CONSTRUCTION OF THE 400-KV TRANSMISSION LINES FROM KUIBYSHEV HYDROELECTRIC STATION TO MOSCOW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A007600060002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 26
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 31, 2009
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 23, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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CONSTRUCTION OF THE 400-KV TRANSMISSION LINES FROM KUIBYSHEV HYDROELECTRIC STATION
TO MOSCOW by D. Achksov and Y. E. Grigoraev
from the book "FORTY YEARS OF ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE USSR") Gosenergozdat,
1958, pp. 373-380
The directives of the 20th congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
for the sixth five-year plan of development of the national economy specify- "a
unified power system must be created for the European portion of the USSR, by inter-
connecting the Kuibyshev and Stalingrad hydro stations with the Central, Southern,
and Ural power systems, and 400-kv lines must be built for this purpose."
The 400-kv line from Kuibyshev to Moscow which was put into service in 1956 is
the first link of the unified high-voltage grid of the Soviet Union. The Kuibyshev
hydro station at full capacity of 2,100,000 mw produces more than 11 x 109 kwh of
electric energy in an averagg hydrological year. Of this quantity, it was decided
to transmit more than 6 x 109 kwh per year to the Central power system by means of two
400-kv transmission lines, about 560 miles long. The task of transmitting so much
power at such a distance required the solution of a series of important scientific
problems by the Soviet electrical engineers.
It can be daringly said, that the construction of the 400-kv line from Kuibyshev
hydro station to Moscow signifies by itself a new, higher step of Soviet electrical
engineering.
Among the lines of this class, the first put into service (1952) was the single-
circuit 380-kv line in Sweden, 595 miles long. The second was the Kuibyshev-Moscow
line. In several other countries have been built 380-kv transmission lines, but
these are now in service at 220 kv. The transition to 380-400 kv is contemplated in
France and West Germany for 1957, and in Finland for 1958. In England the high-voltage
grid, built for 275 kv, will have a portion for possible transformation in the future
to 400 kv. In the USA a 175-mile line was energized in 1956, designed for operation
at the highest voltage in that country, 345 kv.
In the over-all scheme of the transmission system from Kuibyshev hydro station
to Moscow enter two single-circuit lines (the southern is 506 miles long and the
northern 553 miles) with three switching stations. In one of these is specified
a series capacitor of 480,000 kva. Each switching station may be expanded into a
receiving 400-kv substation.
Both lines begin at the portals of the step-up substation of the Kuibyshev
hydro station and end near Moscow - one at the western receiving substation (Noginsk),
and the other at the northern substation (Beskudnikovo). The substations are inter-
connected by means of a portion of the 400-kv future Moscow ring, 49 miles long.
Thus, the over-all circuit length of the 400-kv transmission system is 1108 miles.
In each of the receiving stations are installed two transformer banks 400/110/11 kv,
270 mva, and two transformer banks 220/110/11 kv, 180 mva. The installation of four
synchronous condensers, 75,000 kva each is specified.
In order to improve the voltage regulation, the 400-kv and 220-kv transformer
banks have series transformers with voltage regulation under load. The substations
are connected to the Moscow power system at the voltages of 110 and 220 kv.
The right of way passes through mountainous territory (in the region of the
Jigulevski mountains), then through rolling country and in the eastern portion,
through the plains. In the neighborhood of Moscow are encountered marshy soils,
impregnated with water.
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About half (48%) of the length of the right of way passes through forest clear-
ings. There are more than 200 different crossings: railroads, highways, transmission
lines, and communication lines. The intersections of the river Ok and of the Usinskii
reservoir of the Kuibyshev sea required construction of heavy crossings. For the
construction of the two sing-le-circuit lines-and of the substations, it was necessary
to complete the following principal work, in total
Earth removal 3,400,000 m3 (cubic meters)
Pouring concrete 320,000 m3
Erection of towers 4,365 pieces
Building of metal structures 62,700 metric tons
Stringing conductors and ground wires 32,500 metric tons.
In the process of construction, a communication line 548 miles long was laid, villages
were built at the substations and switching stations with clubI and schools . . . .
(two lines of photostat unintelligible). . . . .about 34,000 m (square meters) of
living quarters, temporary constructions, warehouses, . . . temporary roads and
access roads, etc.
The first foundation of a tower of the southern line was laid on April 30, 1952.
The last tower of the northern line was erected on October 20, 1956. Relatively
short times of construction were obtained as a result of the adopted industrial
methods of construction and the use of labor-saving machinery of powerful modern
engineering.
For the industrialization of construction it was necessary to provide: the
delivery of the heavy sections of the tower, welded in the factory, and the assembly
of these elements on the site; construction of houses in the settlements from
prefabricated assemblies; the use of devices and riggings for the erection of the
towers, which became part of the towers, etc.
The heavy work on the line was almost completely mechanized. More than 90% of
the earth-moving work was done mechanically, and all the work for the erection of
the towers and the preparation of the concrete. The times allowed for construction
determined the necessity of starting work at the same time at several places, as
often occurs for the construction of a long line. Thus in a 236-mile portion of the
Finnish 380-kv line, construction was started at the same time in four places.
For the Kuibyshev-Moscow line, nine points were established before starting
construction, as field construction headquarters or installation sections.
The main feature of the construction was the novelty of almost all its elements.
The weight and the dimensions of the towers were essentially different from those
used previously. A typical H-frame suspension tower of the 400-kv line (Fig. 1)
weighs 7.3 metric tons and has a width at the crossarm of 89 feet. The weight of a
strain-angle tower (Fig. 2) of the new A-H-frame beam construction is from 19
to 29 tons, depending upon the angle of the line..
