Paper accepted for presentation at 2003 IEEE Bologna Power Tech Conference, June 23th-26th, Bologna, Italy

Technological Evolution of MV
Equipment and Structure Network
Giuseppe Cafaro, DEE, Politecnico di Bari, and Claudio Marchelli, VEI POWER DISTRIBUTION
evaluate long and short interruption. Currently average
Abstract Power quality (PQ) is an important constraint on
the planning and operation of the electrical power system. This
constraint has increased in importance following deregulation
and privatisation of electrical market. Quality provided to final
customers results from a range of factors. Nevertheless,
customers have a particular sensitivity to the continuity of
supply. A great effort has been devoted by engineers and
researchers to determine the optimal revision and upgrade of
the existing Medium Voltage (MV) electrical power system to
improve PQ. Modification of the structure network,
substitution of equipment and components with a more reliable
ones, adoption of automation and control techniques are
interdependent choices to reach the goal. But the PQ
improvement is affected by the more strict economic
constraints following privatisation and deregulation of the
electrical market. The greater diffusion of circuit breakers in
the network allows to improve PQ with reference to supply
continuity and restoration time. In the paper the authors
illustrate a new technological evolution of MV switchgear
cubicles which allows to upgrade the distribution networks
with reduction of environmental impact and economic effort.

Index TermsDistribution network, power quality, switch

technology, distribution reliability, power system protection
and operation.

I. INTRODUCTION

he liberalisation of the electrical energy market affects

the planning and operation techniques of electrical power

systems. The electrical system performance is regulated and
controlled by local and international authorities, especially
in the European area [1]. So new standards and efficiency
must be reached using the old networks which were planned
and erected in a monopolistic system.
The Electricity Supply Quality results from a range of
factors but it can be categorized under three general
headings: commercial quality, supply continuity and voltage
quality. Customers are especially sensitive towards supply
continuity of. A measurement or instrument are not required
to
G. Cafaro is with the Department Elettrotecnica ed Elettronica, Politecnico,
Via E. Orabona 1, 70125 Bari, Italy (e-mail: ing.cafaro@tin.it).
C. Marchelli is with VEI Power Distribution S.p.A., Casello 4, Autosole
26862 Guardamiglio (LO) Italy (e-mail: claudio.marchelli@vei.it).

0-7803-7967-5/03/$17.00 2003 IEEE

standards, that is minutes lost per customer, are in use for

the control and improvement of Power Quality. In some
states penalties are paid by companies that do not achieve
yearly
improvement standards. Companies that exceed the yearly
improvement standards receive an incentive payment.
Power quality affects customer and supplier relationships.
Customers claim damages caused by power quality events
and companies pay more attention towards the customers
installation which can cause power quality events in the
public distribution system.
Electrical power system operation statistics show that
medium voltage distribution networks are responsible for the
most significant part of outages as seen from the low voltage
(LV) as well as MV customer [2], [3]. About 80% of
cumulative service interruption to customers are caused by
MV network and MV/LV stations. Researchers, engineers
and distribution companies have subsequently devoted much
effort to study and evaluate the optimal investments to
upgrade the old MV distribution network and meet the new
quality standards.
Reliability analysis, using outage rates and times, are
frequently performed to reach the goal. Nevertheless the
performance improvement of the MV network needs an
increase of the number of installed switchgear so as to
reduce outage area and restoring times [4]-[7].
This goal is possible only if the electrical distribution system
is provided of an integrated automation and control system.
Circuit breakers and switches must communicate, in a two
way mode, with the centralised control system.
If we take into account the full application of P.Q.
Standards, a widespread use of controlled switches and
circuit breakers is to be expected, especially for example in
all the network nodes and energy delivery points.
The increase in number and in location points of switches
and circuit breakers is opposed by effective constraints such
as environmental care of people or authorities and low
financial resources.
There are other difficulties which aid in modifying the
topology and structure of the medium voltage distribution
system, therefore research has been devoted to improve the
system performance using new equipment types [8],[9] and
new control and operating techniques [10],[11].
The most important equipment is in the medium voltage
distribution system, switches and circuit breakers, which are

assembled in switchgear or switchboards.

