Austria: Austrian Power Grid (APG) is investing heavily in its central Upper Austria substations to prepare for future load demands and support the steel industry’s decarbonisation. As part of the project, APG has ordered four mechanically switched capacitor with damping network (MSCDN) systems, each rated at 100 Mvar, to be installed over the next five years.
The equipment will help manage reactive power requirements as the 220 kV ring connecting the Hütte Süd, Pichling, Kronstorf, Wegscheid, and Ernsthofen substations is gradually completed. Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen’s (MR) Power Quality division, based in Erfurt, secured the contract.
“We are capable of driving the energy transition,” said Wilfried Breuer, MR’s Managing Director. “As a global market leader, we are proud to contribute our extensive experience in regulating electrical load flows to APG through our switched capacitor bank technology.”
MR Power Quality will handle the design, specification, and layout of the systems, alongside studies, engineering, procurement, factory acceptance tests, commissioning, and customer acceptance. Project partner OMEXOM Umspannwerke GmbH will oversee construction planning, supply steel structures and installation materials, and manage on-site assembly and safety.
MSCDN systems play a critical role in static voltage control on extra-high voltage transmission lines. Traditionally, large thermal power stations supplied reactive power for voltage regulation, but as these are phased out in favour of renewables, dedicated systems are increasingly needed. By installing MSCDN units at key grid locations, APG will ensure stable and safe operation as the country’s energy mix evolves.
This project underscores APG’s commitment to grid stability, industrial sustainability, and Austria’s wider energy transition goals.
Source: MR