Bundle conductors were adopted for the first time in this line, and this reduced
the line reactance by 35 - 39%. Each phase consists of three conductors of type
ASO?-480/60 (1.19" O.D., 954 MCM - P.A.A.), built by the manufacturing industry
specially for the Kuibyshev-Moscow transmission system. Similar important elements,
such as the clamps releasing under load and the spacers, installed between conductors,
were tested at the time of construction.
Service experience showed that it was necessary to change the original location
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Translation 3.
of the spacers, and therefore it was requested to move about 70,000 spacers on already
strung spans.
The trust "Armlet" designed more than 150 types of fixtures, including the new
insulators type P-8,5 and Pmll, specifically for the 400-kv lines. All the apparatus
of the 400-kv substations was designed anew by the electrical manufacturing industry.
Transformers, air-blast breakers, synchronous condensers, disconnect switches, pro-
tective devices went into production at the time of construction of the lines and
substations.
The novelty of the basic elements required new methods of work, at times signifi-
cantly different from those used for the construction of lower voltage lines.
For the suspension towers, a monolthic foundation was specified in the plans,
with a volume of concrete of about 60 m3 and earthwork (with the excavation of two
trenches and subsequent filling) of about 300 m3. For the construction of the
foundations a considerable amount of wood was used in the forms. During the process
of construction the monolithic foundations were changed into low-volume rammed
foundations, significantly simpler and more economical. As may be seen in Fig. 3,
the suspension tower is erected on eight separate foundations, each one having in
its lower portion a tapered enlargement.
The amount of concrete for foundations of this type was reduced to 15.5 m3 per
tower. Inasmuch as the concrete was poured (was rammed) in a hole, bored into the
ground by a machine, it was not necessary to use forms. The use of concrete in
combination with soil of unbroken structure allowed to increase the specific load
on the soil. Foundations of the same type were also used for the strain-angle towers.
The factory "Setmash" designed and put in production in a very short time the
boring machine type B-8, which allowed the almost complete mechanization of the
earth-moving work for the construction of the rammed foundation. As the monolythic
foundations, also the rammed foundations required the preparation of the concrete on
the site. Experience showed that the creation of separate concrete centers, furnish-
ing concrete for the foundations of a predetermined section of the right of way, was
more economical and efficient, than the so-called "haying concrete at each site."
Each concrete center consisted of two or three concrete mixers, with container
capacity of 250 liters, mounted on trucks. For ease of loading of the ready concrete
mix, concrete mixer trucks were filled at a bridge. The center was furnished with a
mobile electric substation with conveyors for loading the materials, etc. For the
supply of water, tank trucks type ASM-2 of capacity of 2 m3 were used for the first
time in line construction. The simple construction of these machines, permitting
filling up the tanks using the vacuum of a primary mover, made it possible to fill
up the tanks by pumping the water in the soil from a trench.
The radius of a concrete center is determined by the presence and conditions of
the roads. One of the centers which worked to a large distance serviced 10 miles
of right of way and produced 3,000 m3 of concrete. The auto concrete mixers, which
were used for laying concrete at the site according to the direction of the workers,
were supplied with various accessories. Some were provided with "distributors" of
concrete, which permitted supplying the mix at any point of the trench in a radius
of 5 meters from the unite Such a distributor did the work of 4 or 5 men.
Among the machinery were established electric portable generators in sufficient
number. These supplied power to the electrical vibrators and permitted work to
continue at night.
Considerable attention was given to the questions of laying concrete in winter.
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Different methods were used for warming the trenches and laying concrete by electricity,
stoves, etc. More successful was the experience of heating of the cylindrical trenches
of the rammed foundations. Mobile substations were built for the heating of the
materials and of the water. For this purpose it was attempted to use narrow-gage
steam locomotives.
However, the over-all result showed that laying concrete in winter for foundations
of small valume is clearly not economical, and does not guarantee the required quality.
This conclusion led to the decision of abstaining completely from working with con-
crete on the right of way in winter. Of the total amount of towers, 527. was set
on foundations of the rammed type, and 127. of metallic supports with - -(photostat
illegible). The latter types were used in the wet and marshy portions of the right
of way.
T~e earth-moving work was done by excavators, mostly with bucket capacity of
0.25 m , of type E-257 and E-258, and with boring machines. The use for line con-
struction of excavators with bucket capacity of 0.5 m3 and higher is not rational,
because their productivity on the right of way was equal to 2 - 3 towers per day (in
view of the inconvenience of moving them from site to site) that is, it is equal to
the productivity of the light excavators with 0.25 m3 buckets.
The construction of the steel towers, produced by several factories in welded
sections of length equal to 29 feet, was undertaken at locations close to the railroad.
After completion the towers were carried to the site and erected by a gang of 5 - 6
men.
Thorough painting and straightening of the sections and of the struts, bent
during transportation, was done on the site during assembly. The towers were painted
with red lead over natural drying oil.
The erection of the suspension towers was done with the aid of two S-83 tractors
linked together, without anchors for straightening the tackle. In several sections
of the line the method was used, whereby upon attaining a predetermined angle of
lift, one tractor resorted to braking action.
All of the tackles used for the erection of the tower became part of the tower
itself, that is they had a permanent device for holding the tower and embedded
fastenings. No supports were used on location.
In the last period of construction of the towers, in order to accelerate the
fastening of the cables for lifting, permanent connection plates with lugs were
introduced. The raising of the heavy strain-angle towers was done with 2 - 3 tractors
for lifting and two tractors for braking.
