Ensuring service continuity and electrical safety is essential in every diplomatic mission: offices, IT systems, security equipment and air conditioning must always be operational, even when the public grid is unstable.
PROBLEM TO SOLVE: VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS IN CENTRAL-WEST AFRICA
In Africa, voltage fluctuations are very frequent, with direct effects on the availability and reliability of critical infrastructure. Studies and application cases carried out in various African countries show how businesses and public services must deal with numerous outages every month and voltages often far from nominal values, with an impact on productivity, electronic equipment and quality of service.
To meet the needs of a diplomatic mission in Central-West Africa, Ortea Next supplied a Sirius voltage stabiliser rated 2500kVA, with an input regulation range of ±20%, outdoor IP54 execution, equipped with a bypass kit and a series of customisations developed in close cooperation with a long-standing partner.
VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS IN AFRICA: WHY DEDICATED SOLUTIONS ARE NEEDED
In many African power grids, the challenge is not only “having” energy, but having a stable, high-quality voltage. The most common issues include:
- Prolonged undervoltages and occasional overvoltages, due to infrastructure shortcomings, rapid load growth and extended distribution lines.
- Rapid voltage variations linked to the start-up or shutdown of large-power loads, which cause light flicker and disturbances in sensitive electronic devices.
- Interruptions and micro-outages which, if not managed, lead to system restarts, data loss and plant downtime.
For a diplomatic infrastructure, these issues translate into:
- Reduced operational security (cameras, access control, communication systems).
- Electrical stress on UPS and back-up power systems, forced to operate outside ideal conditions.
- Higher risk of premature failure in servers, network devices and precision HVAC systems.
A voltage stabiliser specifically designed for these conditions therefore becomes a key element of the site’s power quality strategy.
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS: CONTINUITY, SECURITY AND MAINTENANCE FLEXIBILITY
The project for the diplomatic mission started from a set of very precise requirements, shared with the end customer and with the long-standing partner.
CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: OUTDOOR IP54 EXECUTION
The stabiliser had to be installed outdoors, exposed to dust, rain and harsh environmental conditions. The IP54 degree of protection allows safe operation even in contexts with high humidity and airborne particles.
DIPLOMATIC MISSION PRIVACY: INTERNAL HDMI INTERFACE (NOT VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE)
The customer required an HDMI interface, but with no elements accessible or visible from outside the cabinet, in compliance with the security policies of the diplomatic mission.
RISK OF STANDING WATER AT GROUND LEVEL: RAISED PLINTH AND ENLARGED CABINET FOR CABLE ENTRY
The installation logistics required a raised plinth to protect the equipment from possible standing water and to facilitate access during installation, and a cabinet with extra space dedicated to cable entry, to manage challenging cable cross-sections and routing.
ENHANCED ASSET MANAGEMENT: PHYSICAL SEPARATION BETWEEN REGULATION SECTION AND CONTROL SECTION
A strategic requirement from the customer concerned the possibility of separating the regulation section (the heart of the stabiliser) from the control/power centre section, so as to allow, if necessary, future replacement or upgrade of the regulation section only, reducing intervention times and costs. This “separable” solution is now one of the distinctive innovations developed by Ortea Next on custom projects.
THE ORTEA SOLUTION: SIRIUS 2500KVA ±20% OUTDOOR VOLTAGE STABILISER
To meet these requirements, a Sirius voltage stabiliser rated 2500kVA with an input regulation range of ±20% was selected and customised.
The Sirius range is designed for applications from 60 to 6000kVA, with various available regulation ranges, and uses advanced control logic based on digital microprocessors to measure the true root mean square value (true RMS) and correct the voltage continuously and accurately.
SIRIUS CONFIGURATION SELECTED FOR THE DIPLOMATIC MISSION
For this diplomatic mission, the 2500kVA Sirius was configured with:
- Bypass kit to ensure service continuity even during planned maintenance activities.
- Outdoor IP54 configuration, with mechanical and ventilation solutions sized for the local climate.
OUTDOOR IP54 EXECUTION: PROTECTION FOR CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
For an installation in Africa, the outdoor IP54 enclosure is not just an option but a critical success factor.
