Rzeszów–Khmelnytskyi powerline explained

Rzeszów–Khmelnytskyi powerline
Country:Poland, Ukraine
Direction:west–east
Start:Widełka substation, Poland 50.1969°N 21.8719°W
Through:Border between Poland and Ukraine 50.1006°N 23.2912°W
Finish:Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant 50.3014°N 26.6498°W
Est:1985
Type:Overhead transmission line
Current Type:AC
Length Km:395
Ac Voltage:750 kV, currently operating at 400 kV
Circuits No:1

The Rzeszów–Khmelnytskyi powerline is an electrical power transmission line between Ukraine and Poland. It is the only 750 kV-powerline in Poland, and one of a few in the European Union.

History

The decision to build this powerline was made in 1977 and it went in operation in 1985.[1] The line went out of service after Poland joined the synchronous grid of Continental Europe (UCTE).[2] However, there was a plan to re-activate this line after 2010 by constructing a back-to-back conversion station on the Polish end of the line, but this was not implemented.[3]

In 2016 Energoatom announced it was considering disconnecting unit 2 of the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant from the Ukrainian power grid and using the powerline to connect to the Burshtyn TES energy island which operates on the European power grid, to facilitate exports to Poland and Hungary.[4] [5] In 2019 the Ministry of Energy created a consortium, Ukraine Power Bridge Company Limited, to progress the project, but as of 2020 the project was not agreed.[6] In 2022 Ukraine's grid had synchronised with the European grid and restoration work on the line began.[7] As of 2023, it is operational at 400 kV.[8]

Technical description

It has a length of 395km (245miles), of which 281km (175miles) in Ukraine and 114km (71miles) in Poland.[1] It runs from Widełka substation near Rzeszów in Poland to Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. It is an AC line and has a single circuit. It can transfer a maximum power of 1300 MVA.

As guyed portal pylons are used, strainers are from special design. They consist of three free-standing lattice towers each carrying one conductor. Each strainer tower has a crossbar at which the conductor is led around the structure on a huge insulator.

The line crosses at 50.0567°N 25.3681°W the 750 kV powerline from Zakhidnoukrainska Substation to Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, which may be the only crossing of two 750 kV powerlines in Europe.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Budowa i eksplotacja ukladu przesylowego 750 kV . Klukowski . Przemysław . Krysiak . Jarosław . 2008-12-23 . Polish.
  2. Activity Report 2007 . PDF . The President of the Enenergy Regulatory Office in Poland . 2007-10-31 . 52 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303203608/http://www.ure.gov.pl/download.php?s=2&id=15 . 3 March 2016 . 10 March 2017.
  3. European, CIS and Mediterranean Interconnection: State of Play 2006. 3rd SYSTINT Report . PDF . . January 2007 . 10 November 2010 . 2007-030-0428 . 52.
  4. News: Ukraine to build power line for power exports to Poland, Hungary: EnergoAtom . Alexander Bor . Platts . 27 May 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160528164520/http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/kiev/ukraine-to-build-power-line-for-power-exports-26452126 . 28 May 2016 . 10 March 2017.
  5. News: Energoatom awaits approval for energy bridge tender . World Nuclear News . 18 April 2018 . 18 April 2018.
  6. News: Energy Bridge has geopolitical significance, says Polenergia . World Nuclear News . 4 December 2020 . 7 December 2020.
  7. News: Do końca roku możliwe przywrócenie połączenia linii 400 kV Rzeszów-Chmielnicka . 2 June 2022 .
  8. News: Ruszył handel prądem z Ukrainą linią Rzeszów-Chmielnicka . 15 May 2023 .