ON A PAR WITH THE CAPITAL

A stable electricity supply is one of the main factors in developing any country and attracting not only investors but also tourists. The work conducted by the state over the last decade to upgrade the country's power infrastructure has allowed demand for electricity to be fully met and produced opportunities for exporting it as well. But the state of the electricity distribution grids does not provide the population with reliable electricity supplies everywhere. 

Whereas the problem was solved long ago in Baku, in some regions the situation has not been so clear-cut. In order to resolve the power distribution systems' problem, on 15 February 2015 Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev signed an instruction to set up the JSC "Azerisiq" on the basis of "Bakielektrisabaka" ["Baku Electricity Grid"]. In keeping with this instruction, the JSC "Azerisiq" was put in charge of all the power distribution systems in Azerbaijan, with the exception of those in the Naxcivan Autonomous Republic.

Owing to the successful experience in managing the "Bakielek-triksabaka" power supply grid in Greater Baku, including not only Azerbaijan's capital, but also the adjacent villages and settlements, we can also be optimistic that the problems in the regions will be resolved. 

Although "Azerisiq" was only set up a short time ago, quite a lot of work has be done to tackle the pressing problems.

Firstly, the country's entire territory has been organised into seven regional administrative units to supply and sell electricity (RETSI): Baku, Northern, North-Western, Western, Aran, Central Aran and Southern.

After the JSC "Azerisiq" was set up, an audit of the regional power grids and their current state was swiftly done. A programme of reconstruction and development was drawn up as a result of the audit, based on the state programmes for regional socio-economic development to ensure a reliable and good quality electricity supply to customers.

The programme consists of four parts and embraces all six regional administrations. Implementation of the first part has already started and includes upgrading of the power grids. This is to ensure that customers will receive stable, uninterrupted supplies of electricity. In particular, the reconstruction of electricity supply lines to irrigation systems is envisaged to boost the development of agriculture and improve the reliability of power supplies to industrial sectors and tourist facilities.

The second part of the programme presupposes the capital reconstruction of the regional power systems and will be implemented over three years once the power grids have been repaired. Urgent measures in keeping with the General Plan for the Power Sector of Azerbaijan for 2013-2025 are to be implemented as part of this stage. At the same time, electricity supplies to customers in the regions will be put on a par with those in Baku. This means that by the end of the decade every village in Azerbaijan will have been provided with electricity to the same extent as Baku is. Besides directly resolving the inhabitants' problems, this will have a positive impact on the development of business in the regions which will also lead to the creation of new jobs.

The third stage of the programme will be comprised of reconstruction and development for 2018-2025, the implementation of measures to ensure the safe, reliable and efficient supply of electricity to customers throughout Azerbaijan.

The fourth part of the programme envisages the organisation of information and administration systems, the "ASAN Service" and online administrative systems offering customers exemplary services through "ASAN Services" and online systems. Server equipment to retain and administer the customer database has been ordered for this; it is planned to expand the number of services provided by the "ASAN Service" and to make access to procedures easier.

The volume of work done in just a few months instils optimism that the problem of providing customers with a reliable power supply will be resolved as soon as possible. The distribution system is based on a 110-kilometre-long grid provided with electricity by the generator. Any unforeseen circumstance along the 110-kilometre-long power grid can lead to several towns and villages being hit by power cuts. Therefore the JSC "Azerisiq" is concentrating on ensuring that the "heart" of the regional distribution systems is functioning reliably.

So, three 110-kilovolt substations are already under construction in Baku, Gadabay and Saki. Besides this, more than 100 substations with the same capacity have undergone capital upgrades, and 30 transformers have been replaced. More than 230 kilometres of 110-kilovolt aerial power lines have undergone capital upgrades to ensure a reliable electricity supply.

Twenty-two substations have undergone capital reconstruction on the 35-kilovolt distribution system. Four of these are in the central part of Baku, three in the villages of Novkhani, Mukhammedi and Fatmai, but there is one each,  in Haciqabul, Sabirabad, Sabran and Imisli Districts and in the cities of Qabala and Ganca; two substations are in Xacmaz, three in Daskasan and four in Quba districts. Besides this, 457 substations have undergone capital upgrades and 45 transformers have been replaced. More than 2,000 kilometres of 35-kilovolt power lines have been renewed.

Nine hundred new transformer terminals have been built along the 10- and 6-kilovolt systems, and another 350 will have been built by the end of the year. More than 400 transformers that were on the verge of breaking down have been replaced; approximately 5,500 transformers at the substations have been repaired; roughly 16,000 km of high voltage power lines have been reconstructed and more than 11,000 new pylons have been erected.  

More than 5,000 km of SIP [ser-ver] cables have been laid on the 0.4-kilovolt system supplying the population with electricity; 38,500 pylons have been erected and 1,600 km of power lines have been repaired. A precise accounting system is quite important for the efficient operation of the distribution systems. To improve the accounting system, 150,000 new modern electricity meters have been installed.

As a result of the work carried out the electricity supply to the population has improved, grid capacity and power distribution possibilities have been expanded and the number of breakdowns has been considerably reduced.

Throughout Baku the growing demand for electricity has been completely satisfied and the necessary measures are being taken in the regions to tackle this issue. Within the framework of the future plan for power supplies the construction of 43 110-kilovolt substations and 103 35-kilovolt substations is planned.

New office buildings equipped with modern communications systems have moreover been erected to oversee the normal operation of the power grids in 14 districts. Comprehensive measures are also being implemented to train staff on the spot and away on training courses. Young members of staff are being trained in professional skills on courses at the JSC "Azerisiq" Centre and are being sent to work on the district and urban power grids. 

Baku's experience has shown that when the opportunities are there and there is a competent management team in charge, a radical breakthrough can be achieved in a short time. It will not be long now before we see lights throughout Azerbaijan at night time in photographs taken from space, as is the case in Baku.