ABB, a power and automation technology group, recently commissioned an extensive electrical infrastructure upgrade for EPCC’s two 30-year old cement production lines at its plant in Al Khursaniya, Saudi Arabia.
The project upgraded the existing 75 MV Switchgear Panels to the latest protection relay generation, and integrated the power supply systems with the ABB 800xA automation system already in place. Commissioning was completed in February 2016.
Outdated hardware and software had posed a risk to the plant’s reliability and availability. To avoid unexpected shutdowns and improve the reliability of the cement production lines, EPCC decided to modernize the 30-year old Medium Voltage Switchgears for Lines 1 and 2. The evolution to latest automation and power technology will help EPCC manage production at the highest level of efficiency and quality while meeting various international standards.
The scope of supply included the replacement of the 30-year old protection compartment of 75 MV (13.8 & 4.16kV) Switchgear Panels with the latest generation of ABB Relion protection relays, integration via IEC61850 with the 800xA automation system, the delivery of state-of-the art computer and network equipment. ABB also provided project management, engineering, site services and training together with its supplier EcoWatt Projects AG.
The Eastern Province Cement production facility is located in Al Khursaniya, in the Eastern part of Saudi Arabia about 165 kilometers north of Dammam where the company is headquartered. The plant started commercial production in 1985 with an annual production of 2.2 million tons of clinker and 860 thousand tons of cement. Today, annual capacity reaches 3.5 million tons of clinker and 3.7 million tons of cement.
