- Contract worth millions by Amprion for the expansion of the 380-kV system in Büscherhof
- Success for EQOS Energie’s new Oberhausen site – strong positioning in North Rhine-Westphalia
- EQOS Energie safeguards stable power supply in the Ruhr area
The Büscherhof substation in the western Ruhr area will be rendered fit for the increased use of renewable energies. To this end, EQOS Energie Deutschland GmbH was commissioned by transmission network operator Amprion GmbH with a considerable expansion of the 380-/220-kV system in Oberhausen. The system will be expanded by four line bays and two transformer cubicles as well as one coupler bay over three busbars plus transfer busbar. As part of the project, the entire 380-kV system will be converted from cables to pipes.
EQOS Energie as a strong partner for the energy transformation
The increased use of renewable energies requires the expansion of existing network stations as well as comprehensive modernisation measures. Based on the expansion and remodelling of the Büscherhof system, the existing transportation network of Amprion will be stabilised in order to best support a switch to regenerative energy sources. To be able to balance the fluctuating feeds of wind or solar energy, high-capacity lines are needed in order to guarantee a stable and smooth power supply. Industrial customers are also connected to the transmission network of the plant in Oberhausen. “A stable and secure power supply is particularly important for companies with high energy consumption, since even short interruptions can damage or even destroy production facilities,” Uwe Brand, head of the Substations/HV Germany West profit centre in charge within the Energy Technology business unit at EQOS Energie, explained the relevance of the current expansion work.
Great success for the new EQOS Energie site in Oberhausen
For the Oberhausen-based team, the contract award is a great success. The site was opened only about a year ago. Uwe Trampnau, Managing Director in charge of the Energy Technology division at EQOS Energie: “Another contract worth millions is proof of the great trust that Amprion has in the professional expertise of our highly qualified team of fitters.” The tight time windows resulting for the installation work in the maximum-voltage area require exact compliance with shutdown schedules.
During this rebuild, all high-voltage equipment or components will also be replaced with new equipment. “In the course of the reconstruction, the pendulum supports located in the plant will also be dismantled. This poses a particular challenge in terms of work processes, as they have to be anchored separately before the field stranding is dismantled,” Brand explained.
EQOS Energie takes on a wide range of tasks
The rebuild of the Büscherhof substation started recently. In the coming months, EQOS Energie will work in sections along the customer’s activation program. In addition to the new installation of aluminium pipe connections, the range of services provided by the EQOS Energie team includes, among other things, the installation of steel and auxiliary steel structures as well as the new installation of approximately 150 kilometres of protective, control and signalling equipment cables. The installation of earthing connections between the equipment or streel structures and the plant grounding mesh system was also commissioned. The construction work is scheduled for completion in 2025.