Cemig is installing equipment to automate the electrical system in approximately 614 cities in all regions of its concession area. The modernization is being carried out through the installation of reclosers and other equipment in the electric power distribution network of these municipalities, and the improvements represent more than R $ 190 million in investments and should be concluded by the end of 2020.

According to the director of Cemig Distribuição, Ronaldo Gomes de Abreu, the reclosers bring a great benefit to the continuity of the energy supply, since they automatically restore the electrical system, in the shortest possible time, in case of interruption.

“Cemig is investing a lot to increase the reliability of its energy distribution network. And this equipment is fundamental for the quick recovery of our customers, in case of occurrences in the electrical system. Thus, when a tree falls on the electrical network, for example, and interrupts the power supply, the system already identifies the point where the interruption occurred, and the recloser isolates the damaged area and immediately normalizes the power supply to customers. who had their service interrupted ”, he explains.

Cemig has the largest electricity distribution network in South America, with over 540 thousand kilometers of lines and networks. The reclosers are installed in urban and rural electrical networks.

“In urban centers, the installation of the equipment seeks to serve areas with a large population concentration and maintenance of life, such as hospitals, and thus ensure continuity of supply for the largest number of customers in the event of a transient disturbance in the electricity network. In rural areas, where the circuits are long and serve customers that are often dispersed, the installation of reclosers speeds up the restoration of these facilities ”, says the director.

In the event of a defect in the electrical distribution network, such as overload by short circuit, the automatic reclosers perform several cycles of openings and closings until the normality of the electrical system. Since most feeding problems are temporary and can be caused by windstorms, lightning or external materials, automatic reclosers act, in most cases, on a temporary basis until the situation that generated the non-compliance is resolved.

Investment in the electricity grid 

In the period from 2018 to 2022, Cemig's investments in improvements in distribution lines, substations, reclosers, medium and low voltage networks and meters, for example, will comprise the amount of R $ 6.2 billion. The amount will contribute to making the state's economic and social development feasible, since it will be distributed to all regions of Minas Gerais. For 2020, the planned investments are in the order of R $ 1.5 billion.

Thus, together with the efforts of the Government of the State of Minas Gerais, investments in the distribution network reinforce Cemig's commitment to the development of the different regions and classes of customers, thus promoting economic and social development, in addition to improving quality. miners' lifestyle.