Challenges in Power Supply of the Arctic

In this article the results of numerous long monitoring registration on operating high-voltage substations of the Arctic region (The Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions) are summed up. The main problems of responsible customers electrical power supply are described by the electric power of appropriate quality. Electric power quality (EPQ) problems of typical for Arctic region are shown on the example of 6-10 kV large distribution substations (PS-40A in Kovdor, PS-38 in Severodvinsk, PS-33 in Revda and PS-361 in Lovozero). At the same time, the experiments results on registration of power quality indicators in the 0.4 kV network of Akademgorodok Apatity, where typical problems for 0.4 kV networks are displayed, are presented. For each substation, the analysis of its operating modes, connected consumers, load schedules of substations, structural features is carried out. The typical power quality problems for all substations are determined, as well as the most important indicators of power quality for which there are deviations are numerically described. This article shows that power supply in the Arctic has a unique specificity by combining industrial demand for large electricity amounts and the need to provide electricity to domestic consumers in cities and villages. At the same time the aspiration to economic optimization of electrical power supply leads to combining on one substation of powerful sources of electric power quality distortion and the city customers who unintentionally are customers of these distortions that brings to failure of home instruments receivers of the electric power. On diagrams of operating substations which are in the Arctic region of Russia sections of buses where loadings of industrial enterprises and city customers have direct galvanic link are shown.