The cabinet is designed to:
- withstand dust and sand carried by the wind;
- tolerate high levels of humidity and rain;
- ensure proper heat exchange even at high ambient temperatures, thanks to a ventilation and air circulation system designed for the actual operating conditions.
In this way, the voltage stabiliser maintains its performance over time, reducing derating risks and downtime due to environmental anomalies.
BYPASS KIT AND CUSTOM POWER CENTRE
The power centre has been custom-designed, integrating:
- Input and output circuit-breakers for safe management of the connection to the grid and to the loads;
- Bypass line, which allows the stabiliser to be excluded in case of maintenance or emergency without interrupting power supply to the loads;
- Dedicated output path configurations, according to the electrical architecture of the diplomatic mission.
This architecture makes it possible to plan maintenance and upgrade activities with minimal impact on the operational continuity of the facility.
RAISED PLINTH AND ENLARGED CABINET FOR CABLE ENTRY
The specific site configuration required:
- a raised plinth, which facilitates cable entry from below and helps protect the equipment against water ingress or accidental flooding;
- an enlarged cabinet in the lower area, to provide an adequate cable bending radius even for large cross-sections and to facilitate connection operations on site.
These measures, often overlooked in standard designs, are crucial in custom projects because they reduce installation times, risk of errors and overall commissioning costs.
SEPARABLE REGULATION SECTION FROM CONTROL SECTION
One of the most innovative elements of the project is the physical separability between:
- regulation section (where voltage stabilisation takes place);
- control / power centre section, with circuit-breakers, protections and distribution logic.
This approach:
- facilitates any future replacement of the regulation module alone, should the customer wish to implement a technological upgrade or need to intervene for extraordinary maintenance;
- reduces plant downtime and costs, since many activities can be planned without modifying the main power section;
- represents a concrete example of Ortea Next’s tailor-made philosophy in the design of high-power voltage stabilisers.
INTERNAL HDMI INTERFACE AND SECURITY
The integration of an internal HDMI interface, not accessible from outside the cabinet, allows authorised personnel to:
- connect a local display to check the status, measurements and alarms of the stabiliser;
- carry out diagnostic or configuration operations in a protected manner, without exposing communication ports to the outside.
This choice reconciles operational requirements and the physical security needs typical of diplomatic environments.
A PROJECT DEVELOPED WITH A LONG-STANDING PARTNER
The implementation of this 2500kVA Sirius voltage stabiliser is the result of a consolidated collaboration between Ortea and a long-standing partner.
The partner’s contribution was crucial in several phases of the project:
- definition of local requirements and site specifications;
- coordination of delivery and installation logistics;
- support to the end customer during commissioning and start-up.
This synergy made it possible to offer a solution that is not only technologically advanced, but also fully aligned with the operational reality of the destination country.
ORTEA NEXT: LEADER IN VOLTAGE STABILISATION SINCE 1969
Since 1969, Ortea has been designing and manufacturing voltage stabilisers and power quality solutions for industrial, tertiary, critical infrastructure and utility customers.
Today Ortea Next:
- offers a complete range of power quality equipment (voltage stabilisers, sag and micro interruption compensators, power factor correction systems, transformers and reactors) for power ratings from a few dozen to several thousand kVA;
- develops custom projects for complex applications, from generation to distribution and up to the most sensitive loads;
- supports customers with consultancy services, power quality measurements, maintenance and remote monitoring, throughout the entire life cycle of the equipment.
The combination of long-standing experience, engineering know-how and customisation capability makes Ortea an international benchmark in voltage stabilisation.
FAQ
- Why are voltage fluctuations so frequent in many African countries?
The main causes include: grid infrastructures that do not always grow at the same pace as demand; very long distribution lines operating near their limits; generation that is not always adequate for load peaks; limited or untimely maintenance of existing networks. Various studies show that in African countries businesses experience numerous outages and voltage variations every month, with significant economic impacts on production and essential services. - What damage can unstable voltage cause to a diplomatic mission or business?
Unstable voltage can: reduce the service life of servers, PCs, network devices and security systems subjected to continuous electrical stress; cause sudden restarts of critical systems with data loss and service interruptions; increase the likelihood of nuisance tripping of protections and UPS systems. The use of a properly sized voltage stabiliser helps prevent these problems and stabilises the behaviour of the entire plant.
