TOP-5 energy achievements of Ukraine in 2020

A number of problems and sags have accumulated in the Ukrainian energy sector, and the coronavirus crisis has also added troubles. But the industry does not stand still. And even builds and creates large and ambitious projects and commissions them.

By the 29th anniversary of Ukraine's independence, Kosatka.Media remembered the most significant energy projects and innovations in the domestic energy sector, implemented and launched over the past year.

Key to "energy Europe" – Kreminska substation

The north of Luhansk region ceased to be an "island", having received a full-fledged power supply, protected from blackouts due to the substation. Moreover, Kreminska substation is the key to "energy Europe". According to Ukrenergo’s Chairman of the Board Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, Kreminska substation is the last milestone that allowed building an infrastructure that guarantees reliable power supply for consumers in 2022, when the Ukrainian power system is scheduled to be disconnected from Russia and the Republic of Belarus.

Kreminska substation includes 500 kV overhead line Donbaska – Donska and 220 kV overhead line Kreminska – Yubileyna. The construction was completed in May 2020, the substation equipment was put on load on May 14. After the successful completion of the on-load tests, the substation operates normally as part of the IPS of Ukraine. Since then, the region has received an additional 500 MW of capacity.

The total transformer capacity of the substation is 501 MVA – an autotransformer 500/220/35 kV (4 phases 167 MVA each, one standby), Ukrainian-made by Zaporizhtransformator. The main feature of the substation is the unique for Ukraine complete gas-insulated switchgears (GIS) 500 kV and 220 kV (manufactured by Hyosung, Korea), which have high operational reliability (the first overhaul after 25 years of operation) and do not require the constant presence of operating personnel at the substation. In addition, due to the compactness of the GIS, the area of ​​the substation site is 3.3 hectares – which is 7 times less than if traditional switchgear was built.

The substation has a unique system of deep biological wastewater treatment Bioprocessor EKO-15 (Ukraine) with a wastewater treatment rate of 98%.

Ambitious Dniester PSP

Ukrhydroenergo calls this facility “the most ambitious project in modern Ukraine”.

According to the project, Dniester PSP should consist of 7 hydraulic units with a total capacity of 2268 MW in generator mode and 2947 in pumping mode, which puts it in sixth place in the world in terms of installed capacity.

As of today, the first stage of the PSP, consisting of three hydroelectric units, is completely ready and functioning. In the generator mode, it is able to produce a total of 972 MW, which is practically equal to the capacity of 1 unit of a nuclear power plant or, for example, about half of the consumption of Kyiv power center.

Now the construction of the second stage of the PSP is underway – the 4th hydroelectric unit is under construction.

The uniqueness of the station lis that it operates in the "pump-turbine" mode and allows using the energy accumulated at night to generate electricity during peak loads on the grid.

Pokrovska SPP, the largest in Ukraine

Pokrovskaya solar power plant with a capacity of 240 MW was built in the fall of 2019 near the village of Pokrovske, Nikopol district, Dnipropetrovsk region. It is also the second largest solar power plant in Europe. It consists of 840 thousand solar panels located on 437 hectares.

The station annually produces 400 million kWh of "green" electricity. This is enough to provide 200 thousand private houses or apartments. And this reduces CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by 420 thousand tons per year.

Development of new technologies – hydrogen in a gas pipeline

Ukraine is actively interested in the possibility of using hydrogen technologies in the energy sector. In July 2020, Ukrainian power engineers conducted the first experiment on the use of hydrogen in the gas distribution network. At a specially prepared test site in Chernyakhov, Zhytomyr region, the Regional Gas Company conducted static tests of gas systems, at which 99% hydrogen concentration was reached. The data obtained during the experiment will allow specialists and the scientific community to assess the compatibility of existing gas pipeline systems with new types of energy.

For hydrogen testing, the gas system of the test site in Chernyakhov was reconstructed by the specialists of JSC Zhytomyrgaz in such a way that, in terms of equipment composition, selection of materials and the degree of their wear, it became a model of the operating gas distribution system.

Read more about the prospects for hydrogen technologies: The fourth industrial revolution: how hydrogen technologies will change Ukraine

Independent Operator of GTS - a new valuable asset of Ukraine

GTS Operator of Ukraine LLC was established in 2019 in order to fulfill international obligations to the Energy Community to ensure the independence of the operator of the gas transmission system of Ukraine. This is a natural monopoly that ensures the transmission of natural gas to consumers in Ukraine and the countries of the European Union.

Starting from January 1, 2020, the Ukrainian GTS Operator is a certified operator of the Ukrainian gas transmission system and is completely independent of vertically integrated companies.

The shareholder of GTS Operator of Ukraine LLC is JSC Mahistralni Gazoprovody Ukrainy, which is 100% owned by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine.

 Ukrainian GTS Operator is:

Cross-border connections with operators of six neighboring countries. 65 active industrial sites in all regions of Ukraine. More than 33 thousand km of pipelines, 57 compressor stations, 33 gas metering stations and 1389 gas distribution stations. About 11,000 employees, of which about 10,000 are involved in manufacturing.

The company is expected to enter the top 10 enterprises of Ukraine in terms of budget contributions in 2020 (with a total contribution of UAH 15 billion).