Electrical Systems and MV/LV Substations: Design, Upgrading, and Power Quality
Spike Renewables operates in the design, upgrading, and verification of industrial electrical systems and MV/LV transformation substations serving energy infrastructures, production plants, and large consumers. The activities carried out cover the entire technical lifecycle, from the definition of electrical diagrams and grid connection solutions through safety verifications, testing and commissioning, power quality analysis, and as-built documentation.
Medium-Capacity MV/LV Substations and Low-Voltage Distribution
A significant portion of recent work has involved MV/LV substations with power ratings between 500 and 1,000 kW, designed to supply concentrated loads and systems requiring high continuity of service. In these projects, design choices were oriented toward robust and reliable configurations. The substations include 15 kV medium-voltage switchgear, oil-filled or cast-resin transformers, main and secondary LV switchboards, metering systems, and interface devices, all configured in accordance with applicable standards and distribution network operator requirements.
Upgrading and Modification of Existing Substations
Alongside new installations, Spike Renewables has worked on existing substations, carrying out power upgrades, transformer replacements, and modifications of LV switchboards. These activities required in-depth verification of short-circuit currents, protection coordination, and the capacity of downstream distribution systems, while maintaining the LV operating voltage at 400 V even in the presence of increasing loads. This approach extends the service life of existing electrical infrastructures, avoiding redundant or oversized solutions and ensuring compatibility with modern industrial loads.
Electrical Schemes, Protections, and MV Settings
Spike Renewables is responsible for the design of power and auxiliary single-line diagrams, MV and LV switchboards, and protection logics, with particular attention to selectivity and coordination between medium and low voltage. Activities include defining MV protection relay settings, preparing setting files, and performing functional tests on general and interface protection devices, in compliance with applicable CEI standards. This approach ensures plant safety, proper integration with the public grid, and continuity of service even under fault conditions.
Earthing Systems and Electrical Safety
A core area of work concerns the design and verification of earthing systems for MV/LV substations, particularly for medium- to high-power installations. Activities include the sizing of earth electrodes, grounding grids, and equipotential conductors, along with verification of touch and step voltages and earth resistance measurements, ensuring compliance with regulatory limits even in the event of medium-voltage faults.
Electrical Power Quality Analysis
To complement plant engineering activities, Spike Renewables has developed specific expertise in electrical power quality diagnostics, supporting systems with sensitive or highly non-linear loads. Analyses are conducted through extended measurement campaigns using certified instrumentation and include verification of parameters defined by CEI EN 50160: voltage and frequency variations, harmonic distortion, phase unbalance, flicker, voltage dips, transient overvoltages, and inrush currents. These activities make it possible to identify critical issues related to grid–load interaction, support the correct design of protection systems, and prevent malfunctions or damage to electrical and electronic equipment, as documented in dedicated analytical reports.