Siemens wins major Chilean control center project contract
The Power Systems Control and Energy Management Division (Minneapolis, MN) of Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution, Inc. (SPT&D), has been awarded a contract to supply a state-of-the-art power transmission control system by the Chilean firm SYNAPSIS. SYNAPSIS — appointed by the four largest Chilean electric companies: ENDESA, TRANSELEC, CHILECTRA and RIO MAIPO — will manage the overall control project that is slated to bring efficiency, reliability and capacity to Chile's national electric power transmission grid.
The project's scope includes replacing CHILECTRA and ENDESA/TRANSELEC's current Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/Energy Management Systems (SCADA/EMS) with a new main control system, a backup control system and a development system. The contract also calls for two zonal control systems. The new main control system will be located in Santiago while the North and South zonal control centers will be erected in the cities of La Serena and Concepcion.
The new control system will be comprised of:
- a complete SCADA System
- automatic generation control applications
- energy management applications
- an inherent interface between the SCADA system
- a future distribution management system
- a historical information system
- ICCP communication interfaces
- development and maintenance system
According to SYNAPSIS, Siemens solution was chosen because it is readily maintainable and expandable, features that will help to protect ENDESA, TRANSELEC, CHILECTRA and RIO MAIPO investments while supporting their changing business needs.
SYNAPSIS also noted that the Siemens system encompassed as many open systems concepts as practical and that because the base Siemens software handles the majority of their requirements, the development of special or customized software would be minimized.
Edited by Jerry R. Borland, P.E.
Managing Editor, EC Online
jborland@vertical.net