Project Overview
Client: MATELEC / Electricité Du Liban (EDL)
Locations: Zahrani, Tyr, Nabatieh, Sultaniyeh, Zouk, Hermel, Laboueh
Project Type: AIS & GIS Substation Rehabilitation (High Voltage)
Year of Execution: 2016
Scope: Switchgear Maintenance, SF6 Gas Handling & Testing
Project Description
Reliable power transmission depends on the health of the substations that bridge the gap between generation and distribution. In 2016, ISPC partnered with MATELEC to execute a massive AIS & GIS Substation Rehabilitation campaign across 7 key locations in Lebanon. The project aimed to restore the operational integrity of aging High Voltage (HV) infrastructure, reducing technical losses and enhancing grid stability in the South, North, and Bekaa regions.
Scope of AIS & GIS Substation Rehabilitation
1. AIS (Air Insulated Switchgear) Works:
Equipment Overhaul: Comprehensive maintenance of outdoor AIS equipment in Zahrani, Tyr, and Nabatieh, including Circuit Breakers (CB), Disconnectors, and Earth Switches.
Insulator Cleaning: High-pressure washing and coating of porcelain/polymer insulators to prevent flashovers caused by pollution and dust accumulation.
Contact Resistance: Cleaning of busbar contacts and tightening of connections to minimize thermal hotspots.
2. GIS (Gas Insulated Switchgear) Works:
SF6 Gas Handling: Specialized handling of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) gas in GIS substations (like Zouk), including leak detection, gas quality analysis, and refilling to rated pressure.
Mechanism Maintenance: Lubrication and timing tests for the operating mechanisms of the enclosed switchgear.
3. Testing & Commissioning:
Electrical Testing: Performing Contact Resistance Measurement (CRM), Insulation Resistance (Megger), and Hi-Pot testing on all rehabilitated feeders.
Function Checks: Verifying the local and remote operation of all motorized switches and interlocks.
Key Challenges & Solutions
Challenge: Managing logistics across 7 geographically dispersed sites while adhering to strict outage schedules (working on one bay while the rest of the station remained live).
Solution: ISPC mobilized three simultaneous technical teams equipped with mobile testing vans, allowing for parallel execution in the South and Bekaa to meet MATELEC’s tight deadline.
Results
The rehabilitation campaign significantly extended the lifespan of critical substation assets. The AIS & GIS Substation Rehabilitation project successfully restored optimal functionality to the grid nodes feeding hundreds of thousands of homes.
