Axioma Servisas UAB continues its successful cooperation with ORLEN Lietuva AB, the only oil product refinery in the Baltic States located in the Mažeikiai District. Yet another project has been implemented, during which two sections of the US-6 kV power switchyard were reconstructed.
The team of the Mažeikiai Service Division performed turnkey implementation of the project including design, reconstruction, equipment installation, programming and start-up and tuning works.
Challenges in the face of global pandemic
The purpose of the project carried out at the ORLEN Lietuva plant was to modernize two sections of the US-6 kV electrical switchyard. During that time, all electrical and automation equipment was replaced with the modern equipment, and switchyard management was automated by installing a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system. Moreover, modern relay protection and electricity metering devices were installed.
First, the partners of Axioma Servisas prepared a project, according to which the necessary equipment and components were ordered. It is this stage of project implementation, i.e. supply of equipment, that posed the most challenges.
“While we were ordering the necessary materials, the entire world suddenly shut down. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all works and supply chains came to a standstill. We had to wait for some important components required for the implementation of this project for up to a year,” explained Tomas Sarnačinskas, Head of Mažeikiai Service Division, speaking about the supply challenges.
Works lasted 9 months
As soon as the ordered equipment was delivered, the Axioma Servisas team began intensive installation work. The factory processes were not stopped during implementation of this project.
First of all, the construction works were carried out – the electrical substation building underwent minimal reconstruction in order to allow installation of the new equipment. One section of the 6 kV switchyard was installed in a vacant area of the premises, to which the electric voltage was connected, and the necessary switches were made. After that, the old switchyard was dismantled, and after completing the necessary construction works, the second section was installed and the necessary switches were made.
“We coordinated with the client for a long time the moment when we could perform switching of the continuously working pumps to the new switchyard. ORLEN Lietuva could only stop a part of the equipment at the same time, so it was necessary to adjust to the operation of the factory”, added Tomas Sarnačinskas in reference to the intricacies of project implementation.
All equipment installation and start-up and tuning works lasted a total of 9 months.
More than 15 company and partner specialists contributed to the implementation of ORLEN Lietuva project.
