Civil protection | CEM improves disaster resilience and power stability

Billy Chan

CEM held a media briefing session at CEM building this week and gave an introduction on its measures for improving disaster resilience and power stability.

CEM has successively implemented flood prevention measures in low-lying areas, which is expected to improve Macau’s disaster resilience.

Talking about the experience gained from previous typhoons, CEM has worked out solutions with the Office for the Development of the Energy Sector (GDSE) and mapped out flood prevention measures and solutions to reduce the risk of power equipment being exposed to flood waters and the consequent impact on the public.

These measures include optimizing the medium-voltage network and power equipment, as well as installing flood barriers, strengthening the sealing of cable inlets, installing flood alarm systems and sump pumps in customer substations.

Regarding long-term measures, CEM has revised the flood protection standards for electrical facilities in buildings, which in turn can improve the flood-resistant capacity of power facilities of new buildings in low-lying areas. CEM is planning to relocate some of the customer substations near Inner Harbor to higher ground.

This measure does not only address the flooding problems in the long run, but will also increase the power network capacity for the older part of the city.

After the briefing session, CEM invited the media to visit the Control Center of System Dispatch Center to learn about the operation of the flooding alarm system.

The group was also invited to inspect customer substations that have been equipped with flood control facilities.

During the introduction, Billy Chan, senior manager of CEM Transmission and Distribution Department, said that the GDSE has always maintained close links with CEM.

Chan also said that, in terms of preventing floods, CEM will focus increasingly on buildings which will be built in the future.

In the face of the long-standing flooding problem in Macau, CEM has discussed with GDSE how to improve the flood-resistant capacity of power facilities and has devised a number of measures to enhance the capacity at low-lying areas.

CEM has continued to invest in the construction of a transmission and distribution network, including a number of large-scale projects such as the 110kV Cotai Hospital Substation, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Substation, Barra Substation, Macau Power Station Substation, the third 22kV Pac On Substation, the 220kV connection for Lotus Substation, Canal dos Patos Substation and Pac On Substation, as well as the third 7 km-long 220 kV interconnection with Guangdong Power Grid.

Another important infrastructure project that will help ensure a reliable power supply, is the new gas turbine generator units planned for the built in Coloane Power Station.

In view of the growing demand for electricity in Macau, CEM has  suggested that the government replace some of the old power generation units with eco-friendly and efficient gas turbine generator units in a bid to solve the problem of aging legacy units. This would thus enhance local power supply capacity.

After preparatory work for the project gained approval from the government last year, CEM launched an international tendering process in December 2017 and stopped accepting tenders in April 2018.

Tender evaluation is currently being conducted. When the new gas turbine generator units are put into operation, local power generation will take up an average of 30 percent of the total power consumption, which can be increased to 50 percent in an emergency.

In addition, in order to enhance electrical engineers’ awareness of operation and maintenance techniques for medium-voltage equipment, CEM has organized workshops for personnel who are responsible for the construction, operation, handling and maintenance of medium-voltage power distribution equipment.

The workshops were hosted by CEM professionals who passed on their knowledge and demonstrated operations.