The National Electricity Transport Company Transelectrica SA is advancing in the development of the investment to install photovoltaic power plants (CEF) and electricity storage systems intended to supply internal services in 29 power transformer stations, a project that benefits from a funding of 29.557 million euros through the REPowerEU component of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the company announced.
The project implemented by Transelectrica aims to install photovoltaic and storage installations in 35% of the total power transformer stations managed by the Company, with a total installed power of 11.25 MW for photovoltaic power plants and a storage capacity of 19.10 MWh (at a power of 5 MW). In addition, these installations also have the role of ensuring the continuous and autonomous operation of the 29 stations in the event of unforeseen situations of failure or restoration of the system.
Works are underway in 13 stations, and the remaining 16 stations are in the design process, and in the next period, execution works will be initiated. The installation of photovoltaic panels was completed in six stations belonging to the Territorial Transport Branch Craiova (five stations) and the Territorial Branch Bacau (1 station), respectively: 220/110/20 kV Târgu Jiu Nord Electric Transformer Station, 220/110 kV Craiova Nord Electric Transformer Station, 220/110 kV Ișalnița Electric Transformer Station, 220/110/10/6 kV Turnu Severin Est Electric Transformer Station, 220/110 kV Calafat Electric Transformer Station, 220/110/20/6 kV FAI Electric Transformer Station.
By using solar energy and storage solutions, Transelectrica reduces dependence on energy purchased from the market and optimizes operational costs. The photovoltaic plants and storage facilities in the 29 electrical transformer stations will lead to a 50% decrease in their consumption of electricity from the grid.
The project is innovative in its off-grid nature, the systems being designed exclusively for self-consumption, without injection into the electricity grid, in compliance with the unbundling rules (according to Directive 2019/944).
Operational benefits
The installation of photovoltaic plants and storage systems brings significant benefits for the operational safety of the National Electricity System: it ensures the supply of the internal services of the stations (transformer cooling, lighting, HVAC systems); increases the autonomy of the energy infrastructure; improves the operational safety of the SEN and RET, by ensuring autonomous operating conditions in the event of failures and in the event of possible restoration processes, the uninterrupted supply of internal services being vital for the success of their solution.
The photovoltaic power plants and electricity storage facilities will be installed exclusively on the territory of the following CNTEE Transelectrica SA power stations: FAI, Gutinaş, Roman Nord, Bucureşti Sud, Domneşti, Fundeni, Ghizdaru, Gura Ialomiţei, Pelicanu, Stâlpu, Târgovişte, Teleajen, Brazi Vest, Turnu Măgurele, Gădălin, Lacu Sărat, Constanţa Nord, Tulcea Vest, Medgidia Sud, Isaccea, Craiova Nord, Târgu Jiu Nord, Işalniţa, Calafat, Turnu Severin Est, Bradu, Iernut, Paroşeni and Peştiş.
The energy produced by the photovoltaic systems will be used directly for internal consumption, and the surplus will be stored in batteries and subsequently used for the same purpose.
Through this investment, Transelectrica strengthens its role in the modernization of the national energy infrastructure and in the integration of sustainable solutions, actively contributing to Romania’s objectives regarding decarbonization and energy security.
The implementation of the project continues at an accelerated pace, with visible results already in the field, where the photovoltaic infrastructure is already installed, or is in various stages of execution or design.
355 modern equipment purchased by SMART SA with financing from the PNRR for the maintenance of the Electric Transmission Network
The second project of the financing obtained by Transelectrica is “Retechnologization of SMART SA – CNTEE Transelectrica SA branch”, with financing of 13.79 million euros, aims to retechnologize the SMART subsidiary, by equipping it with state-of-the-art equipment and machinery with clean technology, to ensure maintenance services at the highest standards, suitable for a transport and system operator.
With the financing from the PNRR, the SMART SA subsidiary purchased 46 types of modern equipment, from platforms for working at height to tool kits for interventions, a total of 355 machines and equipment. These have already been purchased and received, and are currently being used for interventions. Thus, the investment is in the monitoring and centralization stage of data, in order to meet the target of reducing the average duration of network interventions by 50%.
The modernization of SMART SA strengthens the safety and stability of the National Power System and the Electric Transmission Network, which contributes to ensuring energy security by Transelectrica, as the national transmission and system operator.
A modern data center financed by the PNRR and completed by TELETRANS contributes to ensuring the cybersecurity of the RET
With a financing of 8.44 million euros, the TELETRANS subsidiary completed and operationalized a modern data center at the end of March, which is currently used to strengthen the cybersecurity of the Electric Transport Network.
The investment implemented by the telecommunications subsidiary TELETRANS SA aims to increase the resilience of the electric transport network and the National Electroenergetic System to cyber attacks, by modernizing the communications network (equipment and software) and creating a data center. The equipment purchased under the project will increase the level of technical availability of the fiber optic infrastructure up to 99.5%, directly contributing to ensuring the stability and operational safety of the SEN.
