General Substation Control Points (OPU)

A general substation control point (OPU) is a complex of cabinets and panels that implement the substation's relay protection, automation, signalling, telemechanics, electromagnetic interlocking and switchgear control schemes. An OPU may consist of a single cabinet or of a large series of cabinets combined into a complex; a room that houses only OPU cabinets is called the OPU hall (room).

LK Energy manufactures OPU cabinets and panels (LV assemblies up to 0.4 kV) to a specific project — from a single cabinet to a complete complex. On request, the complex is supplied together with its housing: a modular building (KRPZ, a separate supply item) of welded steel frames clad with sandwich panels; the block-containers are joined by bolted connections, so the overall dimensions of the structure are not limited by the size of a single module. The building is installed on a foundation prepared by the customer.

The OPU hall houses:

• cabinets and panels with relay protection, automation, signaling and control equipment, as well as substation auxiliary supply switchboards (ShSN);
• cabinets with high-frequency (HF) communication equipment;
• cabinets with telemechanics and emergency automation equipment;
• equipment for organizing and controlling operating current: rectifier-charging devices (RCD), DC switchboard (DCS), racks with storage batteries (SB).

The OPU equipment includes cabinets for:

• relay protection;
• automation and control;
• electromagnetic interlocks;
• auxiliary power supply;
• charging-boost units;
• communication equipment;
• central signaling;
• telemechanics;
• fire alarm and others.

The modular building (if it is included in the supply) is equipped with lighting, ventilation, heating or a microclimate control system required for uninterrupted operation of the equipment.

The OPU equipment may include:

• power transformer differential protection panels;
• on-load tap-changer automatic voltage regulation panels for power transformers;
• section breaker control panels;
• upper-voltage line protection panels;
• voltage protection panels;
• breaker failure protection panel (BFP, УРОВ);
• automatic reclosing device panel (AR, АПВ);
• bus differential protection panel;
• directional high-frequency protection panel;
• substation auxiliary supply input and distribution;
• operating current control cabinet;
• uninterruptible operating current power supply set;
• auxiliary supply panels type PSN-1100 (AC) and PSN-1200 (DC) — standalone products that are normally used together with the OPU and can be ordered separately;
• central signaling system;
• HF communication panels;
• telemechanics panel;
• terminal cabinets.

To connect external control cables, the OPU is equipped with intermediate terminal cabinets, installed in each row of the relay protection and automation (RPA, РЗіА) switchgear assemblies.

Heating is provided by electric heaters located along the walls and in the floor of the modules. Heating control — manual or automatic. The OPU is equipped with natural supply ventilation through louvered windows and forced exhaust ventilation by means of a fan. Air conditioners can be installed if required.

Normal operation of the OPU is ensured under the following conditions:

• installation altitude above sea level — not more than 1000 m;
• ambient air temperature — from -65 °C to +50 °C;
• seismic activity — not more than 9 points on the MSK-64 scale.

Main technical characteristics of OPU

Interior finishing levels of OPU

Entrance doors are fireproof metal, insulated, and sealed. The doors have handles, surface-mounted high-security locks, and are equipped with fittings for sealing.

The OPU is installed on a prepared, leveled site, foundation, piles, or sleepers; the site surface must be horizontal. The geometric dimensions of the foundation must correspond to the foundation plan:

• tolerance for deviation of longitudinal and transverse dimensions — not more than ±25 mm;
• tolerance for the difference in diagonals — not more than ±50 mm;
• tolerance for the difference in heights at reference points — not more than ±5 mm.

Climatic design — U1 or UKhL1. LK Energy Group, manufacturer of switchgear equipment, Odesa. The specific panel set, equipment ratings, and layout — project-specific / TS.

OPU (general substation control point) is a set of secondary-circuit panels and cabinets for a substation: relay protection and automation (RPA), control, signaling, telemechanics, communication, metering and DC auxiliary power. They are built as double-side-access panels, with the equipment reachable from both the front and the rear, which simplifies installation and maintenance. This is secondary (low-voltage) equipment, so the OPU is suitable for substations of all voltage classes. The building or block-container housing the OPU is itself a separate product (KRPZ). Ratings, the panel set and layout are engineered to the project/technical specification. LK Energy Group, a manufacturer of switchgear equipment, Odesa; company since 2005, own factory since 2015.

Technical datasheet (PDF) ↓Questionnaire for calculation →