To take care of the lift, the towers were strengthened during assembly with
horizontal crossbars between the ends of the legs, and with cross-tension members,
which gave stiffness along a line. The tension members were removed after erection
and fastening of the fifth leg of the tower. A stage in the assembly of an AU tower
is shown in Fig. 4.
The inspection of the towers proceeded with increased requirements. The de-
flection of the top of the 89-foot tower was permitted to be no more than 3.2 inches,
the error in length between the angle brackets between braces of the towers no more
than 0.2 inches, the error of the struts no more than 10400 in length,
Special difficulties arose in constructing the line crossings across the
Usinskii reservoir of the Kuibyshev sea. The crossing of each single-circuit line
consists of four anchor towers. Two of these have a height of 66 feet and weigh
100 metric tone each. The other two standing on the shore of the reservoir have a
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Translation 5.
height of 228 feet and weigh 320 tons each. The span over the water between the
high towers is 3,730 feet. Steel-bronze conductors (two per phase) of Model SB-500
and ground wires of 134 mm2 cross-section were strung for the crossing.
Construction of the foundations for the high crossing tower-was a difficult
engineering problem (for one of the foundations whose surface was 898 x 75? it was
necessary to excavate more than 13,000 m3 of earth and to set up 183 tons of metal
armatures). Concrete was carried by means of small cars to the foundations from a
temporary concrete factory especially set up for this job.
Taking into account the heavy weight and height of the crossarms, the method of
vertical assembly was used for their erection. The erection was made by a specialized
organization using various basic machinery.
The first sections of the towers were erected by a crane on the base of a single-
bucket excavator E-1004. The following sections of the tower were erected by means
of a derrick 98 feet high, after the sections had been strengthened on the ground.
The height of the derrick was gradually adjusted to the height of the tower. In
order to lift the crossarm 112 feet long and weighing more than 40 tons, previously
assembled completely on the ground, two swinging derricks were used, secured with
special cantilevers to the pillars of the tower.
The raising of the crossarm was done with tractors S-60, using two tractors
at each end of a one-half ton pulley block. Mountainous conditions limited the
maneuverability of the tractors. After they had proceeded for 500 - 700 feet, it
was necessary to lock the cables, turn the tractors around and move them again on the
same terrain. The erection of the pillars of the towers on the pins was completed
in 2.5 months, the preparation for the lifting of the crossarm required about one
month. The drilling and riveting of 160 angle pieces on the towers already erected
required 1.5 months. The work was carried out under difficult circumstances.
The Luibyshev - Moscow line is the first one having each phase subdivided into
three bundle conductors,and length between the strain towers of 4 - 6 miles. There
had been no previous experience in stringing the conductors under these conditions.
As work proceeded and more practical experience was attained it was possible to string
the conductors faster and with better quality.
For stringing operations were prepared balanced wheels on roller bearings with
reversible flanges; a fixture for suspending three such wheels (according to the
number of conductors per phase) to the crossarm of the tower; block and tackles for
lifting the conductors to the towers; a device for equalizing the tension in the
three conductors of one phase during stringing. On a special test stand were tried
out various types of spacers of national and foreign production in order to select
the best construction. The following data expresses the difficulty of stringing
the conductors: one gang strung the conductors on the line on no more than 6 - 9
miles per month.
For the transportation and unrolling of the conductors on the right of way, the
construction gangs received cable conveyors and later they, themselves, prepared
stringing trucks with three containers. The use of these devices eliminated the
necessity of dragging the conductor on the earth which would have brought about damage
to the outer strands of the conductor and at the same time would have increased the
corona losses and the radio noise. The stringing truck is composed of a platform
mounted on caterpillar tracks or on sleds. On the platform are placed three contain-
ers (Fig. 5). Changing one container does not require the shifting of the other two.
The containers are loaded with a tractor using a device in the form of a fork.
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Fixing the ends of the fork to a shaft mounted on the container, the tractor rolls the
container onto the trailer. The trailer permits unrolling up to 18 containers (6
miles of one phase) per day. The joining of the conductors is made by means of a
pressing apparatus mounted on a trailer (Fig. 6). This apparatus is powered by a
gasoline engine, and this simplified and hastened the preparation of more than 20,000
junctions and releasing clamps. For checking the location of the steel portion in
the press-clamp ORGRES furnished a simple and reliable device.
One of the fundamental operations of stringing was subjected to review and to
simplification, that is the marking on the conductor of the place for setting the
releasing clamps.
Each tower of the line Kuibyshev - Moscow carries 9 conductors,(three conductors
per phase) and two ground wires. On each conductor this marking was generally carried
out from the crossarm of the strain tower. According to suggestions of the efficiency
experts of construction, only one conductor was lifted to the crossarm and marked on
top. Afterwards the received mark was transferred to the ground and the eight re-
maining conductors were marked according to that mark without being lifted to the
crossarm. This measure simplified the work of the stringing crew and increased the
preservation of the conductors.
The purpose of the spacers is to maintain the given spacing between conductors
of one phase (16") and the elimination of contacts between conductors during swinging.
For the line Kuibyshev to Moscow a ball and socket spacer was used (Fig. 7) which
would fall down in case of breakage of one conductor. The spacers were placed in
groups, every 100 to 200 feet.
At the time of construction it was established that placing the spacers to avoid
bending must be done on the conductors after stringing. A truck type VI-23 with a
raised platform was used for this work. A suspended cabin, specially designed for
the installation of the spacers, was not used extensively.
