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SMART GRID SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS for plant secondary automation CONCO Energy Solutions (CONCO ES), a secondary ary plant solutions provider, has expanded its product t range in order to meet the growing demands of secondary plant automation in the industry. I n the past year, CONCO ES completed a number of projects, including thirty-nine 40-foot container powerhouses for a solar project, power plant controllers for wind farms, and a facility SCADA solution for a solar farm. Another project, at a wind farm, consisted of implementing a fully integrated smart grid enabled automation and control solution with advanced protection using IEC 61850, intelligent Human Machine Interface (HMI) responsible for motoring and controlling the substation and wind farm. An automatic backup system, integrated security and is the International surveillance system, Electrotechnical using video over Commission’s global IP, was added standard for the design for increased of electrical substation safety. The work automation and included advanced IT communication. infrastructure with high- speed satellite broadband communications, telephony using voice over IP, role based remote engineering access, cyber security policies and procedures, as well as email, SMS notification for rapid response and power restoration. IEC 61850 SYSTEMS CONTROL FOR A SMARTER GRID Utilities throughout the world are leaning more towards complete smart grid systems, enabling integrated solutions on all new projects. CONCO ES is able to supply services, such as control centre applications, telecommunications, SCADA/automation, and smart grid applications, which are mandatory requirements for the next generation smart grid. 38 The SCADA/automation team at CONCO ES is skilled in the design of multi-vendor substation automation systems using IEC 61850 and advanced substation gateways. Experienced in designing intelligent HMI systems for substations, facilities SCADA and implementing plant control solutions for renewable energy projects, the team is able to facilitate grid code compliance, manage grid integration for renewable energy projects, and provide multi- protocol support. Telecommunications experts in the team are able to implement secure industrial networking solutions using routers, firewalls and managed switches for substation automation. This includes the design and commission of telecommunications access and transport networks for power utilities using multiplexer devices, GPRS/3G/ LTE, satellite, and digital radio. They are able to provide secure VPN connectivity to all customers anywhere in the world for remote engineering access, as well as design and commission Wide Area Networks (WAN) for power utilities using advanced inter-substation communication technologies. The team also designs and commissions telephony, conferencing and SMS/email notification systems using advanced smart grid technologies, implements cyber-security policies and procedures on all telecommunications systems for power utilities according to NERC CIP, and designs automatic backup systems with systems restoration policies. This includes the management of the system control contracts, and providing customers with internet connectivity and broadband communications in substations. SAFE AND RELIABLE QUALITY SERVICES CONCO ES’s technical teams perform testing and commissioning up to 400kV equipment and including switchgear, protection relays, tele-protection, metering control and substation automation. They use advanced testing equipment for primary and secondary injection testing of transformers, VTs, CTs as well as circuit breaker trip testing. Specialist teams, made up of qualified and experienced commissioning engineers, are able to perform fault investigations, maintenance, consultations, technical support and training. Services include the upgrade of outdated, fully functioning substations, which is crucial in maintaining electrical supply. Offering substation automation solutions, batteries and chargers, SCADA systems, MCCs, low voltage AC and DC distribution boards and yard marshalling kiosks, CONCO ES is able to take full responsibility for the solution, ensuring that every aspect of the control room meets high standards. “We aim to provide the highest quality products for each and every one of our customers, irrespective of the size of the work,” says Andreas Richelmann, Managing Director. “This is where ‘impossible’ is always viewed as a challenge which we aim to overcome at every turn.” ESI ABOUT THE COMPANY Only a year ago, CONCO ES was known as Consolidated Power Project’s Protection and Automation division. Highly regarded in the industry for nearly a decade, for their excellence in design, engineering, manufacturing and commissioning of their control and automation solutions, CONCO ES has undertaken to be the principal secondary plant solution expert. www.concogrp.com ESI AFRICA ISSUE 2 2015