Stromnetz Berlin donates further transformers for Ukraine 

Company providing 31 refurbished transformers to help reconstruct the power supply

 19.09.2024

Stromnetz Berlin is once again donating transformers to support the restoration of the power supply in Ukraine. After sending 40 transformers from its own stock to the country in 2023, the company is now adding a further 31. As in the previous year, this is in response to an appeal for donations from the German-Ukrainian Energy Partnership. The equipment was no longer needed by the Berlin distribution grid and had been replaced by new equipment. It is fully functional and has been completely overhauled for use in Ukraine. Each of the transformers weighs around 1.6 tonnes and has a material value of around 2,300 euros. 

Today, 19 September, the 31 transformers were handed over in Berlin to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, which implements the German-Ukrainian Energy Partnership on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK). The transformers will be transported to Ukraine according to the requirements of the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and handed over to energy companies in the areas affected by the war. This donation will supply around 8,000 people with electricity. The donation campaign has already reached around 550,000 people since 2022. 

Franziska Giffey, Senator for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, handed over the first donation of transformers in 2023, and is once again supporting the campaign. "The Russian war of aggression has now been going on for over 800 days. The state of Berlin continues to stand firmly by Ukraine. This we are also demonstrating with our city partnership between Berlin and Kiev, which we are bringing to life with this and many other forms of support. The further donation of transformers by Stromnetz Berlin is our very practical contribution to restoring and securing the power supply where necessary. It is also a sign of ‘We haven’t forgotten you’. Our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and our humanitarian, financial and military aid are all equally important."

Dr Erik Landeck, Chairman of the Management Board of Stromnetz Berlin: "We want to help alleviate people's suffering and bring a bit of normality back into their everyday lives. A functioning infrastructure is a part of this everyday life. What the Ukrainian network experts have been achieving for such a long time and under such adverse conditions is tremendous. We hope that our 31 transformers will help our Ukrainian colleagues to restore the power supply in the affected areas." 

What are transformers, and what do they do?

Transformers are needed so that electrical energy can be transmitted from the power station to the sockets in every home with as little loss as possible. With regard to alternating current, they change both the voltage level and the current strength, thus enabling energy to be transported over long distances. A high voltage corresponds to a lower current and therefore leads to lower losses during current transport. 

Three-phase transformers, which convert from the medium-voltage range (10,000 volts) to the low-voltage range (400 volts), are an important part of this transmission chain. They can therefore be found close to every household and provide the voltage in the socket (400 volts between two phases, 230 volts between one phase and earth). 

The equipment now being handed over to Ukraine belongs to this group of three-phase transformers. What makes them special is that they have five different voltage levels that allow them to be adapted to the respective local grid conditions. All the parts of the transformer (iron core, copper or aluminium windings, various supporting structures for mechanical stability) are housed in a sealed tank. The spaces inside the tank are filled with an ester for better insulation and cooling, which is significantly more environmentally friendly than the mineral oil otherwise commonly used for this purpose. Each of these transformers is approximately 1.2 by 0.8 metres in size.