EP North presented readiness for work in the autumn-winter season to the Parliamentary Committee on Energy

Elektrodistribuenie North prepared the facilities of the electricity distribution network in North-East Bulgaria for operation in the autumn-winter period of 2019-2020. Detailed information about the preparation was presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Energy by Nikolay Nikolov, Chairman of the Management Board of ERP North.

The readiness of the company for work in autumn-winter conditions is associated with the implementation of a number of technical and organizational activities aimed at ensuring the trouble-free operation of facilities. So far, inspections of substations have been carried out, and 23 tons of transformer oil have been poured. Cleared of branches are 1,123 km of route of medium-voltage overhead power lines and 1,281 km of low-voltage overhead lines. 1,029 km of low voltage networks with twisted wire were reconstructed, 208 steel mesh and 2,385 medium and low voltage reinforced concrete poles were replaced and 18 013 pieces of medium voltage insulators were replaced.

The company has provided the necessary emergency reserve of the main types of materials and equipment. Modular compositions of wooden and polymer poles for air power lines of low and medium voltage have been purchased. They are used for the construction of temporary sections on overhead lines during reconstruction or during emergency restoration work in hard-to-reach terrain in winter. The company has 14 thermal imaging cameras, which were used during the winter preparation to inspect the facilities and to take timely measures to eliminate irregularities.

ERP North has 382 repair teams, equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment, specialized equipment and equipment. The vehicle fleet has been prepared with a total of 991 off-road, team and specialized cars available. In 2019, the company invested over BGN 9 million in the purchase of new cars for operation on the network. The company has plans in place to deal with emergencies.

During the year, key investment projects were implemented — reconstruction of Varna East substation, rehabilitation of Leventa substation in Ruse, construction of node station Iztok Ruse, 20 kV transmission in the central urban part of Varna, reconstruction of medium and low voltage overhead and underground networks, etc.

Electricity Distribution North manages and maintains a power distribution network with a total length of 42,626 km on the territory of 30,000 sq. km and covers 9 administrative districts in North-East Bulgaria - Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Razgrad, Ruse, Silistra, Targovishte and Shumen.