Low damage rates in Belarusian power grid

In comparison with neighboring countries Belarus has the lowest damage rate of electric networks while the time needed to restore electricity supply is on par with leading Western nations. The statement was made by Belarusian Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk at the online conference hosted by the BelTA website on 23 October.

It takes slightly more than two hours to fix a faulty electric network. According to the Deputy Energy Minister, the fact testifies to the correct strategy chosen to build new power lines and modern old ones. “We use only modern technologies. We build power lines using isolated wires, primarily 0.4kV networks. We replace them in forests,” he remarked. Such power lines are not affected by tree branches, wet snow, falling trees. Apart from that, Belarusian electrical companies work hard to introduce automated control systems to reduce the time needed to find and fix breakage.

Mikhail Mikhadyuk said the modernization of the power grid is an important part of the national power engineering industry development. In his words, close attention is paid to this area, although the modernization of power sources is the top priority because their effective operation plays the key role in setting tariffs.

“The program for developing the Belarusian power grid provides for modernizing a number of major electrical substations because many of them are past their service life. Hardware is available now that can greatly reduce the cost of repairing and operating such installations,” explained the Deputy Energy Minister.

Last year saw the completion of the reconstruction of the strategic 300kV substation Miradino. Getting a loan for the complete overhaul of the Minsk North substation, which is one of the nodal ones, has been discussed lately. A total of five substations are being modernized and built with assistance of investors in Minsk due to the growing need for electricity because of new housing construction. According to Mikhail Mikhadyuk, the same situation is observed in the regions, too. “The reconstruction of existing substations is stipulated and is carried out in line with the relevant government program. It may not have the scale we would like it to have but we make decisions taking into account priorities and the availability of financial resources,” noted Mikhail Mikhadyuk.

The power grid that will deliver electricity from the Belarusian nuclear power plant is subject to reconstruction, too. A new 330kV line between the Bereza state district power plant and Ros is being built due to the commissioning of the Bereza state district power plant.

According to the Energy Ministry, every year over Br300 billion is spent on keeping the distribution networks in working order, primarily in rural areas.