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Press Release22 June 2017Energy ManagementErlangen
Siemens protects UK Power Networks' distribution grid
The picture shows the Fusesaver vacuum circuit-breaker from Siemens
Headquartered in London, UK Power Networks deliver electricity in the capital, South East and East of England to approximately 8.2 million homes and businesses. The service area covers approximately 30,000 square kilometers.
Distribution grids on the medium-voltage level can be installed both above ground and below ground. Many countries, such as the United States, Australia and the U.K., distribute their medium-voltage electricity using mainly outdoor distribution grids. Siemens developed the Fusesaver vacuum circuit-breaker to protect and improve the supply reliability and stability of these networks. The Fusesaver can be installed in series with existing fuses. If a temporary fault occurs, such as a lightning strike or a tree branch on the line, the vacuum circuit-breaker upstream from the fuse opens and protects it from damage. Since a fuse cannot distinguish between temporary and continuous faults, it needlessly interrupts the circuit for a long period of time in 80 percent of cases. The Fusesaver can also completely replace the fuse, as in the UK Power Networks' system. Temporary faults thus only lead to very short interruptions of the power supply. To avoid more extensive damage, the Fusesaver interrupts continuous faults until the cause of the fault has been eliminated.
"The Fusesaver eliminates the number of maintenance deployments almost entirely," said Matthew Corbridge, a network development engineer at UK Power Networks. UK Power Networks has an extensive overhead-line system in eastern and southeastern England, and there are a lot of spur lines in this system. "In our continuing efforts to reduce the number of power cuts caused by a range of factors, we needed a cost-effective solution in order to ensure a reliable power supply for customers on the main lines. The Fusesaver meets these requirements with its highly flexible scalability and its easy installation."
The Fusesaver is equipped with a wireless communication interface, over which the control and measured data can be transmitted to a PC or the control desk. This establishes the prerequisites for a smart grid. The breaker weighs 5.5 kilograms and is one of the fastest reclosable vacuum circuit-breakers on the market. It minimizes installation, operating and maintenance costs for outdoor distribution grids while increasing supply reliability and the personal safety of the grid operators.
For further information on Division Energy Management, please see www.siemens.com/energy-management
For further information on Fusesaver, please see www.siemens.com/fusesaver
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2016, which ended on September 30, 2016, Siemens generated revenue of €79.6 billion and net income of €5.6 billion. At the end of September 2016, the company had around 351,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.