In the paper the main characteristics of MV switchgear are
examined with reference to a full application of power
quality standards imposed in a liberalised electrical energy.

II. MV DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

The MV distribution networks, in developed countries,
were planned when production, transmission and
distribution of electrical energy were carried out by
monopolistic, sometimes public, companies. The networks
grew so much, in these countries, that they practically
covered the national territory.
Then the development occurred under special and
irreproducible, i.e. historical, conditions:
9 Investments depended on the social needs and were not
evaluated from the profit point of view.
9 People and then authorities didnt care for the
environmental impact of electrical installations.
9 The production techniques employed end-item stocks
and then the electrical outage were non critical for
customers.
9 Man-power and maintenance were not expensive, so
the low reliability of the distribution system was
counterbalanced by a strong maintenance and operative
policy.
9 The electrical users were not sensitive to power quality
events .
9 The energy losses were not relevant from an economic
point of view.
The liberalised electrical market is regulated by national
authorities which also have the objective of guaranteeing the
compliance of power quality standards in electrical supply.
The old companies and the new owners of old electrical
networks have to plan an upgrade of the performance system
to comply to these standards.
The most important and common features adopted are the
following:
9 Choice of a different neutral grounding to reduce the
earth fault outages..
9 Network topology improvement with the increase in of
HV/MV and MV/LV substations.
9 Use of new more reliable and less expensive equipment
than existing ones (line, switchgear, etc.).
9 Increase in number of switches and circuit breakers.
9 Control system applied to distribution network.
9 New control and operative techniques and procedures.
The MV distribution network, originating from HV/MV
substations, has a different topology and structure with
reference to the area characteristics: number of customers,
load density, supply continuity required, etc.
The most essential structure is the radial network (Fig. 1).

FIG. 1
It is typical of a rural area with a low load density. The
customers normally do not need supply continuity.
Sometimes these networks are in developing areas and have
to supply new customers as well as industries with a
different sensitivity to power quality.
The mesh structure is more reliable than the radial one
(Fig.2).

FIG. 2
The reliability increases with the number of switches and
circuit breakers installed along the mesh. Often the extreme

points of the mesh are connected at the same substation and

an intermediate switch is normally open. In this case the
outage of the substation affects all customers supplied by the
mesh. A different structure allows to reduce the influence of
the outage substation on MV network. The extreme points of
MV feeders are connected at two adjacent substations (Fig.
3).

new equipment types. The MV block of the substation was

arranged in a compacted container whose size does not
present transportation and unloading problems (Fig. 4).
Large cost reduction is achieved in engineering,
manufacturing and assembly.

FIG. 4
FIG. 3
The feeder supplies several MV/LV transformer
substations and is normally operated radially by
sectionalising at an intermediate MV/LV station. The
unavailability of a HV/MV substation affects only half of
the customers supplied by the feeder. With an efficient
telecontrol system, the restoring time is very low: the feeder
is reconfigured relocating the sectionalising point. The
feeder can be supplied, in an emergency, by only one
substation.
Fault localisation, isolation and system restoration is
possible only if there is a sufficient number of switches and
circuit breakers in the network as well as an efficient control
system. This concept is independent from the network
topology.
Therefore supply continuity improvement comes from the
increase in number of HV/MV and MV/LV substations and
from the upgrade of existing ones. This choice has been
performed in many countries [11]-[14].
The expected benefits of this choice on the MV
distribution networks are:
9 The length of the MV lines is reduced to 50-60% of
original lines and they double in number. As a
consequence the voltage drop and the losses are
reduced.
9 Reduction of outage rate and time and PQ events.
9 Reduction of MV line congestion near HV/MV
substations.
The implementation of load disconnector the remote
control will bring a substantial reduction of the voltage dip
rate as well as the rate and duration of supply interruption to
consumers.
Nonetheless the erection of a new substation must have a
reduced environmental impact. One of the most important
distribution companies in Europe developed some years ago
a new standardised design of HV/MV substation. In this
project much attention was devoted to MV switchgear using

