Repair, refurbish and retrofit: why utilities must adopt a circularity approach in power distribution

The world is facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to energy distribution and environmental sustainability. Utilities are under immense pressure to ensure grid resiliency while also preparing for future environmental challenges. It is essential, therefore, to adopt a forward-thinking approach that balances economic viability, operational efficiency and sustainability, Stuart Thompson, President of ABB Electrification Service, writes.

One such approach, which more utilities are embracing, is circularity. Based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, this keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible and reduces resource dependency.

By prioritising the three Rs – repair, refurbish and retrofit – utilities can extend the lifecycle of their power distribution assets and minimise environmental impact.

Retrofitting involves upgrading outdated components, such as non-digital circuit breakers, with intelligent, advanced monitoring systems.

This approach not only improves energy capacity and distribution security but also leads to significant operational cost reductions.

Minimising downtime

One of the key advantages of retrofitting is the minimal downtime during the upgrade process. Unlike lengthy commissioning times for new electrical equipment, a retrofit can be completed in mere hours, ensuring continuous and safe operation. For utilities, this means maintaining a reliable energy supply while optimising capital expenditure and scheduled maintenance downtime.

ENGIE, is one of Europe’s leading energy suppliers that is seeking to safeguard and extend the life of its switchgear systems. By opting for a retrofit upgrade and replacing conventional breaker components with our latest vacuum circuit breakers, ENGIE not only enhanced safety and performance but also reduced the total cost of ownership and improved energy efficiency.

Similarly, Kemijoki Oy, one of the most important players in Finland’s renowned carbon-neutral electricity system, needed to upgrade ageing circuit breakers to ensure ongoing plant reliability and meet stricter sustainability and safety standards. Completely overhauling the existing switchgear operation wasn’t financially sustainable and downtime had to be at the absolute minimum because of the key part Kemijoki plays in the country’s energy security and production.

ABB provided a type-tested, customised and SF6-free retrofit solution without the need to make extensive and expensive switchgear renewals, keeping costs low and downtime minimal.

Kemijoki Oy’s Vice President of Electrical and Machinery Technology, Jarkko Virtanen highlighted: “Compared to a full overhaul of the complete medium voltage switchgear, we saved almost a month of downtime with the retrofit – taking just hours rather than several weeks – and in an industry where 24/7 power output is expected that’s a lot of vital energy production and lost revenue saved.”

Sustainable future

Beyond immediate benefits, retrofitting aligns with a broader strategy of building a sustainable future for the energy sector. It helps reduce the need for excessive mining of resources like iron ore and copper and lowers the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and delivering new equipment.

Furthermore, as utilities operate in a rapidly changing and volatile environment – as witnessed with wildfires impacting southern Europe over the summer period – they need to develop effective resilience strategies. Embracing digital and emerging technologies, such as integrating digital circuit breakers with energy and asset management solutions, provides full remote system visibility and enhances grid efficiency.

Take Mälarenergi – one of Sweden’s largest cogeneration plants connecting 98% of properties in Västerås to the district heating network – as an example. As part of their efforts to achieve net zero fossil carbon dioxide emissions, Mälarenergi partnered with ABB to modernise its 16 switchgear units with customised retrofit solutions.

By only replacing aging circuit breakers with modern Emax2 models – featuring Ekip Hi-Touch relay protection and energy metering – the electrical circuits are not only fully protected, but feature new technologies that reduce energy consumption, saving valuable time, costs and resources. It also means most of the critical infrastructure has had its lifespan extended, removing the carbon consumption associated with manufacturing an entire new system, as well as additional transportation costs and inevitable emissions.

Proactive resilience

The economic, environmental and operational advantages of retrofitting in power distribution are undeniable. It is crucial for utilities to shift from reactive crisis planning to proactive resiliency planning, prioritizing the use of existing asset capacity through predictive servicing approaches. Running equipment to the point of failure not only costs significantly more but also has severe environmental implications.

As industry focuses on raising safety standards and taking concrete action on climate change, the question should not be how we can afford to retrofit but rather how we can afford not to. By embracing retrofitting, utilities can pave the way for a sustainable and resilient energy future.

About the company:

ABB Electrification is a global technology leader in electrical distribution and management from source to socket. Our 50,000+ employees across 100 countries collaborate with customers and partners to shape and support global trends by developing innovative products, solutions and digital technologies that power a sustainable future for society. go.abb/electrification

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