ASES and Siemens Energy Oy have jointly implemented two extensive 110 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) modernization projects. Siemens Energy Oy has been the main contractor and ASES has done high-quality installation work in the role of subcontractor.
Siemens Energy Oy separated from its parent company Siemens OY in the fall of 2020. The independent unit currently focuses on the sale of products, services and projects related to energy production and transmission. Siemens Energy Oy has taken over the high-voltage and energy production side of the parent company, focusing on e.g. for maintenance, servicing, modernization and expansion of power plants and turbines.
When the first GIS modernization project was launched under the leadership of Siemens Energy Oy's project manager Riku Naukkarinen in 2018, ASES was not an operator he was already familiar with.
”For the Tornio project, ASES was recommended to me by the client. Since the price offer was good and the employees were already familiar with the area of the steel mill, I decided to give ASES a chance. After all, a local operator brings a certain synergy benefit to the project”, Mr. Naukkarinen explains.
The Tornio project, where the client is Aurora Infrastructure Oy, a provider of electrical grid solutions, has been implemented in several parts in accordance with the schedules and requirements of Aurora's end customer. The project has included the replacement of the control units of the switchgear, the renewal of the centralized busbar protection unit, and the modernization of the circuit breakers and disconnector controls.
ASES has been responsible for all the installation work of the project and has provided work management assistance to Siemens Energy Oy by monitoring the quality of its own work and acting as a coordinator between stakeholders.
”This long project has required a lot of flexibility and customized solutions. ASES has been a very agile and straightforward partner in this sense: they have quickly reacted to changes and communication has been easy and hassle-free.”, Mr. Naukkarinen describes.
There is only one short shut down left in the Tornio project, and it should be finished by the end of 2022.
”Percentage-wise, the project is 98% complete. Now we are just waiting for green light from the end customer so that we can finish the last things and complete the project”, Mr. Naukkarinen summarizes.
Siemens Energy Oy and ASES completed another similar project in Kuopio in the summer of 2021. This time the customer was Fingrid Oyj and the target was the Iloharju electrical substation. The site had the same 110 kV GIS switchgear as Tornio, but the scale of the modernization was smaller.
”The project was implemented in the summer in one part. There were a total of three ASES electricians and a foreman at the site, as well as three Siemens Energy Oy employees for installation supervision and commissioning”, Mr. Naukkarinen recalls.
Since the project was similar to the Tornio modernization project that started in 2018, it was easy to choose ASES as a partner, as the employees already had the necessary know-how. The shared values of the companies also contributed to the renewal of the partnership agreement.
”Both ASES and Siemens Energy Oy appreciate work safety and high quality. Safety can be seen in everything we do: both in observing and addressing deviations. In high-voltage work, you may not get a second chance if something goes terribly wrong”, Mr. Naukkarinen reminds erveryone.
Mr. Naukkarinen together with Siemens Energy Oy says that he got a good impression of the ASES team and recommended them to his colleagues. If and when new cooperation opportunities arise, they plan to seriously consider continuing the partnership with ASES.
110 kV GIS gear at the Iloharju electrical substation in Kuopio