The MV lines, normally, operate in radial mode, to increase

the reliability it is necessary to evaluate the optimal number
and the location of disconnectors and switches.
The goal is reached optimising a cost function, which can
be synthesised in a very simple way:
CE=MP-CI
(1)
Where MP represents the economies and CI the investment
and maintenance costs.
The economies derive from:
9 Reduction of not supplied energy;
9 Avoided penalty payments to regulator and incentive
payment received from regulator;
9 Reduction of conflicts with the customers;
9 Reduction of operating costs in restoring supply.
We are in a transient period with regards to the full
application of a liberalised Market. The standards imposed
by regulators to companies are light in this early application.
It is common opinion that the market has too many
objectives for supply continuity of supply: to guarantee that
each user can be provided at a minimum quality, level and to
promote quality improvement across the electrical system.
The quality will be applied at three levels: commercial,
continuity and voltage. The tariff will be linked to the
quality so the penalties will be paid to the customers who
suffer power quality events.
It means that a widespread measurement and control
system will be applied at the electrical system. The PQ is a
primary commercial standard to justify the investments to
install circuit breakers, advanced measurement and control
apparatus in every node of the network and in every energy
delivery point.
III. TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF MV
SWITCHGEAR
The power quality standards imposed by authorities
requires the increase in the number of switches and circuit
breakers. The technological evolution of switchgear

promotes the upgrade of MV system performance.

The MV switchgear must have the overall size and
weight reduced as much as possible. The reduced size
allows to avoid new building for HV/MV and MV/LV
substations so the existing ones can be used with much more
apparatus. The reduced size and weight allows the apparatus
to be housed in mobile containers.
It is necessary that switchgear is modular; it must be
possible to modify the substation scheme without replacing
overall components. The new switchboard must be installed
in substations with old components.
High reliability and low installation and maintenance
costs are required by the new switchboard.
Moreover it is required that the switchboard is equipped
with:
9 Status monitoring (open, close, tripped);
9 Remote control;
9 Measurement apparatus able to analyse the electrical
point (voltage, current and derived quantities);
9 Local supply to protection relays;
9 Local and remote data processing;
9 Logical gate devoted to protection selectivity.
The VEI POWER R&D staff have developed a new
product which corresponds to the demands of the electrical
market.

kVA of rated breaking capacity;

SF6 line side disconnector;
Interlocked earthing switch
Service earthing switch interlocked with the door,
the line side disconnector and the circuit breaker;
9 Three current transformers;
9 One homopolar transformer current;
9 Integrated protection relay fed by dedicated toroidal
transformer current; ;
9 Voltage indicators;
9 Device and interface to telecontrol, measure,
supervision and automation using TCP/IP
communication standard;
9 Motorized operating mechanism;
9 Auxiliary contacts;
9 Tripped coil supplied by relay;
9 Protection against internal arc;
9 Low voltage compartment independent from MV
part;
All the described apparatus are arranged in a very
compact cubicle.
9
9
9

Fig.6: Weight and size comparison between present and

new switchboard

FIG. 5
With reference to Fig.5 the main constructive
characteristics are analysed. The MV switchboard is
composed of:
9 Vacuum circuit breaker up to 24 kV of rated voltage,
up to 1250 ampere of rated thermal current; up to 20

With reference to Fig.6 the new and traditional solution

are compared. The volume and the base surface in the new
solution is half that of the old one. The weight is less than
half.
It is possible to install also transformer voltage, without
fuses, on the top of cubicle varying only the height of
cubicle.
The switchgear is reliable. The vertical movements of
circuit breaker and line side disconnector poles reduce the
kinetic stress. The mechanic command section and the
operative section are engineered as two black boxes with
external coupled points. So it is easy and safe for the
maintenance of the mechanics. Nevertheless the command

devices are guaranteed for 30.000 mechanic operations.

The new product has seen a first large application in a
portion of the Swedish MV distribution network.
In the Fig. 7 is shown the switchgear homologated by
FORTUM SWEDEN Company.

[4]
[5]
[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]
[10]

Fig.7: FORTUM SWEDEN homologated switchgear

The use of the new product has allowed to rearrange the
old transformation substation in a rich way. A simplified
scheme is shown in Fig. 8.

