Report
On the meeting between representatives of GE Energy and Institute Nikola Tesla 


 

February 2, 2007, Belgrade


Attendants:

General Electric:             Mr. Hamid Elahi, Ph. D., General Manager, Energy Consulting

                                      Mr. Goran Drobnjak, Principal Engineer, Energy Consulting

                                      Mr. Neven Pecotić, Country Executive, Global Sales – Eastern Europe

Institute Nikola Tesla:    Mr. Dragan Kovačević, Ph. D., General Manager of Institute Nikola Tesla

                                      Mr. Saša Minić, Manager of Power Systems Department

                                      Mr. Dušan Arnautović, Ph. D., Manager of Automation and Control Department

                                      Mr. Petar Vukelja, Ph. D., Manager of Electric Power Facilities Department

                                      Mr. Srđan Milosavljević, Manager of Electrical Measurements Department

Duration 12.00-17.00

Topics:


-          Presentation of Institute Nikola Tesla global activities and organization, by Mr. Dragan Kovačević

-          Presentation of Power Systems Department research, recent activities and resources, by Mr. Saša Minić

-          Presentation of Automation and Control Department research, recent activities and resources, by Mr. Dušan Arnautović

-          Presentation of Electric Power Facilities Department research, recent activities and resources, by Mr. Petar Vukelja

-          Presentation of Electrical Measurements Department research, recent activities and resources, by Mr. Srđan Milosavljević

-          Presentation of organizational scheme of General Electric, and Energy Consulting position within it, its fields of research, most significant products and clients, by Mr. Hamid Elahi

-          Discussion of future cooperation possibilities and ways to realize them

-          Visit to TENT power plant and presentation of several technology platforms integrated in TENT power plant by Institute Nikola Tesla

 

Details of presentations and discussions:


1.       Mr. Dragan Kovačević welcomed guests from GE. He presented Institute "Nikola Tesla" as a scientific - state owned organization whose activity covers a wide spectra of problems in the area of production, transmission, distribution and implementation of electrical energy. Research activities in the Institute are organized in four scientific - research departments: Power Systems Department, Automation and Control Department, Power Facilities Department, and Electrical Measurements Department. In these departments researchers are working on the problems: of development and architecture of power systems, its exploitation and control in an integrated and deregulated power surrounding, implementation of new technologies, automation and new functional solutions in power systems and its plants, development and testing of high and low voltage equipment that is used in production, transmission and distribution of electrical energy, development and implementation of measurement methods and measurement devices, control of quality parameters, etc. He presented management staff of Institute. In the end he demonstrated willingness for future cooperation between Institute and GE.

2.       Mr. Saša Minić first spoke about the main goal of researches of Power Systems Department as advancing of development, operation and management of modern large power systems, based on introducing of new technologies, asset management techniques and applying of power energy software solutions and advanced tools. The result should ensure reliability, quality and safety of energy flows, as well as efficient operation of networks through information management. Then, he presented wide spectrum of research activities of Power Systems Department ordered in following sections: power system analysis, power system development, power system management and control and special services provided by his department. He showed list of references realized in last two years and presented development of human resources in Power Systems Department in the period 2002-2006.

3.       Mr. Dušan Arnautović presented activities of Automation and Control Department, which include research and testing of Power Electronics and Automation Control. These activities are divided in four sections: Power Electronics, Control in Power Systems, Automation and Control (development, testing and manufacture of different control and protection systems), and Special Services. He showed some of recent products of this department and some of latest researches and designs. He emphasized the fact that this department realizes many control systems in Serbian power plants. In the end, he presented resources of Automation and Control Department.

4.       Mr. Petar Vukelja presented activities of Electric Power Facilities Department in the field of insulation coordination and electromagnetic transients in power systems with specifics about analyses of lightning, switching and temporary overvoltages in high voltage and industrial networks and calculation of flashover risk and insulation breakdown risk. He presented human and equipment resources of Electric Power Facilities Department.

5.       Mr. Srđan Milosavljević presented Accredited Laboratory for Testing and Calibration and list of accredited methods (120 items). In the end, he presented resources of Electrical Measurements Department.

6.       Mr. Hamid Elahi presented structure of General Electric, its fields of research and production, market and total revenue and resources. He pointed the place of Infrastructure and Energy in GE organization and presented solutions across the energy industry, power generation platforms and many services of GE Energy. Then he focused to Energy Consulting of GE Energy - its mission, main customers, and capabilities. He discussed in details capabilities of GE Energy in the area of power economics, power systems engineering, software tools, and customer education. He pointed up similarity and compatibility of activities and researches in Institute Nikola Tesla and GE Energy Consulting, mainly in the area of power systems analyses. He noticed several direction of future cooperation and discussed them (cooperation in GE activities in the region, potential training of Institute engineers, potential usage of GE software for power system analyses, etc.)

7.       Visiting the TENT power plant made possible to witness a successful integration of several technology platforms to generate affordable and reliable energy. Institute Nikola Tesla realized many of these systems.

 

Conclusions


§         Institute Nikola Tesla and GE Energy Consulting have similar format and skills that make their future cooperation possible and desirable for both sides. The cooperation would be possible in power systems studies, power system equipment application, software development etc.

§         The way to start this cooperation is involvement of the Institute resources in some of GE Energy’s projects in the region of the East, the Southeast and the Central Europe.

§         Another way is to propose implementation of some of GE power system solutions, as needed, into Serbian Power Grid transmission, generation or power system control with participation of Institute Nikola Tesla.

§         Although the Institute has it’s own software tools, one of initial and effective steps in the process of partnership would be for GE to provide GE’s power system software tools (PSLF, MAPS) to the Institute and to train users how to use it. This would help to synchronize two groups, speed up work processes, improve problem understandings and create the same technical base for system studies, system data and study results.