Alstom Grid supplies a new generation gas-insulated substation to Fingrid

Alstom Grid has been awarded a contract by Infratek Finland Oy to supply a new generation of 145 kV gas-insulated substation[1] to Fingrid Oyj. The new substation will be delivered to the Vähänummi substation, located in Järvenpää in Southern Finland. Alstoms delivery consists of five F35 bays (145 kV, 40 kA, 2500 A) gas-insulated substation (GIS). They will be engineered, manufactured and tested at Alstom Grids factory in Switzerland and delivered to Finland in May 2014. Infratek Finland Oy is responsible for the construction of the substation plus cabling and erection works of the substation.

This F35 is the latest version of gas-insulated substation technology. It is the most compact GIS on the market at a voltage level of 145 kV. Its small size makes it more adapted to the environment it can take up to five times less space than its air-insulated equivalent - and reduces maintenance costs. The F35 also has 25% less SF₆ gas compared to the former generation; the minimised sealing length (reduced by 30%) ensures better SF₆ management and fewer leaks.

Jean Nakache, Vice-President Gas-Insulated Substations for Alstom Grid, said: This product has many assets to meet the challenges of utilities and industrials: compactness, efficient site installation, reduced environmental impact and the latest digital solutions to facilitate asset management.  We are proud to bring this added value to our customers.

This new F35 gas-insulated substation was introduced for the first time in April 2013 at the Hanover Fair in Germany. Its integrated cable interface makes it compatible with all types of plug-in cable. It is also digital-ready and can be equipped with all digital monitoring and control systems for digital substations and the future smart grids.

[1] Gas-insulated substations are high voltage electrical substations in which all equipment busbars are housed in grounded aluminium enclosures sealed and filled with sulfur hexafluoride gas (SF₆).