Transelectrica is investing 42 million euro in the refurbishment of two essential substations needed for the closure of the 400 kV Ring in the western area, the company says. In 2020, the level of completion of the Ring has reached 70%

The investment project aims to complete the 400 kV Banat Axis, part of the 400 kV Ring of Romania, marks important progress through the refurbishment of two key stations: Resita and Timisoara. These investments, with a total value of approximately 42 million euro, will make possible the closure of the 400 kV Ring of Romania in the western area, a strategic project for the security of the country’s electricity supply and implicitly for the consolidation of the electricity transmission network of interconnection with the networks of neighboring states.

With the completion of the section of the 400 kV Overhead Power Line Oradea Sud-Nădab, in 2020, the degree of achievement of the 400 kV Ring of Romania reached is of 70%.

Considering the strategic importance of the two investments – the refurbishment of the Timişoara and Resita Stations – for the modernization of the electric transmission network, Cătălin Niţu, President of CNTEE Transelectrica SA and Andreea Miu, Member of the Board, participated last week in the command meetings on the stage of works, for each project separately, organized together with the teams of contractors and the project teams of the Company.

“The refurbishment of the Timişoara substation and the Resita substation are currently two investment priorities for completing the 400 kV Ring in the western area, along with the completion of the approximately 340 kilometers of 400 kV overhead power line within the Banat Axis. Romania needs a modernized, reliable energy infrastructure, able to integrate new renewable energy production capacities, therefore the closure of the Ring is a fundamental project for the safety in operation of the National Electric Power System. After almost 4 years of blockages, we managed to resume work in Resita Station, a station with a special role in the western part of the country, which we consider a success, given that this investment will lead both to the strengthening of the network in the western area, and especially will create the necessary premises for interconnection with Serbia. Growing interconnection plays an important role in security of energy supply e of Romania and contributes to the achievement of the targets assumed at European level,” said Niţu.

The refurbishment project of the Timişoara substation is in a mature stage of execution, the deadline for completion of the works being 2024. The investment, worth about 18 million euro, is a complex one and aims at both refurbishing the existing 110 kV substation and also the construction of a new substation with a voltage of 400 kV that will allow the implementation of the project to switch to the 400 kV voltage of the Iron Gates – Resita – Timisoara – Sacălaz – Arad (400 kV Banat Axis), a strategic objective of the Development Plan of the Electric Transmission Network 2020-2029.