The Nongki 115kV Smart Substation represents a significant leap forward in Thailand's energy infrastructure. As the country's first fully IEC 61850-compliant smart substation, it highlights the successful collaboration between CYG Sunri and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) of Thailand. This project sets a precedent for future developments in the region and establishes a benchmark for smart substations across Southeast Asia.

Project Overview and Scope

The Nongki substation renovation project involved a comprehensive upgrade to the existing infrastructure, transforming it into a state-of-the-art digital substation. CYG Sunri, acting as the EPC contractor, provided end-to-end services, including site surveys, complete station renovation design, secondary equipment development, construction drawing design, production, supply, installation guidance, commissioning, and training. The project's scope encompassed the entire thoughtful renovation of the 115kV substation, ensuring compliance with the latest international standards while significantly enhancing the system's reliability and efficiency by adopting advanced technologies.

This project is the first in Thailand and Southeast Asia to implement a fully functional smart substation with a three-tier architecture. The architecture includes a station control level, a bay level, and a process level. All are interconnected through MMS (Manufacturing Message Specification), SV (Sampled Values), and GOOSE (Generic Object-Oriented Substation Event) networks. This layered structure allows for more efficient data transmission and enhances the reliability of high-voltage protection through direct SV sampling.

Technological Innovations

CYG Sunri's advanced digital substation solutions are at the core of the Nongki Smart Substation project. These solutions address the challenges faced by traditional substations, such as complex secondary circuits, limited interoperability between devices, and restricted automation capabilities.

Process Bus Technology

Another major innovation is transitioning from traditional copper wire connections to an optical fiber-based process bus. The digital process bus reduces network complexity, minimizes signal interference, and simplifies overall substation design. It facilitates seamless integration of multiple devices, enabling real-time data sharing and advanced monitoring capabilities.

IEC 61850 Standardization

The entire substation is designed to comply with the IEC 61850 standard, ensuring interoperability between devices from different manufacturers. This standardization is crucial for future-proofing the substation, as it allows for easy integration of new equipment and technologies as they become available.

Overcoming Challenges

While implementing the Nongki Smart Substation project, the team faced several challenges. One of the primary difficulties was ensuring the compatibility of the new digital equipment with the existing primary infrastructure. This required extensive site surveys and careful planning to ensure a smooth transition without disrupting ongoing operations.

Another challenge was managing the complex network topology required for the intelligent substation. The team implemented a dual-network ring topology support to ensure high availability and fault tolerance. This robust network design was critical in maintaining the substation's reliability, even during a network failure.

CYG Sunri provided comprehensive training and seminars for PEA’s technicians and engineers to address the learning curve associated with the new digital systems. This training was essential in helping the local team efficiently understand and operate the latest systems.

Product Integration and Performance

CYG Sunri’s digital substation products played a pivotal role in the success of the Nongki project. Essential products deployed included:

ISA-300+ SCADA System

This SCADA system was responsible for comprehensively monitoring and controlling the substation’s major equipment. It provided real-time data visualization, intelligent alarm analysis, and sequence control, all essential in maintaining the substation’s operational efficiency.

Merging Units and Smart Terminals

The PRS-7395 integrated terminal was a key component in the substation's digital transformation. It fully supported the IEC 61850 communication protocol and offered high-speed data processing capabilities. Integrating merging units and smart terminals ensured accurate data sampling and real-time device communication.

Bay-Level Protection and Control Units

The substation also featured CYG’s bay-level protection and control units, which are capable of independent operation even in a network failure. These units are designed to support multiple protocols, including IEC 61850, ensuring seamless communication across the entire substation.

Impact and Recognition

The successful completion of the Nongki Smart Substation has profoundly impacted Thailand’s power grid. The project has significantly improved the reliability and efficiency of the local power supply, reducing outages and maintenance costs. Moreover, the intelligent substation has set a new standard for future regional projects, with PEA already planning further innovative substation developments based on the Nongki model.

The project has garnered significant attention both locally and internationally. Major Thai media outlets covered the substation's inauguration, highlighting its importance to the country’s energy infrastructure. Furthermore, the Nongki substation has been recognized as a benchmark for smart substation projects across Southeast Asia, with other countries looking to adopt similar technologies.

In conclusion, the Nongki 115kV Smart Substation project is a prime example of how modern digital technologies can revolutionize traditional power infrastructure. By leveraging CYG’s advanced digital products and solutions, the project not only enhanced the operational efficiency of the substation but also paved the way for future innovations in the region’s power sector.