The suspension insulatdr assemblies consisted of 22 insulators and had a total
length of more than 16 feet. It was recommended to assemble them by the method of
gradual build-up of their . . .(unreadable), lifting up at one time the portion al-
ready assembled (Fig. 8). During the assembly it was noticed that the in-going
holes of the insulator scarfs were turned towards the pedestal, as required by the
maintainance personnel. Inasmuch as the assemblies with three conductors in one span
weigh more than three tons, the usual straps for lifting them7attached under the
porcelain of the insulator, appeared to be unsatisfactory. For the line construction,
straps were used with screwed bars, fastened on the insulator caps.
The strain insulator assemblies, having a length of more than 23 feet and weight
of about 2600 lbs., were put together by the same method of gradual build-up.
Special attention was required in order to maintain on all spans a balanced setting
of the conductors in a phase with a tolerance not exceeding the specifications. The
construction and stringing work were approved by an inspection commission at the
strain towers after a compulsory inspection by the chief engineer of the section or
of the trust.
The energization of the line proceeded in sections from the 400-kv supply
point of Moscow. At the same time the work of installation in substations and the
switching stations as inspected.
Receiving substations
The immediate construction of the eastern substation was begun in March 1953 and
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was completed for the first section in November 1955, that is, the work continued
for two years and seven months. In this period was accomplished preparatory work,
intermediate accommodations were erected, living quarters for the workers, and an
access highway.
The over-all station, measuring 10,800,000 square meters in surface, included
outdoor structures for 400, 220, and 110 kv, buildings for the main control switch
boards, two blocks for synchronous condensers and a block for transformer work shop,
oil storage and laboratory. For the transportation of the transformers having an
over-all weight of 320 tons and of the synchronous condenserja special railroad
siding on reinforced concrete was built outside each station.
For the construction of the substation it was necessary to prepare 3500 different
foundations with an over-all volume of more than 38,000 m3 concrete, it was necessary
to assemble 2700 tons of metal structures, prepare 920 meters of cable tunnels and
4100 meters of cable ditches and to complete 450,000 m3 of earthwork. The completion
of such volumes of work in a relatively short time required the fulfillment of a
strict sequence of work. In the first stage were built the underground main piping
systems and the foundations and other buildings, the engineering facilities, and the
permanent roads. The earthworking for the many foundations was done with excavators,
with creation of a general trench. This gave the possibility to clean out the bottom
by means of bulldozers and facilitated the removal of high waters in the soil. - - -
(unreadable photostat)- - -'After the preparation of the foundations the metal
structures of the bus bars were erected, and then the apparatus was set up according
to a planning chart.
The toughest work of assembly was the assembly of the 400-kv transformers.
They were delivered from the factory in separate portions of limited weight or
clearance. This made it necessary to carry out on the area of the stations operations
of factory character. In the substation took place the assembly of sections of the
tank, the welding of the supporting channels, the testing of the tank for leaks and
its painting, etc. The heart of the transformer (the core and the windings) weighing
150 tons was sent from the factory in a transport tank. On location it was dried
under vacuum, impregnated, and assembled. In order to complete this work at the
eastern substation a transformer work shop was erected with a crane of 200 tons
capacity and a special vacuum-drying tank. Taking into account the high cost of the
work, no vacuum-drying tank was used in the northern station and the core and coils
of the transformer were dried in the tank of the transformer with a special winding.
For the assembly of the synchronous condensers of 75,000 kva in the outdoor
station, a method of erection without cranes was used. The separate portions of the
condenser were brought to the foundations by a railroad siding, on a special transport
car consisting of a supporting platform and moving trucks. The platform loaded with
the stator or with the rotor of the condenser was moved from the truck across the
rails, fell on the mounted platform of the foundation so that the upper mark of the
foundation exactly coincided with the references on the platform. In this manner the
heaviest load on the railroad car was moved (on top of the reinforcements on the
foundation) only on the horizontal plane.
The assembly of the first circuit breakers and disconnect switches for 400 kv
was not a simple matter.
In order to judge the difficulty of this assembly work it is sufficient to show
that a 400-kv disconnect switch has a weight of 6 tons per phase, is 17 feet high
and the length of a leg is 16 feet. An air breaker (Fig. 12) of the type VV-400 has
a height of 39 feet, a length of 29 feet, and a weight per phase of 17 tons.
- - -(unreadable photostat) - - -
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The northern station was completed in 23 months, eight months faster than the
eastern.
In April 1956 was begun the permanent transmission of energy from the Kuibyshev
hydro station to Moscow on the southern circuit. Power was received at the eastern
station (Fig. 10). On the 30th of December 1956 the northern circuit of the line was
energized, the northern station and a portion of the 400-kv Moscow ring. The Soviet
electrical engineers have attained a new victory. Energy from the Volga flows to
Moscow on the 400-kv lines without interruption.
The experience obtained in the construction of the transmission lines from
Kuibyshev to Moscow has allowed the constructors and assemblers to undertake the
construction of 500-kv lines of the same dimensions from Kuibyshev hydro station to
Zlatoust with substations in Bugulme and Zlatoust, having a right of way 470
miles long and a construction period of 1.5 years. The work for the construction of
this line is being carried out on all sections by six construction trusts and is
proceeding according to plan. The extensive: construction and installation
contract for the construction of two circuits of the transmission line at 500 kv from
Stalingrad to Moscow, at 500 kv from Zlatoust to Sverdlovsk will also carry out
the construction of transmission lines at 400 kv from Novo-Troitzkaya hydro electric
station to Sarbai.
In this manner the construction of the transmission lines from Kuibyshev to
Moscow was the beginning of the construction of long lines of the unified high
voltage grid of the European portion of the Soviet Union. Their outlines are now
visible not only on maps or on plans, but also in reality on the rights of way.
