Helsinki-Vantaa airport obtains ABB power system technology

ABB delivers power system technology to the main switching substation for supply of secured power to the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. The delivery enhances the reliability of the power supply, and hence the fligth safety of the airport.

The delivery comprises power system protection and control equipment of the novel Relion®-product family. The product family is based on the new global IEC 61850 standard, which introduces a common language for power system automation equipment. The delivery is an introduction of the new product family to advanced power system protection applications in the Finnish distribution network.

”A precondition for smart grid implementations is that all the devices of the automation system speak the same language. The common language enables a uniform and easily maintainable integrated solution to be developed for the management of the distribution system. As a technology leader ABB is fully committed to further the development of smart grids” says Heikki Mustonen, local business unit manager of the Distribution Automation unit.

”We invest in the future by expressing confidence in the new generation of protection technology and in a fast, reliable and redundant communication network. This will significantly increase usability and functionality of power system automation” Erkki Yrjölä, energy manager of Finavia asserts.

Finavia is a state-owned Finnish enterprise, which will be converted into a limited company commencing 2010. There are 25 airports in the network maintained by Finavia. The reliability of the power distribution system is a critical concern for an airport. To secure air safety at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport the duration of an outage of a critical system must not exceed about one second, according to the aviation regulations.