RIYADH: A top British executive working in the energy sector has called for the implementation of power distribution automation to reduce operating costs, boost efficiency and enhance customer service in the Kingdom. Bill Carlyle, business development manager for Lucy Switchgear UK, said the distribution automation of Saudi Electricity Company’s (SEC) network could help improve performance and eventually make the sector more productive in terms of automation, supply and delivery.
Carlyle was speaking at a high-profile seminar, attended by industry leaders and SEC delegates. SEC experts and executives of Saudi Lucy Company, which has been evaluated as a top manufacturer by SEC, watched a live automation demonstration on the sidelines.
Saudi Arabia has a power transmission network of around 38,000km of high voltage lines that provides output of between 110-380kV. The live demonstration allowed SEC delegates to witness first-hand the new distribution automation technology in operation.
Carlyle said the technology could improve performance by reducing minutes lost through power cuts.
“By implementing distribution automation, SEC can add functionality to existing switchgear assets, increase lifecycle through retrofit and defer capital expenditure on networks nearing full capacity. All three elements will improve customer service,” said Lucy’s sales and marketing chief Razaur Rahman.