AWa ed
6-11-59
FIGURE CAPTIONS
1. Suspension tower of the 400-kv line from Kuibyshev Hydro Station to Moscow.
2. Strain tower of beam construction.
3. Foundation of a suspension tower of the 400-kv line.
4. Erection of a strain angle tower of the 400-kv line.
5. Stringing truck.
6. Pressing apparatus for connection conductors.
7. Ball and socket spacer for 400-kv lines.
8. Installation of the suspension insulator strings.
9. Yokes with screw coupling.
10. Western substation.
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THE USE OF 500-KV VOLTAGE FOR
LONG-DISTANCE POWER TRANSMISSION
By A. D. Romanov and N. N. Sokolov
(Elektricheskie Stantzii, May 1958, pp. 55-59)
The level of the sustained power frequency voltages for the insulation of the
apparatus and lines of the transmission system from the Kuibyshev Hydro Station to
Moscow, and of the other 400-kv systems of the Soviet Union, was determined by taking
the magnitude of the internal overvoltages equal to 3 U (U = line-to-ground voltage).
Tests made in 1956 by the VEI (All-Union Electrical Engineering Institute of
Moscow) on the Kuibyshev-Moscow transmission system, have shown that actually the
level of the internal overvoltages varies in the range 1.6 - 3.0 U. Thus, without
stations of longitudinal compensation (i.e., series capacitors) on the 400-kv line,
the VEI tests gave the following results:
1. The opening of an unloaded 400-kv transformer, either on the 115-kv side,
or on the 410-kv side, is accompanied by overvoltages not exceeding 2 U.
2. Upon opening a 150-mva reactor, its overvoltages amounted to 1.8 - 2.5 U:
the corresponding overvoltages on the contacts of the circuit breakers
attained 1.8 - 3.2 U.
3. The opening of an unloaded line 117 - 635 km in length produced overvoltages
at the source of 400 - 670 kv: in this case the overvoltage level at the
breaker contacts attained 2.8 U. and from the line conductors to ground
2.3 U.
4. The most severe conditions take place when an unloaded portion of the line,
390-km in length, is opened during a single-phase short-circuit and the
reactor is disconnected. In this case the line overvoltage before opening
was 940 kv, and during the opening process the overvoltage level on the
healthy phases of the line attained 2.8 U, and on the breaker contacts it
was of the order of 4 U. When the reactor was present on the disconnected
portion of the line, the overvoltage level on the breaker attained 3.1 U.
5. The interruption of transmission by means of the breaker of the East sub-
station led to an increase of voltage at the end of the line of 2.2 U. If,
during the interruption of transmission and loss of synchronism of the
generators at the Kuibyshev Hydro Station, the opening takes place under
phase opposition, the overvoltage level on the breakers attains the magni-
tude 3.5 U, and at the end of the line 2.6 U.
6. Closing an unloaded line 117-and 390-km in length to the transformer bank
entails overvoltages at the beginning of the line of levels 1.6 and 2,
respectively. For the 390-km length, the overvoltage at the end of the line
attains the level 2.4. The presence of a reactor on the end of the 390-km
line lowers the overvoltage level at the beginning of the line to 1.8, and
at the end of the line to 2. Thus the tests confirmed the presence in many
cases of levels of internal overvoltages less than 3 U.
Investigations carried out recently showed that the internal overvoltages in
transmission lines may be limited to magnitudes of the range of 2.5 U, utilizing means
which are technically possible and economically justified. These means are: shunting
of the breaker contacts by active resistances, the shifting of electromagnetic po-
tential transformers on the line behind line breakers, shunting of the series capacitor
installation until the short-circuit in the line is opened; the installation on the
line of shunted reactors which are not disconnected (wherever this is possible accord-
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Translation - 2. - ML ding to the operating conditions). Whenever the stated means are insufficient the
limitation of internal overvoltages to 2.5 U may be obtained by means of special
arresters.
Furthermore, the present 400-kv substations have some reserves in the insulation
with respect to the standards. Thus, the insulator` chain chosen for the Kuibyshev-
Moscow transmission line (22 elements P-7 or 20 elements P-8.5) has a wet discharge
voltage of 900 kv and an impulse discharge voltage of the order of 2,000 kv. Some
reserves in the insulation are also present in the 400-kv apparatus, as may be seen
in Table I.
TABLE I
Wet Discharge Test Dry
Voltage, kv Voltage, kv Discharge
According According Voltage, kv,
Voltage Nominal To Test Standard To Test According
Data Data To Test Data
Current
Transformer 700 800
Disconnect
Switch:
To ground 700 856
Between
Contacts - m 1,150 1,300
Circuit
breakers 700 780
1,100
There are reasons to believe that there are additional reserves also in the main
insulation of the power transformers.
The preceding considerations are the over-all basis of the previously taken de-
cisions of reducing the insulation requirements of the 400-kv lines and apparatus, or
else of maintaining in practice the same insulation and increasing the nominal trans-
mission voltage to 500 kv. The 500-kv voltage was selected on the basis that the
insulation of the existing apparatus and that the line insulation will be at 500 kv
practically under the effect of the same overvoltages that exist at 400 kv with 3 U,
since the level of internal overvoltages is lowered to 2.5 0 at 500 kv.
The idea of lowering the level of internal overvoltages below 2.5 U by using
special arresters does not seem possible at the present time, because of the diffi-
culties encountered in the creation of such an arrester.
The arrester must have a small difference between the sparkover voltage and the
seal-off voltage. Preliminary specifications for the characteristics of the arrester
working on a 500-kv current may be set as follows. breakdown voltage of the spark
gaps of the arrester at power frequency should be 960-kv maximum (680-kv eff.) which
corresponds to a level of internal overvoltages equal to 2.3 U.
