15/12/2008
PROJECTS CARRIED OUT BY APLEIN INGENIEROS, S.A.
INTEGRAL SOLUTIONS FOR CONTROL CENTRES CONTROL ROOMS FOR HC DISTRIBUCIÓN
AND NEO ENERGÍA.
In the second quarter of this year, construction and start-up of two
control rooms were brought to a successful conclusion. The control rooms
are for the distribution offices of Hc Energía and NEO Energía,
companies belonging to the EDP Group, and both projects were executed
by Aplein Ingenieros, S.A.
We interview Pedro del Rosal – Telecontrol Manager in the Networks
Area of the HidroCantábrico Group.
With contributions from:
Inés Juárez Álvarez – Manager of the Operations
Office of NEO Energía in Oviedo.
José Mª Rey Paredes – Distribution Operation and Maintenance,
Hc Energía.
What is the main activity of the control rooms
of HidroCantábrico Group’s Distribución and Neo
Energía?
HC Distribución: real-time
operation of the Transport and Distribution network. Basically, service
restoration in the case of faults and manoeuvres in works programmed
on the network.
NEO ENERGIA: Real-time control and monitoring of the
wind generation units, with the support of a system of analysis, reports
and historic data storage. Continuous, centralized, remote interaction
between the different systems, markets and agents both internal and
external to neo energía which are interrelated in the overall
management process of these assets.
Image courtesy of Hidrocantábrico.
What led you to choose the solution
presented by Aplein Ingenieros?
NEO ENERGIA: Comparative analysis
of the solutions on the market for similar systems, as well as this
company’s experience in the installation and maintenance of these
projection modules in other control centres with similar characteristics.
What effect have the control centre’s
operations had within the company?
HC Distribución: improved
quality of supply, because service interruption time due to fault is
reduced. Centralized control of the whole network, which means improved
safety for the people carrying out work on it. Greater accuracy of management
indicators (previously manual, now automatic). Improved planning, because
the whole network is now available in the operating systems.
Have any benefits been obtained from
the point of view of centralized operation and control?
HC Distribución: procedures
common across the whole network, bringing improvements in safety and
service quality. Great flexibility in day-to-day network operations
(tension control, load distribution, alarms in installations, etc.).
Now, it would not be feasible to do without centralized operations and
control.
NEO ENERGIA: Control and performance of the company’s
wind power portfolio throughout the world is harmonized and optimized,
because full, real-time optimization of the monitoring and control system
lets the company increase revenue from energy production through improved
operating availability and efficiency of energy conversion, added to
lower costs and operational risks.
Do you think installation of systems
with the same technology is useful in other control rooms with 24 hour/365
days a year requirements?
It depends on the kind of information to be displayed
and if it needs to be shared by all the personnel in the control room.
If so, of course it is, I think systems of this kind are very useful
to cover this functionality, because, in my opinion, they do it perfectly.
Image courtesy of Hidrocantábrico.
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