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

R. Billinton, S. Jonnavithula, Optimal switching device placement in

radial distribution system IEEE Transaction on Power Delivery,
vol.11, n. 3, 1996, pp. 1646-1651.
G. Celli, F. Pilo Optimal sectionalizing switch allocation in
distribution system IEEE Transaction on Power Delivery, vol.14, n.
3, 1999, pp. 1167-1172.
G. Celli, F. Pilo, D. Piseddu Individuazione del numero e della
posizione degli automatismi nelle reti di distribuzione alla luce delle
delibere emanate dallautorit per lenergia elettrica ed il gas Atti
della riunione generale AEI, Padova 3-5 Ottobre 2001, pagg. 193199.
A. Maskinen, J. Partanen, E. Lakervi, K. Koivuranta "A practical
approach for reliability evaluation of distribution networks IEE
CIRED 10h International Conference on Electricity Distribution. 1989
Vol .6, pagg525-529
L. Bergonzi, I. Bonfanti, G. Macci, B. Parmigiani Progresso
tecnologico nei componenti degli impianti di generazione,
trasformazione e distribuzione di energia elettrica Atti della riunione
generale AEI, Padova 3-5 Ottobre 2001, pagg. 481-484.
A. Invernizzi, P. Scarpellini, M. Mocenigo Lo sviluppo dei sistemi
elettrici Atti della riunione generale AEI, Padova 3-5 Ottobre 2001,
pagg. 491-495.
M. Lehotenen, E. Antila, M. Seppanen "An integrated solution for
protection and automation of power system" IEE CIRED 14h
International Conference on Electricity Distribution. 1997 Vol .6,
pagg. 24/1-24/5
Per Tannlund, G. Bjorkman "An advanced distribution automation
system experience from application development and project
implementation" IEEE Conference on Power system technology.2000
Vol .1, pagg. 127-132
G. Como, C. Romano, W. Veneziani: A development model of
medium voltage distribution system. Presented at Electric Power
International Conference on Transmission and distribution. Bejing.
China. 2001
L. Bochanky, F. Otto, D. Siegmund "Strategy for upgrading the
transformer substations taking in account the structure of the medium
voltage network" IEE CIRED 12th International Conference on
Electricity Distribution. 1993 Vol. 4, pagg. 4.3/1-4.3/7
V. Colloca, E. Colombo, G. Como, C. Di Mario, F. Iliceto, F.
Pozzana, S. Sciarra Environmentally friendly, low cost HV/MV
distribution substations using new compact HV and MV equipment
IEE 16th CIRED International Conference and exhibition on
Electricity Distribution. 2001 IEE Vol. conference 482, pag. 37/137/7

V. BIOGRAPHIES

Fig.8: FORTUM SWEDEN MV transformer substation

IV. REFERENCES
[1]
[2]

[3]

R. Malaman et alli, "Quality of electricity supply: initial

benchmarking on actual levels, standards and regulatory strategies
CEER, Working group on quality electricity supply, April 2001.
V. Colloca, G Pacini, P. Perna, E. Colombo Exploitation of
innovative technology in distribution network to face the challenge of
the open market Atti della riunione generale AEI, Padova 3-5
Ottobre 2001, pagg. 551-554.
M. Schneider, D. Voirin "Supply quality in planning of MV networks"
IEE CIRED 14h International Conference on Electricity Distribution.
1997 Vol .6, pagg. 41/1-41/4

Giuseppe Cafaro was born in Bari, Italy,

on March 12, 1951. He received the degree
summa cum lauda in electrical engineering
from the University of Bari in 1976.
He is, since 1976, with Department of
Electro technical and Electronic (DEE) of
the Polytechnic of Bari.. Presently he is
associate professor in Power system. His
main interests are electrical network system,
power system computing, distribution
network planning and reliability.
Claudio Marchelli born in Acqui Terme
(AL) Italy, on April 20, 1950. He got his
certified mechanical engineering degree in
Genoa-Italy.
After more than 20 years experience with
ANSALDO S.p.A., since 2000 his career
has continued with VEI Power Distribution
S.p.A. which deals in the field of Medium
Voltage Apparatus as Sales & Marketing
Regional Director for South East Asia.