The arrester must allow during 1 - 2 semiperiods the flow of currents of 1.5 -
2 ka, with an arrester voltage not to exceed 700-kv e#f. (2.4 U).
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Translation - 3.
The seal-off voltage of the arrester U ex. must be chosen possibly lower, in order
to make easier the conditions of extinction of the arc in the spark gap. Nevertheless
a marked lowering of Uex may produce a failure in the operation of the arrester, be-
cause the voltage at the end of an unloaded line during the fault conditions may be
higher. Therefore the seal-off voltage of the arrester must be chosen in the range
470-490-kv eff. (1.63 - 1.7 U) and it is desirable to increase it to 520 - 580-kv eff.
(1.8 - 2.0 U).
A further reduction of the insulation level of the installations, originating
from low magnitudes of the internal overvoltages (or the increase of the nominal
voltage of the 400-kv installations beyond 500 kv) may appear very difficult consider-
ing the working conditions of the insulation under the influence of the operating volt-
age. This case is specially related to the external insulation, which during service
may be subjected to contamination.
The reduction of the specifications for the apparatus insulation, set for the
stations and substations, and of the line insulation permits reduction of the cost
of 400-kv installations.
The increase of the nominal transmission voltage to 500 kv gives the following
advantages:
a) it increases the transmission capacity, with respect to stability, by 407,
or, for the same specified transmission capacity, it allows reduction of the size,
and sometimes to eliminate completely the need, of special means for increasing sta-
bility (series capacitors, intermediate synchronous condensers, etc.);
b) it reduces the energy losses due to heating of the line conductors.
In addition to this the voltage increase, even for a 2.5 U-level of internal
overvoltages, leads to some improvement of the apparatus (with respect to the present
400-kv apparatus) related to the necessary changes of its construction or parameters.
However, the use of the existing conductor configurations for transmission at 500 kv
significantly increases the energy losses due to corona on the lines. Therefore, the
question of the advisability of increasing the nominal transmission-line voltage from
400 to 500 kv, or of reducing the specifications of the 400-kv installations, should
be decided on the basis of over-all technical and economical investigations.
A technical and economical comparison of transmission at 400 and 500 kv is dis-
cussed below, based on the example of change-over to 500 kv of the 400-kv transmission
from Kuibyshev to Moscow, from Stalingrad Hydro Station to Moscow, and of the 400-kv
circuits of the Urals, according to the work done by the Division of Long-Distance
Transmission V.G.P.I. of the Thermal Project.
An appraisal of the economical effectiveness of increasing the voltage is based
upon the comparison of the capital investments and of the yearly operating expenses
for different values of the transmission capacity. A comparison of the technical
and economical parameters of transmission at voltages of 400 and 500 kv is based upon
two sets of values for the insulation levels of 400-kv installations - 1) for 400-kv
voltage the existing apparatus and line insulation, determined for 3 U,is used; the
apparatus and line insulation for 500 kv is determined for 2.5 U. 2) The line in-
sulation and apparatus for 400 and 500 kv is determined for 2.5 U, that is, the 400-kv
installations are assumed to be reduced in relation to the existing installations.
For the determination of the line cost, structures were worked out with 3 x ASO-
480 conductors (phases subdivided into 3-bundle conductors)on the basis of the factors
discussed above. The fundamental results of these studies are given in Table II.
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Translation -
TABLE II
For Voltages
Parameters
400 kv
500 kv
Level of internal overvoltages
Ground clearance, feet
26.2
24.5
26.2
Distance between phases, feet
33.5
30.5
36.0
Height of towers, feet
89
89
89
Length of span, feet
1300
1400
1300
Number of insulators, suspension string
20
17
20
Cost of 1 km of line, 'thousand rubles
299.3
288.3
301.0
It is seen in Table II, that the present 400-kv lines, designed-for a level of
internal overvoltages of 3 U. and the 500-kv lines have practically the same cost
(the difference is about 2)000 roubles/km). If the insulation of the 400-kv lines is
reduced, these cost less than the 500-kv lines by 13,000 roubles/km, which corresponds
to about 4% of the cost of the construction of 1 km of line. For other conductor
cross-sections, the difference in cost is less.
The present and already planned 400-kv lines may be transformed to 500 kv with
very small investments. The capital investments for the apparatus of the 400- and
500-kv lines were determined according to the increased parameters of the cost of
construction of an open distributed layout.
In the computations it was assumed that the cost of the circuit-breaker unit at
500 kv will be 7% higher than the cost of a-'unit of the existing 400-kv apparatus.
The cost of a 500-kv transformer would be 57 higher (for the same type of power trans-
former).
In comparing the 500- and 400-kv portions, the nominal (passing) power of the
autotransformers was assumed to be the same. Thus, the..physical.. power of the 500-
kv autotransformers is higher than the power of the 400-kv autotransformers, and
this was taken into consideration in the additional cost of the.500-kv autotransformers.
In the solution with reduced level of internal overvoltages of 2.5, the 4004v
apparatus was reduced in cost with respect to the present apparatus, 5% for the
circuit-breaker units and 15% for the transformers.
In Table III are given the data for the over-all costs of the basic apparatus.
