Celsia Launches Siemens-Built Digital Substation In Tolima, Colombia

Grupo Argos (BVC: GRUPOARGOS) utility subsidiary Celsia Colombia S.A. E.S.P., which provides electricity services to approximately 1,215,000 customers in the Colombian departments of Tolima and Valle del Cauca; announced the commissioning of the first digital substation in the municipality of Cajamarca, Tolima, built by Siemens (ETR: SIE).

To construct this digital substation, Siemens incorporated its line of Siprotec 5 equipment, which it says will allow Celsia to transmit better quality signals from the equipment in real time and thus react in the event of a contingency or failure of any of the elements of the electrical system, both locally and remotely

Photo courtesy Celsia

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Siemens claims digital substations have a lower environmental impact by reducing the amount of copper wiring by up to 60% by replacing traditional metal with fiber optic connections. This in turn translates into implementing more robust and reliable systems, which improve the operating times of the electrical protections and the control system.

Finally, this new substation will guarantee the supply of energy, providing the necessary reliability to the existing demand, also meeting the connection needs throughout the area of influence of the municipality of Cajamarca, which covers the rural areas of the department. It is important to mention that with the new digital substation approximately 9,000 electricity users and the “Tunel de Linea” highway tunnel, one of Colombia’s main arteries, will benefit.

An achievement that contributes to ensure greater security in the supply of energy, and that gives impetus to the growth of the country’s electricity transmission and distribution network.

Photos courtesy Celsia