HVDC Volgograd–Donbass

Volgograd–Donbass
Location
Country Russia
Ukraine
From Volzhskaya Static Inverter Plant (Volga Hydroelectric Station)
To Mikhailovskaya static inverter plant
Technical information
Type overhead line
Type of current HVDC
Total length 475 km (295 mi)
Power rating 750 MW
DC Voltage 400 kV (100 kV)

The HVDC Volgograd–Donbass is a 475 kilometres (295 mi) long bipolar 400 kV high voltage direct current powerline used for transmitting electric power from Volga Hydroelectric Station at Volgograd to Donbas and vice versa. HVDC Volgograd–Donbass is after the already shutdown Moscow-Kashira HVDC powerline the second HVDC scheme built in former Soviet Union and can transfer a maximum power of 750 Megawatt. The scheme is today in bad state and only operated with a voltage of 100 kV. Nevertheless, it is still modernized, as a Google Map Picture of its crossing with M-4 motorway at shows, where one can see that new pylons for the crossing of the motorway are under construction.

Contents

Volzhskaya Static Inverter Plant

The terminal at Volga Hydroelectric Station, Volzhskaya Static Inverter Plant, is situated on the dam of the power plant at . Each of the poles consist of four series connected three-phase valve bridges, which form two series connected twelve pulse bridges. Originally all valves of the scheme were mercury arc valves designed for a voltage of 100 kV and a maximum current of 938 Amperes. In 1977 one mercury arc valve group was replaced by a thyristor valve group. The inverter transformers of Volzhskaya Static Inverter Plant are fed directly from the generators of the Volga Hydroelectric Station with 14 kV three-phase AC, whereby two parallel switched generators feed their power into one transformer. The transformers have beside the two secondary windings required for the realization of the 12 pulse valve bridges a third winding for feeding electric power in the local 220 kV grid. The station has no harmonics filters. All required reactive power is delivered from the generators of the power plant.

Mikhailovska static inverter plant

The static inverter plant in Donbas area, Mikhailovska static inverter plant, is situated northeast of Pervomaisk, Luhansk Oblast at . It uses as Volzhskaya Static Inverter Plant for each pole four series connected three-phase valve bridges, which form two series connected twelve pulse bridges. As at Volzhskaya Static Inverter Plant one mercury arc valve group was replaced in 1977 by a thyristor valve group. The valves of Mikhailovska static inverter plant are connected over the inverter transformers with the local 220 kV grid. Remarkable is, that the DC line crosses the whole AC switchyard of the substation before it enters the inverter hall situated at the southern side of the station. The hall is 219 metres (719 ft) long and has a 54 metres (177 ft) long wing pointing in south-southwesterly direction. The Mikhailovskaya static inverter plant has three harmonic filters, each with a reactive power of 132 MVA, which are situated 100 metres (330 ft) northerly of the AC switchyard.

Powerline

The powerline to Donbas area has a length of 475 kilometres (295 mi) and the entire length is overhead line.

The suspension towers have a single crossbar, carrying one conductor on a suspension insulator at each end of it. Two types of strainers are used: lattice towers similar to the suspension towers, but equipped with strainer insulators and of stronger design and much more often pole-type towers with a central pole supported by two diagonal bars. The latter towers carry only one conductor, and there are always 2 such towers close together.

South of Solinky at , there is an unusual double pylon in the line, at which one conductor is fixed at suspension insulators, while the other is fixed with strainer insulators. The exact use of this pylon is unknown. It may carry equipment for extracting PLC-signals from the line, which may be used by Solinky 110 kV substation approximately 1 kilometres northward.

Southwest of Kamennyy between and the line is installed on portal pylons designed for 3 conductors, although the line has there as in all other sections just 2 conductors.

The conductors consist of bundles of 2 ACSR-conductors with 600 mm2 cross section. The whole line is equipped with a single ground wire. It is a single ACSR-wire with 70 mm2 cross section and fixed on the pinnacles of the pylons.

The line leaves Mikhailkovskaya Static Inverter Plant in northnortheast direction. Southeast of Onkhove it turns eastnortheastly. South of Prychiplivka it turns eastwards. East of Krasnyl Lyman it changes its way until to eastnortheast and passes Schastia northward. North of Petrivka the line runs eastwards and then after Nyznoteple southwards in order not to cross a populated valley. Then at Teple ot turns eastwards, however changes its way to eastsoutheast direction north of Harasmythka. The border to Russia is crossed north of Ushakovka at , but it enters Ukraine again for a very short section south of Talove at . The line runs in Russia past Krasnovka and Novotalovka until Taradinka eastwards, where it turns again toward northeast. North of Krivorzne its direction went more eastwards. In its further track, it passes between Krinychnyy and Melnichnny and runs past Krasnoschekov and Krasnoyarovka through large fields to Varlamovka. In its further track it passes south of Rusakov, south of Kalmykovsky and south of Erik. Behind Erik, its way nears Don River. Short before Don River the line turns to southeasterly in order to cross it in a right angle, The crossing itself, which is situated near Peskovatka at has a span width of 608 metres (1,995 ft). As the west bank of Don River is here a hill, there are no extraordinary tall pylons used. After Don Crossing it runs the remaining way to Volgograd until a point 5 kilometres east of Kuzmichi, where it meets the 500 kV AC lines to Volgograd Hydroelectric Plant nearly straight eastward. Then it turns southeasterly and south of Erzovka southward. It crosses several areas with recreational garden houses in the northern quarters of Volgograd and passes southerly an industrial complex and the 500 kV switchyard of Volga Hydroelectric Power Plant before it reaches its destination, the inverter plant of Volga Hydroelectric Plant, which is integrated in the power station. One conductor of the line ends at the Western end of the Power Station Building, while the other crosses on the pylons of the 220 kV-powerline, which starts here the building and ends on the other site of the building. This comes from the fact, that the valve groups are switched in series and each valve group is fed by its own machine.

Electrodes and electrode lines

HVDC Volgograd–Donbass can be operated as monopol scheme with ground return, therefore two ground electrodes are installed. Both electrodes are designed as land electrodes consisting of a single steel rod with 30 milimetres diametre whereby cokebackfill is used.

The electrode lines, which look like a 110 kV-powerlines with 2 conductors, use similar, but smaller pylons as the main line. In opposite to the main line, all strainers are free-standing lattice towers with a single crossbar, while the suspension towers of the electrode line are usually concrete poles with a single crossbar made of steel. Only suspension towers of extraordinary height are built as lattice towers.

The electrode of Mikhailovskaya static inverter plant is situated north of Smile at . It is connected with Mikhailovskaya static inverter plant by a 32 kilometre long overhead line, which consists of two parallelized 2450 mm2 ACSR conductors. The electrode line from Mikhailovskaya static inverter plant follows the main line on the left side seen from Mikhailovskaya static inverter plant until a point northeast of Zolobok at where it undercrosses the main line. After this point, it follows the main line on the other site until a point south of Krymske at where it leaves the course of the main line in southeast direction toward the electrode.

The electrode for the terminal at Volgograd is situated northwest of Kamennyy at . It is connected with it by a 24 kilometre long overhead line consisting of two parallelized 2450 mm2 ACSR conductors.

Trivia

Waypoints

Right of way of HVDC Volgograd–Donbass, according Google-Maps. May be imperfect due to low resolution.

Russia

Number Coordinates
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Ukraine

Number Coordinates
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Electrode Line in Ukraine

Number Coordinates
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12A
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Electrode Line in Russia

Incomplete as line cannot be tracked on Wikimapia through Volgograd

Number Coordinates
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External links