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Translation -
TABLE III
Cost of Basic Apparatus
400 kv
500 kv
Apparatus
3 U 2.5 U
2.5 U
Autotransformers, rubles/kva
for W = 270 mva, U2 = 110 kv
21.0 17.8
23.6
for W = 500 mva, U2 = 220 kv
14.5 12.3
19.9
Transformers, rubles/kva
for W = 370 mva, U2 = 13.8 kv,
29.2 24.8
30.6
Circuit breakers, millions of rubles/unit
3.7 3.52
3.96
Series capacitor for 400 kv, rubles/kva
105 105
For the determination of the yearly operating losses, amortization, maintenance,
and repair are taken into account: for the lines 4%, for the substation apparatus 8%.
The energy losses are taken into account only in the lines, inasmuch as the energy
losses in the substation apparatus would be about the same in first approximation at
400 and 500 kv. The ranges of power losses due to corona are given in Table IV.
TABLE IV
Average Annual Power Losses Due To Corona
3-Phase kw/mile
Operating Voltage, kv
3 x ASO-400 3 x ASO-480
Distance between subconductors
of a phase; inches
400
3.2
3.9
2.1
2.4
420
4.3
5.6
3.1
3.5
480
12.6
15.0
8.4
10.1
500
16.5
20.1
11.6
13.7
For the determination of the yearly losses due to corona it was assumed that the
transmission lines operate half the time at voltages of 420 or 500 kv, and that for
the rest of the time they operate at 400 or 480 kv.
The transmissions which have been considered may be separated into two types:
(1) Main double-circuit transmission for Stalingrad Hydro Station to Moscow with
relatively few intermediate power taps and with a heavy load factor (T max = 5,000).
(2) Branch circuit of the Ural type with relatively low transmitted power, but with
the possibility of a short-time considerable increase of the transmitted power
in separate portions of the circuit.
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Translation -t 6.
For the transmission from the Stalingrad Hydroelectric Station to Moscow, the
transmitted power was taken to be in the range of 1,200 mw.
For the 400-kv voltage, the transmission capacity of the transmission line accord-
ing to stability consideration was guaranteed by means of a series-capacitor installa-
tion. For higher transmission capacities it was guaranteed by means of a sufficient
number of intermediate synchronous condensers.
For the 500-kv voltage in the transmission line from Stalingrad Hydro Station to
Moscow, it was possible to avoid series capacitor installations and for a transmitted
power exceeding 1,500 mw, stability was guaranteed by means of synchronous condensers.
For the Ural circuits special means would be required to increase stability only
for the section Kuibyshev Hydro Station to Chelyabinsk. The transmitted power on the
main section of this line varied in the range 550 - 900 mw, with no change in the
magnitude of the transmitted energy (2.7 x 109 kwh).
In Table V are given the technical parameters which pertain to two types of trans-
mission discussed here.
TABLE V
Parameters
Stalingrad-Moscow Ural Circuit
Transmission capacity, mw 1200 1500 1800 550 700 900
Voltage, kw 400 500 400 500 400 500 400 500 400 500 400 500
Series capacitor
Xc, ohm 23 - 48 - 48 - - - 60 - 60 -
Q , mva
Synchronous condensers,
75 mva each, number
Losses on the lines,
106 kwh/year
due to 1 2R 262 185 410 290 590 417 86 61 118 84 143 1.00
due to corona 32 130 32 130 32 130 31 119 31 119 31 119
total 294 315 442 420 622 547 117 180 149 203 174 219
Ratio corona losses
12R losses
The resulting economic parameters were established on the basis of curves of
changes of the capital investments and operating expenses for increase of the transmis-
sion voltage from 400 to 500 kv (Figures 1 and 2).
Analysis of the data of Table V shows that at 500 kv the energy losses due to
corona abruptly increase. These losses represent a substantial protion of the energy
losses due to I2R for loaded lines and they exceed the losses due to the load for
relatively low loaded lines. At 500 kv it is expedient to consider the change of the
line conductors to a larger diameter (non-expanded and so-called expanded conductors
with a filler of non-conducting material). In order to equalize the energy losses due
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.Translation 7.
to corona on the 500-kv lines to those of the 400-kv lines with conductors 3 x ASO-480
(conductor diameter 1.119")*, the diameter of the expanded conductor should be about
1.45".
However, it might be more expedient to consider the subdivision of each phase
into 4 subconductors.
The comparison of the technical and economic parameters of a 2-circuit transmis-
sion at 400 and 500 kv leads to the cnnclusion that the increase of the nominal trans-
mission voltage of a main line of 800 - 1,000 km in length is economically advantageous
for transmitted power per circuit exceeding 650 - 700 mw,
According to Swedish data published in the 1956 CIGRE reports, the transition to
500 kv is justified when it is necessary to increase the transmission capacity to
750 - 800 mw per circuit or higher. For the operating periods of the Ural circuits
with relatively small magnitudes of transmitted power, the transition to 500 kv gives
an overexpenditure in capital investments of 20 - 30 million rubles. This is 3 - 5%
of the total investment for the line and apparatus of open-distributed constructions
400 - 500 kv)and increases the yearly operating expenses by 8 - 20%.
On the basis of the data given above, and taking into account the intensive
development of extra-high-voltage systems and the increase of the power transmitted
on these systems, the Ministry of Electric Stations of the U. S. S. R. made the
decision to convert the existing and designed 400-kv systems to a nominal voltage of
500 kv, and to design new long-distance transmission lines for a nominal voltage of
500 kv, The correctness of this decision is further supported by the following con-
siderations. After the long-distance transmissions from Stalingrad Hydro Station to
Moscow and from Kuibyshev Hydro Station to the Urals had been constructed, a unified
power system for the European portion of the U. S. S. R. was created which connects
in parallel operation the most powerful power systems of the Southern, of the Center,
and of the Urals.
