Target Model for Ensuring Power Supply Reliability in Russia

The MAIN JOURNAL for POWER GRID SPECIALISTS in RUSSIA

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Target Model for 
Ensuring Power Supply 
Reliability in Russia

To date, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation 

pays much attention to the comprehensive solution for 

reducing emergencies in the electric power industry and 

improving power supply reliability. In this regard, almost 

every year quality requirements for utilities repair and 

investment activity have 

been raising and paperwork 

has been detailing. Due to 

power grid digitalization is 

approved at the state level, 

some speci

fi

 c requirements 

will be impacted on 

the plans of utilities. 

Approaches and plans of the 

Ministry of Energy related 

to the afore-mentioned 

issues are the topic of 

our conversation with 

Andrey CHEREZOV, Deputy 

Minister of Energy of the 

Russian Federation, "Digital 

transformation of Russian 

electric power industry" 

project supervisor.

— Mr. Cherezov, could you 

please tell us more about target 
management model focused on 
monitoring and improving power 
grid reliability? What is construc-
tion stage of the model at the mo-
ment?

— The target management mo-

del is the transition to a risk-oriented 
system of production assets ma na-
ge ment (PAM), which is being ac-
tively implemented in the power in-
dustry. PAM purpose is to improve 
the control and supervisory function 
and to optimize the company's inter-
nal resources needed to maintain 
technical condition level and to pre-
vent technical risks.

For those purposes, the Ministry 

of Energy of the Russian Federation 
has developed "Methodology for 
comprehensive determining indica-

tors of electric power facilities tech-
nical and economic state, including 
indicators of physical deterioration 
and energy ef

fi

 ciency of electric grid 

facilities", which was put into force 
on January 1, 2018.

Within the framework of this 

methodology, the main indicators 
of electric power facilities technical 
and economic state have been sin-
gled out and the principles of their 
calculation have been developed. 
Also, the procedure for monitoring 
such  indicators  has  been  deter-
mined.

In addition, "Methodology for as-

sessing technical condition of the 
main equipment of power plants and 
electric networks" is approved.

Afore-mentioned methodology 

determines the procedure for as-
sessing technical condition of the 

11

main power equipment and power 
transmission lines. It gives a pos-
sibility to determine the relevant 
type and cost of technical impact 
on equipment. The methodology is 
meant to determine the technical 
condition index used to calculate 
equipment physical deterioration, 
being the most important indicator 
of power facilities technical condi-
tion. Eventually, the methodology 
determines technical impact on the 
main equipment, depending on the 
results of technical condition as-
sessment.

Approaches to the risk-based 

PAM are also implemented in the 
new "Rules for assessing the avail-
ability of energy entities to operate 
during heating season", which come 
into force on July 1, 2018.

Based on afore-mentioned 

Rules, the Ministry of Energy of the 
Russian Federation will assess the 
readiness for autumn-winter period 
(AWP), using energy entities report-
ed data and developed approaches. 
It provides a possibility to organize 
continuous automated monitoring 
of facilities condition and to pre-
pare the facilities for ensuring power 
supply reliability. The procedure for 
calculating energy entities availabil-
ity indexes for operation in heating 
season is de

fi

 ned in "Methodology 

for assessing the availability of ener-
gy entities to operate during heating 
season".

The basis for all newly accepted 

regulatory documents will be the in-
dustry data provided by energy enti-
ties.

— It is obvious that all men-

tioned methods and regulatory 
documents were formulated tak-
ing into account accumulated ex-
perience. What milestone events 
and energy projects have im-
pacted on the formation of those 
methods?

— Undoubtedly, a vast experi-

ence have been accumulated in 
completely different situations over 
the last decade of Russian electric 
power industry operation. It was 
necessary to work in the conditions 
of large power system disturbances, 
to carry out unscheduled planning 
and implementation of important 
strategic and political infrastructure 

projects, and to adapt to the chang-
ing economic situation.

When forming transition model to 

the risk-oriented system for manag-
ing production assets and relevant 
regulatory documents, we relied 
on the experience gained during 
the liquidation of Sayano-Shushen-
skaya power station accident, the 
implementation of major infrastruc-
ture projects related to preparation 
of the APEC Summit in Vladivostok, 
the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi 
and so on.

A huge experience was ob-

tained in the course of the works 
on upgrading power grid facilities of 
Crimea and Sevastopol to the nor-
mative technical condition and en-
suring the necessary level of power 
supply reliability for all customers of 
the peninsula.

