Project Background
Located in an industrial park in Indonesia, this project is a large-scale local solar power plant with a total installed capacity of 100 MW. Led by a prominent Indonesian energy company, it aims to support the country's energy transition strategy and alleviate regional power shortages. As a leader in Southeast Asia's renewable energy sector, the client plans to use this project to supply over 146,000 MWh of green electricity annually, meeting the power needs of 112,000 households while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 114,700 metric tons. The core requirement of the project is the deployment of a highly efficient and reliable power conversion and distribution system. As the key equipment connecting the solar array to the grid, the box-type substation must be capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of the tropical rainforest while meeting grid connection standards.
Challenges Encountered
- Environmental Adaptation Challenges: The Indonesian region has a typical tropical rainforest climate, characterized by high temperatures and humidity year-round (average annual humidity of 85% and temperatures of 30–35°C), with concentrated rainfall during the rainy season. Traditional substation equipment is prone to issues such as moisture-induced insulation failure and component corrosion, which severely impact operational stability;
- Construction and Delivery Pressures: The project required grid connection to be completed before the onset of the rainy season, with a construction period of only six months. Additionally, the equipment had to be transported via long-distance sea freight, placing extremely high demands on the modular design of the box-type substation, transportation safety, and on-site installation efficiency;
- Technical Standard Compliance: The client requires the equipment to comply with both the Indonesian State Grid (PLN) standards and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) specifications, while also featuring low losses and resistance to electromagnetic interference. Traditional electric power substation engineering solutions struggle to balance these compatibility and performance requirements.
Solution
To address the project's pain points, we leveraged our professional electric power substation engineering team to provide a customized, modular box-type substation solution:
- Optimized Environmental Adaptability: Featuring a Huashi box-type substation design, the enclosure utilizes corrosion- and moisture-resistant glass-magnesium rock wool sandwich panels. The interior is equipped with multiple sets of intelligent cooling and dehumidification units, and the transformers use high-temperature-resistant insulating oil. Additionally, 2.5-millimeter protective barriers are installed around the cooling fins to effectively withstand high temperatures, high humidity, and foreign object intrusion, achieving an IP65 protection rating;
- Efficient Delivery and Installation: Through the modular integrated design of electric power substations engineering, high-voltage switchgear, transformers, and low-voltage distribution systems are pre-assembled and tested in the factory. On-site installation of a single unit can be completed in just 3 days, reducing the construction cycle by 60% compared to traditional substations and ensuring the project is connected to the grid on schedule;
- Integration of Technical Standards: Strictly adhering to Indonesian PLN standards and IEC specifications, the design optimizes electromagnetic compatibility to reduce electromagnetic interference. The adoption of a split-type structure and gas-insulated switchgear enhances operational reliability, enabling maintenance-free operation on the high-voltage side. The low-voltage side is compatible with both local 127V and standard 220V power requirements, perfectly meeting grid connection standards.
Since commissioning, the box-type substation has operated stably, with energy transmission losses reduced by 15% compared to the industry average. This has helped the client achieve efficient supply of green power, establishing the project as a benchmark case for Indonesia's energy transition.
