Siemens has recently declared that it will be supplying two gas-insulated high-voltage switchgear (GIS) for the Rogun hydropower plant in Tajikistan The power plant is part of the Rogun Dam project. At a height of 335 meters, the dam will be the highest in the world. The 8DQ1 switchgear, covering a voltage range of up to 550 kilovolts (kV) with 21 circuit breakers, and the 8DN9, covering up to 220 kV with four circuit breakers, will protect the power generation and transmission systems in the hydropower station against short circuits and overloading. The switchgear should be fully installed and ready for operation by 2018.
The Rogun Dam will stand on the river Vakhsh, about 100 kilometers north-east of Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe. A hydropower station with a generating capacity of 3600 megawatts (MW) is planned for the Rogun Dam, with generation provided by six 600 MW turbines. This will enable 13.3 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity to be generated annually, supplying power to large areas of Central Asia.
The switchgears are fitted with online monitoring devices to enable automatic remote diagnosis and self-monitoring. The 8D series switchgear is metal-enclosed to minimize dielectric and dynamic stresses. The switchgear has corrosion-free enclosures and uses self-lubricating drives, which contributes greatly to their long service life.