in a compact design based on five decades of operation worldwide.
ABB is a leading supplier of GIS equipment and has a successful reference list of deliveries in the North-West region of Russia. ABB has capabilities to supply high voltage GIS with highest required ratings, such as GIS with short-circuit current switching capabilities of 63 kA and 80 kA (Clairevill substation and Milton substation in Canada) and rated voltages up to 1100 kV in China.
Since 2007, ABB GIS for the 110-330 kV voltage levels is approved and successfully certified for use in facilities of Federal Grid Company and has a wide service support network in Russia. To date, approximately 1500 ABB GIS bays have been supplied in Russia.
ABB in Russia has 28 sales and service offices and 5 operating production sites. Permanent staff in Russia is about 1,300 employees. In 2013, ABB celebrated 120 years of work in Russia.
