SUBSTATIONS
Our expert substation engineers encompass a broad range of disciplines that can deliver all aspects of Transmission and Distribution substation design.
Primary and Secondary Systems
Our teams of primary and secondary engineers and CAD designers work through all stages of a project from feasibility, investigation and scoping, through solution studies and on to detailed design. We have a wide experience of handling large and small projects, dealing with the complexities of integrating new equipment into brownfield sites as well as greenfield projects. We make extensive use of 3D CAD in both primary and secondary systems design.
Our specialist skills for substation works include:
Protection and Automation
Protection and Automation engineering is a critical part of substation design, and our Protection team is a flagship of our engineering services. We are often engaged to undertake a client’s more complicated protection work, where a higher level of understanding and experience is necessary.
Carrying out wide area studies for clients is a regular engagement, often producing an economic solution to meet unusual expansion requirements, or to improve a distributor’s SAIDI and SAIFI performances. Improvements can be designed as small increments where each presents a statistical improvement but does not need a major project to implement.
One specialisation is the study of GXP connections, providing the Transmission operator with continuously updated vital information, and larger Distribution companies with Grid tie details.
Our specialist skills for Protection services include:
OUR LATEST PROJECTS
Protecting New Zealand’s Largest Wind farm Connection
We were engaged to design the protection requirements for a new 220kV transmission line connection of a very large wind farm supplying over 200MW into the National Grid.
The task included carrying out the required protection studies, and designing the protection solution including secondary systems equipment, communications and metering.
Wind farm grid connections are always very complex in nature, and as this is the highest capacity connection of this type in New Zealand, it required a team of very experienced Transmission and Generation Protection engineers to provide the solution. The new transmission line is being implemented in multiple sections, requiring further complex modelling, and a design that could be staged as the overall wind farm was developed.
For further information contact Pieter van Dyk pieter.vandyk@niko.nz
110kV Substation – New switchgear bay
In order to provide increased capacity at a client’s substation, a new 110kV switchgear bay was required. We were engaged to design this extension which included designing for the required switchgear, instrumentation transformers and secondary systems, interface with existing equipment and new transmission line, switchyard structural works and foundation assessments. Some of the challenges included interfacing with non-standard existing equipment, missing site records, and an existing roadway that constrained the site and was unable to be relocated.
The design also included new revenue metering systems, new OPGW terminal tower, and a bespoke earth design on a cantilevered gantry structure. We worked with several stakeholders to develop a solution that met all requirements and expectations within the challenging site.
For further information on these services contact Matthew Hall matthew.hall@niko.nz
