Transelectrica and Siemens Energy inaugurate the first SCADA Laboratory within the Polytechnic University of Bucharest

Transelectrica and Siemens Energy collaborated for the inauguration of the first SCADA laboratory within the Polytechnic University of Bucharest. The laboratory was inaugurated at the opening of the fifth edition of the International Conference “Regional South-East European Conference – RSEEC 2020”.

Within the SCADA Laboratory, a microstation was built consisting of command – control – protection equipment in digital technology, similar to the most modern installations currently operating in the CNTEE Transelectrica SA installations, to ensure the energy transport function in safe conditions. SCADA Laboratory, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Eng. Constantin Bulac, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ion Triștiu and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Mihai Sănduleac, is the result of collaboration between operators in the real economy and the university environment to ensure a solid training of future energy engineers in Romania.

Present at the opening of the event, Antonel Tănase, Secretary General of the Government, specified that the Government of Romania is a partner for investments, for clean energies and for a sustainable and decent life in Romania. Also, Antonel Tănase encouraged the National Electricity Transmission Company Transelectrica SA to continue to get involved in the university area, as it did by investing in the SCADA Laboratory.

Antonel Tănase, Secretary General of the Government, said: “I want to thank Transelectrica for its involvement in the research area and in the university, technical area, both by equipping the laboratory and in the following projects it wants to develop in partnership with the Polytechnic University of Bucharest. I encourage such steps.”

Mihnea Costoiu, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, underlined: “Automated SCADA systems (monitoring, control and data acquisition) have proven their efficiency in operation, through the appropriate allocation of resources and low energy consumption regardless of the economic field in which they were implemented. Thus, the initiative to set up a SCADA laboratory in UPB is extremely welcome, these automation systems being necessary wherever there is a technological process, because it is the only solution that offers you the possibility of efficient operation at reasonable operating costs.

Although this trend of energy efficiency is increasingly present internationally, the digitization of the energy sector is a priority today, training students in this direction is essential for the development of skills.

Cătălin Nițu, General Executive Director of CNTEE Transelectrica SA, added: “The endowment of the SCADA laboratory, within the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Faculty of Energy, marks a success of our company in terms of actions to promote and support specialized education. The SCADA laboratory represents a consistent investment of the Company in the training of future energy professionals, but also of the current professionals of the Company. The Company’s vision for establishing and developing a SCADA Laboratory capability is to accelerate the understanding and adoption of technologies that will make the transition from energy systems to intelligent systems. It is our duty to come to the aid of the university environment for the training of the engineers of the future, so that they keep up with the technological advance registered in the sector. Therefore, a consistent collaboration between economic operators, such as Transelectrica, and the university environment is mandatory. In this sense, during this period we are perfecting a protocol with the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, through which we intend to extend the collaboration directions in the period 2020 – 2024 ”.

Petru Rușeț, Managing Director of Siemens Energy Romania, said that technology is important, but it is the people who make the difference: “That is why the training of the next generation of energy specialists is one of our main objectives. We thank the management of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, CNTEE Transelectrica SA and our partners for offering us the opportunity to get involved in this project for the development of students’ practical skills.”

The SCADA laboratory was equipped with monitoring and control equipment related to a command-control-protection system, used in 400/220/110 kV substations, with various functions:

– monitoring and control;

– distance protection;

– differential protection;

– maximum current protection;

– differential bar protection;

The equipments are identical to those operated in the CNTEE Transelectrica SA stations, such as Stupărei 220 / 110kV, Târgoviște 220 / 110kV, Turnu Măgurele 220 / 110kV, Roman Nord 400/220 / 110kV.

Within the SCADA Laboratory, students will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the management of the technological process in a high voltage power station, through the newly implemented control-protection system, will be able to view both the station diagram in real time and all information / signaling. In this way, upon completion of studies, future professionals will adapt more quickly to the management of current technological processes.

The concept and design were made by Prof. Dr. Eng. Constantin Bulac, Dr. Eng. Florin Bălașiu and Eng. Dănuț Adrian Postovei, Siemens Energy Romania. Specialists with experience in the field were responsible for the implementation and testing of the command-control-protection system related to the SCADA laboratory: Eng. Dănuț Adrian Postovei, Eng. Viorel Pătrașcu and Eng. Răzvan Șerbănescu.