From 2014 to 2017, such a ma-

jor infrastructure project as Crimean 
energy bridge was implemented. 
It was able to provide the Crimean 
Peninsula with 800 megawatts of 
power. The energy bridge made it 
possible to realize the basic prin-
ciple of power system – the integra-
tion of power plants, transmission 
and distribution facilities and power 
consumers linked by a single mode 
when producing, transmitting and 
consuming electric power in the 
conditions of centralized operational 
dispatch management.

Along with the energy bridge 

construction, repairs of adjacent 
110-220 kV transmission lines were 
carried out in the Krasnodar Terri-
tory. In addition, serious compre-
hensive diagnostics of all energy 
facilities was conducted. As a re-
sult, the measures for eliminating 
identi

fi

 ed deviations were assumed. 

The work was done for bringing the 
coef

fi

 cients of current transform-

ers in line with actual loads and 
replacing high-voltage circuit break-
ers in accordance with calculated 
short-circuit currents. Due to that 
work, power system reliability has 
been increased and the quality of 
electricity metering has been im-
proved.

Adjacent automated technologi-

cal systems were also upgraded. 
The telemechanics system was re-
stored at all large energy facilities 
of the peninsula (the system was 

practically non-existent in 2014). 
Currently, all power 

fl

 ows in the re-

gion's energy system are controlled 
by the regional dispatching of

fi

 ce 

(the branch of JSC SO UPS – Cher-
nomorskoe Regional Dispatching 
Of

fi

 ce), which after information and 

measurement systems restoration 
has all necessary signals and data 
for competent and effective deci-
sion-making.

Also, 18 mobile gas turbine 

power plants with 405 megawatts 
installed capacity are in constant 
operation on the peninsula territory. 
Those power plants were relocated 
from the continental part of the Rus-
sian Federation for preparing the 
peninsula for autumn-winter period.

All afore-mentioned measures 

have made it possible to reduce the 
overall accident rate at power facili-
ties in the region by 20%.

There are still serious problems 

with  6-10  kV  distribution  networks. 
Almost all the peninsula territory 
and all major cities, such as Yalta, 
Simferopol and Sevastopol have 
extremely obsolete networks. In-
vestment programs of Krymenergo 
and Sevastopolenergo utilities are 
now mainly aimed at renovating 
those networks. The volume of work 
is very large and can't be done for 
1-3 years, so the utilities have de-
veloped long-term renovating pro-
grams based on methods of tech-
nical condition assessment and 
risk-oriented model implementation.

— The number of consumers 

connected to electric networks, 
electrical loads density and re-
quirements  to  power  supply  reli-
ability increase every year. Under 
the circumstances, competent or-
ganization of repair and refurbish-
ment work after major power sys-
tem disturbances become more 
important. How does the Minis-
try of Energy plan to strengthen 
interdepartmental coordination 
of refurbishment work? What or-
ganizational and technical mea-
sures should be developed and 
applied by utilities in cooperation 
with other institutions to acceler-
ate network refurbishment after 
power system disturbances?

— In accordance with require-

ments established by laws and re-

47th CIGRE Session 

Special issue, August 2018

12

gulations, electric grid companies, 
as well as generating companies, 
need to maintain standby equip-
ment for immediate eliminating the 
consequences of emergency situa-
tions.

Energy entities send quarterly 

reports containing information on 
their readiness to perform emergen-
cy  recovery  work  to  the  Ministry  of 
Energy. The availability of approved 
standby equipment lists, as well as 
its completeness, are criteria for 
assessing the readiness of energy 
entities to work in autumn-winter pe-
riod.

At the same time, energy entities, 

as well as Rostekhnadzor subdivi-
sions inspect staff competence with 
the registration of relevant knowl-
edge assessment protocols. The 
inspections are carried out as often 
as necessary according to regula-
tory legal acts. Also, professional 
skills competitions are organized for 
personnel of generating and electric 
grid companies in all professional 
training programs. The competi-

tions are supported by the Ministry 
of Energy.

In cases of large-scale or pro-

tracted emergencies, including 
power  supply  interruptions,  it  is 
planned to hold meetings of the 
leadership of the Government 
Commission for Ensuring Power 
Supply Security (federal level) with 
management  of  staffs  on  ensuring 
power  supply  security  of  consti-
tuent entities of the Russian Fede-
ration and energy entities (regional 
level).  Regional  staffs  ensure  ac-
tion coordination of all interested 
regional authorities with energy 
entities, EMERCOM regional divi-
sions and other services. The pur-
pose of the coordination is the most 
operative recovery from an acci-
dent and power restoration.

At the same time, a big work with 

utilities is done based on consider-
ation and analysis of all large-scale 
emergency outages. The results of 
the work are clearly visible on the 
example of ROSSETI Group, where 
effective preparation systems for 

fast eliminating power supply inter-
ruptions are developed, periodic 
staff training and extension courses 
are conducted and routes of per-
sonnel transfer from neighboring 
regions are envisaged (personnel 
transfers are needed for carrying 
out emergency recovery work).

