UK seeks new transformer oil bunding solutions

2015-3-16 New Civil Engineer

 UK, London: The UK’s Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) seeks ideas for alternative oil containment bunding for primary oil-cooled transformers which will be funded by the UK’s electricity Distribution Network Operators (DNOs).

Bunding prevents environmental contamination if there is an oil leak and it also provides a fire pool facility if there is a fire caused by transformer failure.

DNOs are looking for more affordable bunding solutions since in situations where the replacement of primary transformers or the bunding of existing primary transformers is required, the civil engineering costs account for a significant proportion of the overall project costs, reports New Civil Engineer. 

Only one DNO network license area includes 180 primary transformers, which will all be bunded in the next eight years at an estimated cost of £7.5M ($11.3M). There are a further 13 DNO license areas in Great Britain.

Source: New Civil Engineer