Siemens Sensformer boosting digital transformation of Egypt’s electricity grid

BT News Desk
June 23, 2019 4:13 am

Siemens announced it has signed an agreement with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, to supply the country’s first digital power transformer, Siemens’ Sensformer. As the world’s first comprehensive digital transformer, Sensformer, is expected to increase energy reliability and efficiency for the Kafr El Sheikh and New Zagazig 500, 220 kilovolt substations for the delta area, a highly loaded link of the transmission grid in northern Egypt.

Egypt’s energy network is in the midst of a transformation. Increased power generation capacity, the move towards renewables integration as well as more cross-border electricity flows are transforming the energy landscape and posing new challenges for Egypt’s transmission grid.

Under the agreement, Siemens will supply 14 Sensformers. This includes engineering, design, fabrication, supervision of the erection of power transformers, site management, testing along with the commissioning services on a turnkey basis. To further support EETC’s priorities to ramp up capacity, the two companies have agreed to work on a fast-track work schedule to complete the project by May 2020.

Power transformers are key elements in power grid infrastructure that regulate voltage and current between different power supply units. In addition to their primary task of transforming voltage, Sensformers also act as information hubs for the power grid operators. Grid operators get access to a cloud-based platform application that visualises the collected data and provides insights on the assets’ status and performance across voltage levels. This helps enhance flexibility and optimise operation of the entire grid, while preventing failures.

To allow the network operators and energy producers to manage this new electricity landscape automatically, Sensformer is also equipped with an IoT gateway to provide direct real-time measurements of oil level, top oil temperature, low voltage winding as well as GPS location. All the data generated by the sensors are then transmitted to the cloud via the Sensformer connectivity device, using the standard GSM communications or via the Ethernet.

Sensformer is equipped with IoT gateway to provide real-time measurements of oil, voltage, GPS.
Data generated is transmitted to the cloud via Sensformer using standard GSM communications or through Ethernet.

“As a result of Egypt’s energy transition, the demands placed on our grid infrastructure are continually increasing,” said Sabah Meshaly, Chairman of EETC. “Digitalisation of key elements in power grid infrastructure, such as transformers, can certainly help optimise energy distribution and reduce electricity losses.”

“The power industry is currently undergoing significant change with the evolution of energy networks into a decentralised, decarbonised and digitalised systems. Our intelligent transformers pave the way for the Internet of Energy,” said Rafiq Hussain, Senior Vice President, Siemens Transmission Products in the Middle East. “With this contract, we are excited to build on our long-standing partnership with the EETC in Egypt. And, we remain committed to enabling all our customers across the region to manage this new electricity landscape and build the power grid of the future.”

Key takeaways

Strategy

  • The companies have agreed to complete the project by May 2020.
  • Sensformers act as information hubs for power grid operators.
  • Grid operators get access to a cloud platform that visualises data and provides insights on assets’ status.

Execution

  • Siemens will supply 14 Sensformers including engineering, design, fabrication, site management, testing, commissioning.
  • Sensformer is equipped with IoT gateway to provide real-time measurements of oil, voltage, GPS.
  • Data generated is transmitted to the cloud via Sensformer using standard GSM communications or through Ethernet.

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