ABB has supplied generator circuit-breaker to enhance safety and reliability at Avce power plant in Slovenia.
Slovenia is a country rich in natural water resources with 26,000 kilometers of rivers and streams. The share of energy consumption from renewable energy sources has been on the increase in the past decade and is targeted to reach 25 percent by 2020.
The Soca River, known for its emerald green waters flows 138-kilometers from western Slovenia to northeastern Italy. Located on the left river bank is Avce, Slovenia’s first and only pumped storage power plant. Hydro energy is pumped up and stored in the reservoirs of Avce until required. Dur-ing periods of high electrical demand, electricity can be generated quickly to balance the load and supply in the overall power system.
ABB’s generator circuit-breaker (GCB) installed in Avce has been protecting key equipment in the plant by clearing potential harmful short-circuits to prevent severe damages and lengthy plant downtime. The GCB type HECPS-3S is a unique solution for pumped storage power plants that integrates key functionalities for pumped storage in a compact system. Integrated in the GCB is an innovative monitoring system, GMS600 to support the plant operator, SENG with online asset health management which is key in digitalization of equipment.
”The GMS600 monitoring system enables us to access GCB data at anytime, from anywhere via the Internet. Together with ABB experts, we can effectively plan our maintenance, decrease costs and prolong the lifetime of the equipment”, said Sebastijan Bratina, Head of Machine Mainte-nance, SENG.
ABB offers the widest and most modern portfolio of GCBs in SF6 and vacuum technology across a range of short-circuit ratings, from 50 kA to 300 kA and nominal currents from 3,150 A to over 50,000 A to meet the demand of all types of power plants around the globe.