Local visit at the Grundfors demystifies our substation works

November 3, 2021

Linxon is upgrading a 400 kV air-insulated substation for Svenska kraftnät located in Storuman in northern Sweden. The existing substation in Grundfors is approaching the end of its technical lifespan. A new state-of-the art substation with modern technology will help to build higher transmission capacity into the network.

To learn more about the new substation, representatives from the Municipality of Storuman recently came to visit the construction site in Grundfors. Svenska kraftnät and Linxon were hosting this event, taking the visitors for a cold but energizing site tour.

“We had a good dialogue and got a unique insight into a project that is very important for the infrastructure in our municipality”, said Johan Duvdahl, Head of enterprise within Storuman.

Conny Nikolaisen, Linxon Project Manager concluded that the interaction with local stakeholders is very important for the transparency, trust and progress in the project.

“Together with Svenska kraftnät, we find that it is really rewarding to work closely together with local communities. In the case of Grundfors, we contracted several highly skilled suppliers who will help us locally. As an example, we need accommodation for our site workers, we need excavation work and snow clearing during winter”.

“A good dialogue with the municipalities concerned is important in every project that Svenska kraftnät carries out. It is great that there is a local interest in our investments”, states Anders Lundvall, Program Manager for Svenska kraftnät’s substation projects.

“The substation is an enabler for future green energy such as wind generation and the energy transition which needs to take place both in Sweden and globally”, said Finn Jonung, Operations Director for Linxon in Sweden.

 

Facts:

“Welcome and HSE introduction”, from left Conny Nikolaisen Linxon, Michelle Nykvist och Marcus Åkerlind, Svenska kraftnät.

The station in Grundfors was built in the mid-1950s and has reached its technical lifespan. To increase operational reliability in the transmission network, Svenska kraftnät is moving and renewing the station by building a new station next to the old one, which will then be demolished when the new one is put into operation. The new station is being built in a new station area next to the existing station.

 

The work began in the summer of 2020 and the new station is expected to be commissioned in the autumn of 2022. After that, the old plant can be demolished, which will take place in 2023. The investment cost for Svenska kraftnät’s project is SEK 398 million. The station connects, among other things, a line to Norway, a line between SE1 and SE2 and two southbound lines.

 

The switchgear will be air-insulated, which is the most common type of switchgear in Sweden. Air-insulated switchgear becomes large to the surface, as the distances between live parts need to be greater to ensure functional operation and personal safety. The new switchgear eliminates interruptions and will make the electricity grid more stable.

 

You can also read this article in Swedish here.