The RBC magazine published an article: Reasonable energy consumption. No. 9 (25) September 2015

saving and cutting costs wherever possible. This also applies to the issue of spending on utilities, in particular, electricity.

If saving electricity at home is considered normal and everyone has long been accustomed to it, then the issue of saving electricity at work (especially when it comes to large-scale industrial production) is still not very relevant. But, nevertheless, this trend is gaining momentum. To use energy wisely in a company, you first need to start tracking its use.

For this, enterprises are introducing automated systems for commercial metering of electricity (ASKUE). To find out more about the organization of AMR at the enterprise, the editors of the Real Business of Kazakhstan magazine turned to Artem Urazimbetov, head of marketing at ASTEL, a system integrator that organizes communication channels for automated commercial metering systems for electricity.

- Artem, tell us how the ASKUE functions at the enterprise.

- Such a system controls the operation of all power equipment at the enterprise, and also keeps track of the consumed electricity. The work of ASKUE is carried out as follows: all electricity meters installed at the enterprise are interconnected by communication channels through which data on the amount of electricity consumed is transmitted to the central server.

- ASTEL organizes communication channels for ASKUE.

Are there any difficulties in laying them?

- The organization of communication channels for the electricity metering system has its own complexity, which is especially typical for large Kazakhstani industrial companies. The fact is that many of them are located in geographically remote areas, where it is not so easy to organize communication channels of a serious level.

- Can you tell as an example about one of the latest projects related to the introduction of AMR?

- Let's say, not so long ago, the ASKUE was introduced by the KazSolarSilicon company. Since its production is located far from communication lines, and even in an area with difficult terrain, they decided to contact us to organize communication channels, because ASTEL has extensive experience in organizing communication channels of any kind and for transmitting any data. "KazSolarSilicon »It was necessary to organize communication channels between the 110 kVA substation, its dispatching point and the electricity supplier - VK REC.

In this case, communication channels are needed to transmit three types of information: data on the consumption of electricity by the ASKUE; dispatching telephone communication and control of the SCADA system. During the project, communication channels in KazSolarSilicon were organized through a radio relay line (RRL) with re-reception through a remote node of ASTEL and integrated with the NGN network of the plant by installing and configuring second-level switches. The issue with backup communication channels and a backup power supply system was also resolved.

A backup communication channel for data transmission to KEGOC has been organized via the Internet. The switches installed and configured by ASTEL specialists analyze the state of individual network sections and, if necessary, automatically switch to backup communication channels. Now information from the ASKUE meters is transmitted via communication channels built by ASTEL from the substation of the KazSolarSilicon plant to the VK REC network. The control room of the plant also has access to information from the meters. Dispatchers, both at the substation of the enterprise and in the dispatch center of the plant, are provided with access to the HF communication channels, telephone communication of the plant and dedicated telephone lines have been organized for them with the VK REC dispatch center, since in the event of emergencies it is extremely necessary to have a guaranteed telephone connection.

- How long did it take to organize communication channels in KazSolarSilicon?

 

- ASTEL specialists carried out a pre-project survey, agreed with the specialists of "VK REC" the methods and points of connection. Then the project was implemented in a short time. The delivery of the equipment for the project took 4 months, and its installation and configuration took less than one month. All work was completed on a turnkey basis.

- Has ASTEL implemented similar projects before?

 

- Oh sure! Previously, our specialists organized communication channels for ASKUE in such companies as Tarbagatai Munai, NPO, VK REC and NPO Mir. Also, our company actively cooperates with the “Institute of Energy” design organization located in Almaty, which develops ASKUE for Kazakhstani enterprises.

- What advice can you give to enterprises that want to implement ASKUE?

 

- Organization in a company of an automated system for commercial metering of electricity and communication channels is not an easy task for it, therefore it is best to trust it to a professional system integrator who already has experience in implementing such projects.