The electricity transmission network is ready for operation during the autumn-winter period, the Electricity System Operator announced

The electricity transmission network managed by the Electricity System Operator (ESO) is ready for operation during the autumn-winter period, the company announced.

The ESO notes that this year they have carried out repair and rehabilitation activities with a total value of over BGN 32 million to guarantee the trouble-free operation of the company’s facilities during the autumn-winter period.

A bypass was made of 27,000 kilometers of power lines, the clearings of nearly 300 power lines on a territory of over 6,500 acres were cleared. More than 800 kilometers of lightning protection cables on overhead lines managed by ESO have been replaced.

The car fleet is also fully prepared for the winter.

High-terrain equipment is provided. The company also has 10 special purpose vehicles (SPUs), 4 off-road cranes, 50 off-road forklifts, 250 off-road vehicles. The mobile teams are equipped with all the necessary means of communication for exchanging information, as well as with tools, spare materials and clothing for working in specific winter conditions, the operator points out.

The company also notes that they are continuing work on the implementation of three large-scale projects for the expansion and development of the electricity transmission network in response to the growing investor interest in building new renewable energy sources and to achieve the energy decarbonization goals. ESO adds that in 2023 they also realized investments of BGN 180 million to modernize the electricity transmission network.

Substantial progress marks the implementation of the project for the digital transformation and automated management of the company’s 110/20 kV substations with the aim of increasing the capacity of the network for the integration of new RES capacities, ESO notes. The company states that to date they have invested BGN 150 million out of the planned BGN 611 million under the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability, and with the funds invested, five support points have been built and put into operation across the country, of which 230 are already managed automatically. substations. By the end of 2024, all ESO substations are planned to be controlled remotely from a base station.

ESO is carrying out a large-scale reconstruction of nearly 1,000 kilometers of 110 kV power lines, the company notes. The reconstruction of the exposed 110/20 kV switchgear in substations “Targovishte 2”, “Alen mak” in Blagoevgrad, “Pautalia” in Kyustendil, “Popintsi” in Pazardjik and in substations Velingrad, Hisar, Lovech and Lazur in Varna has been finalized. The reconstruction activities of the open 110/20 kV switchgears in substations Lukovit, Provadia, Dulovo, Kresna, Breznik, Sliven-industry, Iskar-industry in the capital continue.

A new 110/20 kV substation “Obzor” was built. A new 110 kV overhead line was built to connect the substation to the power transmission system.

A double power line 110 kV Varna north – Kavarna /Batovo – Kichevo/ and an overhead line 110 kV from the Kurilo substation to the Metalurgichna substation in the Sofia region were also newly built.

A large-scale reconstruction of 966 kilometers of power lines is being carried out, through their transformation from a voltage level of 220 kV to 400 kV, as well as the construction of new 400 kV devices near the existing ESO substations, the company states and specifies that the implementation of the project is scheduled to end in 2030.