Korea Electric designs cheaper substations

To lower costs for its 154kV substations, KEPCO changed the cooling method and simplified frame structures for its new designs.

Analysis by the Korea Electric Power Company or KEPCO showed that pressure controlling devices surrounding the substations of old models occupied 46 percent of the substation area. By changing the cooling method from using insulating oil to using refrigerants, 44 percent of the total substation area was reduced.

The company also utilised reinforced concrete instead of steel in constructing the underground of the new substations to avoid the effects of fluctuating steel prices. The use of reinforced concrete, stated KEPCO, will save them $US187,617 for each substation.

The rapid increase in raw material and land prices had made construction costs of compact substations an essential issue.

KEPCO currently operates four types of standardised substations built inside buildings. It is expected that more than 20 built-in substations will be constructed each year until 2015.