Why do we need another substation in Bratislava?
Bratislava and its city districts develop and grow. The number of electricity supply point is increasing at fast pace, as well the demands for reserved capacity and the number of requests for connection of renewable sources. Moreover, there is a growing number of electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles which naturally need to deal with battery charging.
From the point of the transmission system, we need to create the conditions so as expansion of the requirements for electricity supply was not accompanied by the quality worsening. Strengthening of the system and improvement of the ability to manage it with use of modern technologies will extend the connection possibilities of electricity renewable sources.
A new 400/110/22 kV Vajnory substation (ESt) is a long-term planned substation to ensure future needs of connection of the north part of the Slovak capital city of Bratislava. It will consist of ESt 400/110 kV of Slovenská elektrizačná prenosová sústava (SEPS) and ESt 110/22 kV of Západoslovenská distribučná (ZSD). Both are designed to be built as remote-controlled substations. They will be equipped with the management and information system which will allow remote control and operation.
Why Vajnory had been chosen to build the new substation?
The chosen location has been considered for many years and reservation evidenced in the relevant land-use planning documents for long time, in particular, in the Bratislava Land-Use Plan and in the land-use plan of the Higher-Territorial Unit of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region. The land-use planning documentation of the capital city of Bratislava recognizes the location of Vajnory for new substation in the vicinity of the railway track. The location is suitable for construction of the substation also due to existing road “Na doline” and position outside the built-up area of the municipality with as small influence on inhabitants as possible but in sufficient vicinity of the locations it will supply in the future.
Where will a new substation in Vajnory be located?
ESt will be situated on the plots in the location east of Bratislavské elektrotechnické závody, in the neighbourhood of the Lagermax area and the Bratislava – Pezinok railway track to which the Na doline road, known rather as the “Jurská cesta” leads.
What is happening within the project?
The project consists of several constructions in various phase of the work in progress. At present, there is, inter alia, procurement carried out of the project and engineering activity, designing of technological units and building objects, preparatory works in the location, obtaining of the relevant opinions and decisions from the authorities concerned.
How long will the construction take?
A complex project of the substation requires a thorough preparation. Construction will start after successful completion of preparatory works and obtaining of the relevant permits. Start of the construction works is preliminary scheduled in 2024 and with a planned completion in 2025.
The public procurement process for the works execution and subsequent delivery periods which are currently constantly prolonged due to turbulent development on the world market will have substantial influence on the execution completion date. Prior approaching the construction of the substation, it is necessary to ensure transport to the site including construction of the transport connection (access road connection) that will allow to transport the 400 kV transformer on site. It is the above-standard equipment in terms of size, thus the route must be prepared in a way so as to correspond to the strict safety criteria and the transport was smooth without any construction obstacles. Designing of access road is one of the key assumptions for preparation and subsequent execution of the construction.
How will the substation affect the life of the Vajnory inhabitants?
The substation will bring benefits for life not only in Vajnory but in the entire city and region, even with the positive impact for Europeans. After the commissioning of substation, the increase in quality and reliability of electricity supply will increase in immediate neighbourhood as well as wider surroundings of Vajnory. The substation will form assumptions for better solution of various non-standard operational states and calamities.
What changes are to be expected during the construction process?
We aim for such a solution which will be the least restricting for the inhabitants of the city district. The construction will be carried out in close cooperation with the Vajnory city district so as to affect the life of the inhabitants and transport in the given location as little as possible. We as a project investor, and our contractors will fulfil the conditions mentioned in the decision of the building authority and other relevant authorities and to observe the required security measures during the construction process.
How can I, as a citizen of Vajnory/Bratislava, get involved in the construction process?
If you are actively interested to follow the construction of the substation, we recommend you to follow our website, as well as the project website www.danubeingrid.eu, to follow our social media networks and participate at the public consultations. The dates of the public consultations are available HERE. You are invited to address your questions related to the project at info(at)sepsas.sk.
Myths and facts on the substation construction and use
The substation construction and its operation will not cause substantial increase of the noise level in regard to the existing presence of the railway truck and motorway. For illustration purposes, a noise level of the 400 kV transformer will be at the level of a dishwasher in the common household. In relation to the distance of the substation from the residential part of the municipality, the inhabitants will not record the influence of noise load.
We assume that during the construction process a driving lane will be available for pedestrians, cyclists and sporadic motor vehicles with permit. The details of the solution will be subject to discussion with the building authority. The construction traffic will be separated safely from the pedestrians and sport users. After the completion of the construction, the original condition of Jurská cesta will be maintained.
Since the substation will be built as an unattended, no constant presence of the ZSD or SEPS employees will be required during its operation. The traffic load in the location will thus be increased against the current one only minimally after the substation completion.
In case of damage of the road or associated land and buildings or road greenery, their original condition will be maintained.
To build the substation, ZSD and SEPS were awarded a grant from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF-E) with 35 % funding rate of eligible costs, further costs of the investment will be financed by both companies from their own sources. Construction of Est Vajnory is a part of the “Danube InGrid” (Danube Intelligent Grid) Project of Common Interest of the European Union. Projects of Common Interests (PCI) are key infrastructure projects aimed at integration of the European internal market in energy, the goal of which is to ensure energy security and assistance to the EU upon achieving goals in the area of energy and climate policy.
The protected plant species is not situated directly on the land on which the Vajnory substation will be located. During the construction process, execution of the activities that would threaten the location where the protected species of the globe flower can be found is not anticipated.