Evolutions in Transmission Service

One of the major challenges electrical grid owners face today is the increasing demand for reliable energy. Transmission utilities and industries need their critical infrastructure, such as substations, to operate with as few disruptions to supply as possible. Investors in these industries must weigh availability of supply against the cost of supply over the product’s lifetime.  

To ensure on-going reliability and a maximised return an investment, innovative and high quality equipment needs to be backed up with a smart and comprehensive service offering.
Alstom Grid offers a full range of maintenance services performed by its team of highly trained technical experts. The reliability and availability of electrical assets - from transformers, gas-insulated switchgear through protection and control equipment, medium and high voltage switchgear to complete substations and electrical networks - can be optimised through a well thought out maintenance strategy backed up by fast acting repair and emergency support when required.  

Transformer maintenance
As an integral part of a transmission network or power plant, it is essential for power transformers to maintain their reliability. Without regular maintenance many avoidable or remediable impacts can ultimately lead to transformer failure. The development and application of a specific maintenance program is the best way to achieve dependable performance during a power transformer’s lifetime. Alstom Grid has the engineering expertise, capability and global knowledge base to put together an effective maintenance strategy to ensure a power transformer consistently operates at its optimal level of reliability and efficiency throughout its life span.
Alstom Grid can advise on and carry out cradle-to-grave maintenance services from product optimisation commencing immediately after commissioning and carrying on through to the end of the transformer’s life.

Prevent rather than cure
Left unattended, problems such as oil leaks, brittle cable insulation or wiring or malfunctioning bushing and online tap changers can lead to damage to other components and ultimately result in overall transformer failure. A comprehensive maintenance strategy, planned in the early stages of a power transformer’s development, can identify and remedy the kinds of problems that could otherwise lead to a potential disaster or even extended outages.

The CIGRE Guide for Transformer Maintenance, published in early 2011 based on the work done by a project team led by Alstom’s transformer maintenance expert Ross Willoughby, suggests that maintenance considerations should be addressed during a power transformer’s planning stages. CIGRE recommends determining what kind of maintenance will be required and when and how the maintenance should be performed as the transformer is being designed.

One size does not fit all
As every transformer is different and contains within it a wide range of technologies, Alstom Grid offers a variety of maintenance practices rather than a ‘one size fits all’ maintenance regime. These practices may vary from the relatively basic time based maintenance to condition based monitoring through to the more sophisticated and complex, reliability centred maintenance. An effective maintenance regime will incorporate different approaches to maintenance and monitoring in its strategy in keeping with the diversity of parts that comprise the power transformer being maintained.
A maintenance management system that systematically collects and records power transformer life data is also essential. Where a transmission network includes a large number of power transformers, the maintenance management system also needs to keep maintenance guidelines, task lists, plans and schedules and an equipment inventory.

New life for transformers
Alstom Grid offers a comprehensive transformer life extension program that can effectively return a power transformer to its original condition. The process includes evaluating a transformer’s condition and assessing and addressing problems identified as potentially reducing the asset’s lifespan. More mature transformers can be updated by replacing out dated or failing key components with their modern equivalents.

Gas-insulated Switchgear maintenance
As with power transformers, substations with gas insulated switchgear (GIS) also need a well-conceived maintenance program. Alstom Grid’s integrated maintenance, repair and extension (MRE) technology enables utility operators to factor in lifetime MRE expenses when making investment decisions.

Temporary interruptions to supply, even partial interruptions, typically account for the bulk of MRE expense. Again as with power transformers, MRE planning should ideally be incorporated into the substation’s initial design phase so that any future outages can be costed. An investor in the power transmission industry needs to assess the availability of supply compared to the cost of supply over the substation’s lifetime. Alstom Grid’s innovative MRE technology such as its AL3C Life Cycle Cost Calculation software, focused availability studies and simulators gives customers the technical information they need to effectively cost future MRE requirements and in turn this information can be factored into the substation’s early planning phases.

