APM Terminals Algeciras connects to the national 66KV energy network

APM Terminals Algeciras has increased the voltage of its power supply from 20kv to 66KV this week. This 3.2-million-euro investment will improve the stability of the electrical supply and enhance safety and productivity by reducing the risk of outages.

The project was designed and managed in full by APM Terminals Algeciras, with support from The Port Authority and Algeciras Polytechnic School (University of Cadiz).

Safety Improvements
The terminal will now be able to take advantage of 100% of the energy regenerated by the cranes, in addition to monitoring the quality of the electricity supply – which comes from renewable sources – and consumption. The change in the voltage level will mean a 20% annual saving for the terminal, as well as an added value in terms of safety, because disruptions and sudden stops of the machinery will be reduced and the 20KV power line will be available as an auxiliary supply.

“We have used the most efficient brands and an optimal design to avoid, for example, the use of electric pumps in the transformer pit. In addition, it is now possible to take advantage of 100% of the energy regenerated by the cranes,” says APM Terminals Algeciras Engineering Coordinator, Juan Jesús Lara.

Emergency back-up
Engineering and Procurement departments planned the project in three phases: a new 20 MW substation in Isla Verde Exterior, three 4 km supply lines to terminal, and a new hub, which has been integrated into the container stacks. The substation is supplied from the existing 66 KV network in Isla Verde, which comes from the El Cañuelo substation. The 20 KV power line remains as an emergency supply.

APM Terminals Algeciras’ Chief Operating Officer, Jesús Cáceres, stated that the connection to 66KV marks “a milestone in the more than 30 years of the terminal’s life”, as it ends the possibility of suffering network disruptions and machinery stoppages, “and also looks to the future, with a new electrical network capable of supporting the latest generation of technologies in machinery”.

The inauguration ceremony this week was attended by the President of the Algeciras Bay Port Authority (APBA), Gerardo Landaluce, and APM Terminals West-Med Managing Director, Keld Pedersen.

The Chairman of the port was the one who symbolically activated the change to the national energy network. From the site attached to the new Isla Verde Exterior substation, he used a specially developed smartphone app to replace the traditional ribbon and maintain a safe distance between the ten attendees.

Reduced environmental impact
After the activation, Keld Pedersen highlighted the highlighted the value of teamwork. “Seeing how our team, the Port Authority and the University have worked together, how they have managed to reduce the impact on the environment and at the same time reduce costs, it’s simply fantastic,” he said.
Source: APM Terminals