Phase 2 – Power Supply for Waste Processor After Fire Incident
The project at a waste processing plant in the Botlek has entered a new phase. The construction of a new power building is a time-consuming and costly process. To bridge this period, the waste processor has decided to continue operating on a temporary power supply for the next six months. This means that, with the current setup, every kilowatt hour is still being generated by generators — which led to the ambition to (temporarily) reconnect to the main grid. To make this possible, Voet Energy Solutions implemented an innovative solution to safeguard the power supply. Curious about the technical aspects and challenges of this transition phase? Read on.
To realize this transition, several temporary power modules were installed at the center of the facility, with a subdivision of 10 megawatts, supported by the waste processor’s external procurement site located 160 meters away.
A crucial aspect of this phase was the construction of a scaffold stretching 160 meters from the procurement site to the core of operations. Standing at a height of 5 meters, this scaffold serves as the backbone of the temporary power supply, connecting various sites to enable the necessary energy transfer. A massive 630 mm² aluminum cable, capable of transporting 10 megawatts of power, runs across the scaffold. The power is then distributed to substations that function as large medium-voltage switches. This innovative construction enables the temporary power setup to be connected to the external power grid.
The substations are equipped with a 3,150 kVA transformer/module for low-voltage generation and a 1,250 kVA transformer/module for producing 3 kV. This ensures efficient distribution of energy across the site, allowing various systems — including the cooling water pumps — to be remotely operated. A control unit integrated into an online platform enables the client to operate the pumps, while Voet Energy Solutions can monitor and analyze the system in real time.
The 3,150 kVA unit, used for generating low voltage on-site, powers not only critical equipment but also lighting and buildings. This optimization allows Voet Energy Solutions to remove the hybrid generators from phase 1.
At the heart of the facility, energy monitoring cases have been installed to measure all currents, voltage levels, and temperatures. These data points are fed into an online platform (also accessible to the client), providing full insight into the operational status of the system.
The greatest challenge in this project was bridging the 160-meter distance to transport 10 megawatts of energy. Together with Eqin, the waste processor, and the Voet team, we worked quickly and efficiently to build all installations. Moving equipment in confined spaces required specialist expertise, including pulling a 360 mm² aluminum cable across the scaffold. All installations were laid to be short-circuit proof and underwent detailed current calculations to ensure safe execution.
This is Voet
Voet Energy Solutions is not just about technical solutions — we provide complete support to our clients. Short-circuit calculations, impedance measurements, cable routing plans, and other essential analyses are carefully performed to relieve customers in crisis situations and restore their power supply as quickly as possible.