Zero-outage maintenance
Alstom Grid’s Maintenance, Repair and Extension programs (MRE) are devised to minimise interruptions to supply. Its unique Maintenance Isolating Device (MID) is a manually operated isolating device positioned between the bus bar disconnectors and the connection to the circuit breaker. During maintenance or repair activities, the MID creates a gap between the equipment being serviced and the working equipment. Advantages of this technology include enabling a substation’s adjacent feeders to remain energised during high voltage testing of newly installed equipment.

The range of Alstom Grid’s maintenance programs from MRE 0 where no outages occur to MRE full where an entire substation is de-energised can be applied at either time-based or condition-based intervals. As GIS equipment ages, maintenance needs to be augmented with refurbishment services. Alstom Grid’s GIS refurbishment services includes replacement of all SF6 seals, hydraulic maintenance and replacement of corroded components and where necessary circuit breaker contacts. Similarly to the life extension process for power transformers new, more modern components can be retrofitted and finally, the equipment is cleaned and painted.
Alstom Grid’s MRE services complement its gas insulated substations, designed to operate with minimal disruption during MRE activities. An on-going commitment to solution improvement and effective life cycle assessment is backed up by services such as detailed MRE training and after sales assistance.

Condition monitoring
Alstom Grid’s service offering includes condition monitoring that constantly oversees the transmission and distribution equipment critical to the successful operation of electrical power systems. Installed monitoring tools such as the MS3000 for power transformers, BWatch for GIS equipment, DSWatch for disconnectors and CBWatch-2 for high voltage circuit breakers provide valuable information that ultimately maximises an electrical system’s availability.
Using the information derived from the monitoring tools, Alstom Grid is able to provide a full assessment that can accurately evaluate a current situation, outline scope and develop plans that include defining the logistics, accessories and any special tools required in future activities. This leads to reduced costly downtime and avoidance of unexpected situations.
Condition monitoring service plans offer real time analysis and diagnosis, increased equipment reliability, improved preventative maintenance plans, reduced unplanned outages, reduced failure probability and reduced insurance costs, improved power quality, increased operational safety for personnel and equipment and asset optimisation.

Customised service
Alstom Grid’s service solutions are tailored to the individual customer’s needs and executed by the company’s highly trained Service team. In Indonesia, maintenance services including oil analysis, on site assembly supervision, commissioning, training, site diagnostics, preventive maintenance, retrofitting and repairs are carried out at Alstom Grid’s recently refurbished, Unindo based transformer factory in Jakarta. Testing capabilities include routine and type testing, impulse and switching tests, dissolved gas analysis, sweep frequency analysis and current transformer magnetising curve analysis.
With an extensive range of innovative in combination with tried and tested technology and a highly trained technical team backed by the company’s global expertise, Alstom Grid offers a full range of maintenance, repair and extension services that will keep your company’s key electrical assets performing at their best.

Alstom in Indonesia
Alstom has been present in Indonesia for over 50 years and is today a leading player in Power Generation, Transmission (Grid) and Transport (Railways). With its local manufacturing, service, engineering and project management capabilities, Alstom is the best local partner with international standards that has a long term commitment to Indonesia.

Alstom has two large manufacturing sites in Indonesia.PT Unelec Indonesia (UNINDO), owned in joint-venture with PT PLN, was established in 1969 and is manufacturing power transformers up to 275kV as well as traction transformers.
PT Alstom Power ESI, owned in joint-venture with PT PAL and PT BARATA established in 1986 and manufacturing boilers and HRSG. Both factories cater both domestic and export markets with experience on all continents.

The group has also developed its presence in full turnkey projects including civil works with PT Alstom Grid, that now employs 200 people focusing on design, engineering, building and project management, servicing for transmission and distribution turnkey projects, including its automation components (substation automation, telecom and SCADA).

With its 1500 employees, accross Indonesia regional and global support, Alstom is committed to delivering competitive and reliable solutions for all types of projects to all its customers.

Meet the Experts
You can find out more and meet the experts at Alstom’s upcoming Technical Seminars, to be held in Jakarta:
•    January 2012: Gas-insulated Switchgear design and technology, including Maintenance, Repair & Extension
•    February 2012: Service, maintenance and related issues
   
For more information, please contact:
•    David Mikaeloff, Country Sales Director, Alstom Grid
    Tel: +62 212 924 4568
    email: david.mikaeloff@alstom.com

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