Gădălin station
Retrofitting of the 400 kV Gădălin substation
The 400 kV Gădălin substation is an important energy node for the National Power System (SEN), providing the interconnection between three major substations in the Transylvania region: Iernut, Cluj Est and Roşiori (an interconnection substation with UCTE).
The 400 kV Gădălin substation completes the Northern ring by connecting to the Suceava substation via the Gădălin-Suceava overhead power line.
The retrofitting of the 400 kV Gădălin substation meant building a completely new outdoor-type substation, equipped with modern, reliable and high-performance equipment, with a new control building and including all associated facilities and installations.
The new 400 kV substation is of the outdoor type, with air insulation, and is built with a double busbar system in the rigid configuration, supported on the tops of the post insulators and the earthing disconnectors.
The retrofitting of the 400 kV Gădălin substation consisted of works such as:
- 400 kV primary circuits;
- Reactance compensation unit for the high-voltage lines;
- Integrated digital control, protection and metering system;
- Telecommunications system;
- Auxiliary services systems;
- Architecture, buildings and building-related installations;
- Site works, roads.
The retrofitting works of the 400 kV Gădălin substation and the new connections to the existing overhead-line towers were carried out on the current site, under conditions in which the project provided for a new, modern structural layout. The area required to complete the objective represented approximately 60% of the substation's current surface.
The works were carried out without voltage, without using the "step by step" method, by bypassing the substation using the transfer busbar. The area intended for the retrofitting of the substation was not affected by keeping the temporary arrangement in operation until the works were completed and the new substation was commissioned.