In the conditions of a unified power system, it is not necessary to have the
same requirements of transmission capacity of long-distance transmission, as for iso-
lated transmission from a far away hydro station to a receiving system.
It is much more difficult to guarantee the stability of parallel operation of a
unified power system, particularly in the first stages of its development, up to the
emergence of a sufficient number of links, than for an isolated transmission.
The stability calculations of the unified power system made for the Thermal
Project, the works of Tz. N.I.E.L., N.I.I.P.T., E.N.I.N. A.N. U.S.S.R. have shown that
the requirements of transmission capacity of the connecting links must be higher than
for isolated transmissions. This is explained by the fact that the functions of the
connecting links already exist for long-distance transmission, loaded with powers
which are constantly transmitted from the hydro station to the receiving system. In
unification of systems by means of interconnecting links, equalizing currents will
constantly flow which may preliminarly attain a magnitude of 2.2%, a very small por-
tion of the power of the power systems which they interconnect. For the line Moscow-
Kuibyshev-Urals, additional overcurrents may attain 400 mw, This certainly requires
a further increase of the transmission capacity of the transmission systems. A much
more economical and technically simpler way of achieving this is to increase the
voltage from 400 to 500 kv.
*Note: This corresponds to 954 MCM per conductor (ONO,)
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Translation - 8.
The increase of the transmission capacity of the transmission lines from Kuibyshev
to Moscow and to the Urals is necessary also as a consequence of the increase of the
power of the Kuibyshev Hydro Station (increase of the working capacity of the turbines,
installation of additional apparatus) and the interconnection to these lines of the
Saratov and Lower Kama Hydro Stations.
For the Kuibyshev to Moscow transmission lines, the change-over to 500 kv increases
the transmission capacity from 1350-1400 to 1,800 mw with the existing series-ca-
pacitor installation. It increases the efficiency of transmission from 90 to 91.57.
(for transmission of 1,800 mw, 9 x 109 kwh energy), it reduces the cost of transmission
of power by 8% (the cost of transmitting energy is about 2 kopecks/kw).
The investments for the change-over to 500 kv of the Kuibyshev-Moscow lines will
be approximately 60 million roubles. In this amount about 20 million roubles are
required for the rebuilding of the 400-kv apparatus of the hydro station. A basic
portion of this investment is due to rebuilding of the transformers (replacement of
the 400-kv windings of the transformers and autotransformers with 500-kv windings).
The change-over to 500 kv increases the power of the transformers of the 400-kv re-
ceiving substations in Moscow from 270 to 340 mwa. This will be obtained by reconnect-
ing the 400-kv and 110-kv windings of the installed transformers to autotransformer
connection. Additional expenditure due to the transition to 500 kv will be paid off
in 4 years.
For the rebuilding of the existing 400-kv apparatus for the 500-kv voltage,
relatively little work will be required: the mounting of additional elements for the
air-breakers, for the arresters, for the potential transformers, for the coupling
capacitors, and some other work.
In order to guarantee a transmission capacity of 1,800 mw, the 400 kv on the
Kuibyshev Hydro Station to Moscow transmission, it would have been necessary to build
a second series capacitor installation, and to install an additional 400-kv transformer
in the receiving substation in Moscow. The cost of this construction could attain
approximately 60 - 70 million roubles.
For the transmission lines Kuibyshev Hydro Station to the Urals, the change-
over to 500 kv increases the transmission capacity from 600 to 900 mw (in the principal
portion) without a series-capacitor installation, and to 1,200 mw with a series ca-
pacitor. At 500 kv it is not necessary to construct additional circuits from the
Votkinsk and from the Lower Kama Hydro Stations. This would have been required at
400 kv in connection with the increase of the capacity of these hydro stations.
For the transmission lines from Stalingrad Hydro Station to Moscow, the trans-
mission capacity of 1,500 mw may be guaranteed at a nominal voltage of 500 kv without
special means of increasing stability, such as series capacitors or intermediate
synchronous condensers. In this manner, the circuits and the construction of inter-
mediate substations are simplified significantly.
For the voltage increase from 400 to 500 kv, the capital investments for the
transmission from Stalingrad Hydro Station to Moscow are reduced by 70 million roubles,
or by 57.. The transmission efficiency is increased from 91.4 to 92.27. and the cost
of transmitting power is reduced from 1.92 to 1.66 kopecks per kw, or by 13.57..
For the basic circuit of Central Siberia with calculated currents corresponding
to 700 - 800 mw per circuit or higher, the change-over to 500 kv reduces the capital
investment per circuit by 67. and the power losses by 267..
Thus, the increase of the voltage of long-distance power transmission from 400
to 500 kv appears to be a progressive measure which will permit the realization of a
unified electric power system of the Soviet Union with optimum technical and economic
characteristics.
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FIGURE CAPTIONS
Figure 1 - Economic parameters of transmission of the type Stalingrad - Moscow at
400 and 500 kv, for different overvoltage levels (2.5 and 3).
1. Capital investment;
2. Annual operating expenses.
Ordinates: capital investments, millions roubles; operating expenses, millions
roubles. Abscissae: transmitted power, mw.
Figure 2 - Economic parameters of the Ural circuit for change-over from 400 to 500 kv.
1. Increase of capital investments (for a level of assumed comparative
investments 590 - 680 million roubles).
2. Increase of operating expenses
41 - 58 million roubles).
K = 3 for 400 kv and K = 2-1/2
K = 2-1/2 for 400 and 500 kv
Same ordinates and abscissae as Figure 1.
The Use of 500-kv Voltage for
Long-Distance Power Transmission
By A. D. Romanov and N. N. Sokolov
Translation by
I ed
4-6-59
' J