ENERGO-PRO organizes “Open Doors Day” for future energy professionals

Within the framework of the initiative dedicated to the World Consumer Day — March 15, students visited the Training Center and High Voltage Laboratory of the company

Nearly 100 future electricians and electrical engineers took part in the ENERGO-PRO “Open Doors Day” initiative dedicated to the World Consumer Day — March 15. Students from the Vocational High School of Electrical Engineering - Varna and students from Technical University - Varna got acquainted with the path and transformations of electricity before it reaches the consumers, as well as the main facilities that are used in the electricity distribution network.

The tour started from the ENERGO-PRO Networks Training Center, specially built in 2009 for professional training of electricians. After going through the mandatory safety briefing and being provided with helmets, the guests visited the training halls for cable heads and couplings, switching equipment, replacement of electricity meters and more. At the Training Center, future power engineers examined the so-called “baby line”, which is a copy of a real power line, located only 2 meters above the ground, instead of the standard 10 meters. “Baby line” has always aroused great interest from visitors to the training center,” said engineer Ivan Ivanov from the Department of Labor Safety and Environmental Protection at the company.

The next step in the program was the outdoor demonstration with the ascent of a steel lattice pole and the elimination of an accident at height. The preparation was carried out according to all the rules under conditions identical to the real ones and with the specific technical equipment - shoulder-thigh belt, Y-rope for securing, special insulating (dielectric) gloves, helmet, safety glasses, etc. By instruction, electricians work in a team, with tools and materials being fed to the climber on the ladder by his colleague on the ground via a special rope. Safety measures in any work with electrical equipment are a mandatory moment of the daily life of the company's specialists, since ignoring the rules carries a risk to their health and life.

The guests of the company had the chance to enter the unique for Bulgaria licensed High Voltage Laboratory of ENERGO-PRO Networks. It is part of the history of the electrification of Varna, since the first diesel generator supplying energy to the city was built there a hundred years ago. In the laboratory, tests are carried out on cables and insulators from different manufacturers and on all kinds of specialized and personal protective equipment, such as dielectric gloves, voltage indicator bars, shoes, etc. The demonstration of the volt arc and the breakthrough of insulators was a real show for visitors.

With the viewing of the South substation, the tour of the guests on the path of electricity before it reached our homes ended. Curious visitors had the opportunity to see the new ultra-modern transformer weighing more than 84 tons. Its functions are to lower the voltage level from high to medium, so that the electricity can then be directed to the substations, where it is converted to low voltage and delivered to consumers.

At the end of the event, future energy professionals expressed their desire to participate in other similar initiatives that will expand their professional horizons even during their academic preparation. “The most interesting part of the tour for me was to observe how a volt arc is formed.”, shared Veselin Zarev, a student of the Vocational School of Electrical Engineering, and added that he liked the profession of an electrician. “Some of the students carry out their training and production practice in ENERGO-PRO, and many of the high school graduates are already working in the company.”, were the words of their teacher.

Earlier this month, the company's dispatch center in Ruse opened its doors for students majoring in Electrical Engineering and Electrical Equipment from the University of Ruse. Today, in parallel with the “Open Doors Day”, a tour of students is held at the “Center” substation in Ruse, which supplies the central part of the city. ENERGO-PRO has a tradition in organizing similar initiatives for future energy professionals and actively participates in preparing them for their future profession.