SION Circuit-breakers for Poland’s energy transition

Poland is working intensively to diversify its energy production and reduce its dependence on coal—and solar energy is playing an important role in these efforts. Reliable medium-voltage technology from Siemens is essential for the operation of Poland’s large-scale photovoltaic power plants.

Rapid expansion of solar energy

Poland is in the midst of an energy transition and is gradually replacing its aging power generation and transmission infrastructure with modern and, whenever possible, climate-friendly systems.

The Polish government is aiming to expand the country’s total renewable energy capacity to between 23 and 25 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.1 Work on enlarging the solar energy capacity is progressing particularly rapidly: The installed electrical output of photoelectric plants jumped from less than 0.3 GW in 2018 to about 15 GW in 2023.2 Poland is being supported by subsidies from the government to generate solar energy.

Fast commissioning for a leading company

20

Only 20 weeks between the order and commissioning.

700

Lamel currently produces and sells around 700 panels per year.

300

Since 2018, Lamel has installed over 300 Siemens lateral circuit breakers.

A Siemens power plant with a large electrical transformer and a metal structure.

Substations for grid connections

The Polish family-owned company Lamel supplies substations installed with SION vacuum circuit-breakers from Siemens. In 2023, an investor built two photovoltaic fields in the north of the country in Gdansk: one with an installed electrical output of two megawatts, the other with four megawatts. Both fields feed their electricity into the public grid to help supply households and businesses in the area with climate-neutral electricity. Each of the two fields has its own substation with transformers to convert and feed the generated electricity into the public grid. Circuit-breakers in the substations protect the connection between the grid and the transformers, shutting them down in the event of a fault or for maintenance. 

30 years of experience with power transmission

Founded in 1992, the company now employs around 170 people and is based in Pępowo. In addition to manufacturing medium-voltage switchgear, Lamel also builds low-voltage switchboards and substations. The company currently produces and sells around 700 panels per year. “The decisive factor for the order was our short delivery times and the fact that we were able to provide a tailor-made solution,” says Sławomir Plichta, Vice President of Lamel. “Our ability to combine a Polish-built system with proven medium-voltage technology from Siemens in Germany was also a key success factor.” Only twenty weeks were needed between the order and commissioning. The substations were completed in May 2023 just before the photovoltaic fields began commercial operation in the summer.

A Siemens electrical switch with a label

Siemens power plant substation with electrical equipment and transformers.

Proven technology from Berlin

When selecting circuit-breakers for the substations, Lamel chose the internationally recognized and leading SION model series from Siemens. The 3AE6 vacuum circuit breakers all come from the Siemens medium-voltage factory in Berlin. The circuit breakers are each installed upstream of a transformer with an output of 2 MVA.

Since beginning its partnership with Siemens in 2018, Lamel has installed over 300 Siemens lateral circuit breakers. Thanks to the compact dimensions of the SION unit, Lamel is also able to design more compact panels, saving valuable space. In addition to their compact design, the SION circuit-breakers are distinguished by their high reliability and maintenance-free operation over decades as well as their innovative vacuum technology.

The decisive factor was short delivery times and the fact that we were able to provide a tailor-made solution. Our ability to combine a Polish-built system with proven medium-voltage technology from Siemens in Germany was also a key success factor.

Sławomir Plichta, Vice President, Lamel

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