Summary
Hitachi Energy’s proactive maintenance approach at Beining substation contributes to pave the way for the energy transition.
Challenge
In Jinzhou, a key central city in the western region of China’s Liaoning province, the Beining 500 kV substation, operated by State Grid Corporation of China, serves as one of the essential hub stations in the region. Since its operation in 2006, the Beining subsation has greatly supported the Westen Liaoning’s continued growth and prosperity by ensuring a steady flow of reliable power.
Currently, the energy landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. China is moving towards a more sustainable future, with a surge in renewable energy sources like wind and solar playing a vital role.In addition, the increased demand for electricity to fuel the growth of this coastal region places new demands on grid stability and safety. So it is important to ensure the continuous and stable operation of critical power facilities such as the Bac Ninh 500 kV hub substation. While the existing circuit-breaker operating mechanisms (HMBs) had served reliably for over 18 years, they required regular maintenance and upgrade to keep pace with the evolving demands of the grid.
Solution
Hitachi Energy, with its unparalleled expertise in HMB design, manufacturing, and service spanning over 30 years, championed a proactive approach for the Beining substation as opposed to reactive repairs. Waiting for equipment to fail can lead to costly downtime, disrupt vital services, and potentially compromise safety. By proactively addressing potential issues, it is possible to minimize these risks.
Hitachi Energy developed a customized preventive maintenance solution for HMB. A highly skilled service team was deployed to the substation to perform comprehensive on-site maintenance, upgrades, and testing of all 54 HMB units. This proactive strategy went beyond simply maintaining functionality. The goal was to identify and address potential equipment risks before they could lead to failures, minimizing the possibility of downtime and ensuring long-term operational efficiency for the substation.
Impact
By comprehensively maintaining and upgrading the HMB at the Beining substation, Hitachi Energy aims to safeguard the substation's reliability and performance. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of unexpected equipment failures, which can lead to costly repairs and disruptions to power delivery. Furthermore, it optimizes the substation's efficiency, ensuring it can handle the increased demands of the evolving grid. This translates to a more robust and resilient substation, well-equipped to support Western Liaoning's continued growth and its transition to a low-carbon energy future.
"During the maintenance, Hitachi Energy leveraged its strong technical expertise and quality control to ensure the work progressed smoothly," said Yin Baoquan, Vice Director at the Jinzhou Branch of the Liaoning Ultra-High Voltage Company, the State Grid Corporation of China. "They promptly detected and addressed potential risks to help secure the stable operation of the substation's equipment. I look forward to enhancing our cooperation with Hitachi Energy to maintain aging equipment in the future."