Also, PJSC ROSSETI is con-

stantly monitoring the meteoro-
logical situation. When forecasting 
adverse weather conditions, the 
company timely prepares all neces-
sary equipment, tests power supply 
emergency sources and organizes 
twenty-four hour duty of operation 
and maintenance personnel.

The work carried out by PJSC 

ROSSETI shows the difference 
between the company and small 
regional grid operators, which are 
often unable to ful

fi

 ll  operational 

measures for eliminating power sup-
ply interruptions.

In 2017 the average time for 

eliminating large power supply in-
terruptions has decreased by 36% 
compared to the values of 2016.

Power transmission lines in the vicinity of Topoli village in the Bakhchisarai district

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

13

As it can be seen, the dyna mics 

is generally positive. However, the 
Ministry  of  Energy  has  no  target 
to  reduce  time  of  power  supply  in-
terruptions constantly. This time is 
often determined by local techno-
logical features and negative factors 
in

fl

 uence. It will be more correct if 

power supply interruptions time is 
determined  by  the  management  of 
relevant region, because this issue 
is directly related to the change in 
electricity tariff.

— Today, Russian electri-

cal grid companies are oriented 
toward digital networks. It is in 
compliance with their strategic 
direction of increasing power 
grid reliability and development. 
In  your  opinion,  will  digital  net-
work become a high-tech infra-
structure base for sustainable 
development of Russian eco-
nomy?

— Electric power engineering as 

an infrastructure industry and the 
basis of economy is undoubtedly 
one of the key areas where digitali-
zation will take a great effect.

It is important to note that electric 

power industry digital transforma-
tion, including digital networks con-
struction, must be viewed as a path, 
not a goal itself. Any transformations 
should provide tangible and measur-
able results while ensuring technical 
and economic ef

fi

 ciency and return 

on investment through improved 
production ef

fi

 ciency, labor produc-

tivity and cost optimization.

Networks digitalization should 

not be limited by only automation of 
existing processes or new technolo-
gies implementation. It is necessary 
to clearly distinguish between these 

2016

2017

–35,8%

1 d 7 h 30 min

20 h 13 min

Reduction of the average time for elimi-

nating large power supply interruptions

tasks. Technological and manageri-
al processes automation is success-
fully carried out in the industry for 
a long time. As long as commercial 
readiness, new production techno-
logies are introduced. But the high 
level of automation doesn't provide 
the necessary effect for reducing 
the cost of kWh.

Planned changes in the industry 

should be aimed primarily at resolv-
ing topical problems. First of all it 
is essential to ensure power supply 
reliability and to upgrade produc-
tion assets within existing tariffs. It 
is also important not to miss avail-
able opportunities. It is expected 
that  electrical  grid  companies  will 
change not only technologies, but 
also business processes and inter-
action models between energy en-
tities linked by a single production 
chain.

— Such a grandiose project 

as digital network needs serious 
legislative and regulatory sup-
port. What regulatory actions are 
made  by  the  Ministry  of  Energy 
to  create  an  appropriate  regula-
tory basis? How is it planned to 
change approaches to cyber se-
curity?

— The Ministry of Energy prima-

ry target is to adopt the legal frame-
work for digitalization tasks. At the 
same time, it is necessary to set the 
benchmark for the industry develop-
ment and encourage companies to 
support digitization not through re-

strictive measures or prohibitions, 
but by economic measures and ex-
pediency.

The issue of information security 

has been raised to the state level, 
taking into account the existing in-
ternational realities. In the coming 
years, the task is to develop new uni-

fi

 ed approaches and requirements 

for upgrading IT infrastructure of the 
industry. The infrastructure should 
be capable to ensure power systems 
ope ration in the new digital environ-
ment and in the face of probable cyber
threats.

— Will the transition to net-

work digital model require adjust-
ments in the existing programs 
for the development of Russian 
electric power industry and indi-
vidual regions?

— Adjustments and clari

fi

 cations 

of such programs are carried out on 
a regular basis. This is the responsi-
bility of both the Ministry of Energy 
and specialized design organiza-
tions.

It is expected that relevant issues 

related to power grid digitalization 
will be appropriately taken into ac-
count within the framework of regu-
lar adjustments to those programs in 
the coming years.

— Thank you very much for 

the interview.

Interview was conducted

 by Ekaterina Guseva

Dispatch board of the Vologda power distribution zone (Vologdaenergo, the branch 

of PJSC "IDGC of North-West", PJSC ROSSETI subsidiary)

47th CIGRE Session 

Special issue, August 2018