Acovis to automate 3 Enel electrical substations in Colombia

Venezuelan engineering company Acovis Ingeniería will participate in the modernization of three Enel substations in Colombia.

The projects involve automating the substations, which have a total of 22 bays at a value of approximately US$400,000 each. The work represents almost half of the portfolio of Acovis, which currently has projects for US$20mn under way.

"The energy regulatory commission in Colombia has forced companies to always be up-to-date on technology and there has been a lot of demand from distribution companies," CEO Iván Reyes told BNamericas.

As part of the process, Enel has a modernization plan for its assets in Colombia.

The most important project is the Río electrical substation, which will supply the Canoas wastewater treatment plant.

Acovis will implement fiber optics for the transmission of information from high voltage equipment and protection and control processes. As a result, the substation will be 100% digitized.

The initiative will use up to 80% less copper wire, require fewer internal-external interconnections, and fewer duct and wiring works.

By using fiber optics, costs are lower since fiber is cheaper than copper – the price of which has skyrocketed – and fewer components are used.

The new technologies also promise more robust, reliable systems with failure rates of less than 1%, according to Acovis.

"Costs are reduced, but you have to invest in technology, in engineering and you have to be trained, and that sometimes makes companies prefer to pay more and not take on this risk," said Reyes.

"Enel is being a pioneer," he said, adding Acovis as similar but limited projects in other companies, in the pilot test mode.

"In Europe and the United States, this technology has been used for more than 10 years, but in Latin America we are a little further behind," Reyes said.

The other projects are Enel’s Calle Primera substation that serves Bogotá metro and Barzalosa substation in Girardot.

In these two projects, the company is beginning to carry out tests with the client, while in the Río project it is in the engineering phase.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Despite the problems in the supply chain and the lack of semiconductors, Reyes is confident that Acovis will be able to meet the deadlines. “We are all suffering and delivery times have lengthened. Today we’re fighting with the factory because the times that they have promised us are not met,” he said.

The three projects are due to be delivered this year.