By: Energy capital & power

Engineering firm SOCELEC has completed the commissioning of the 225/30 kV Diass substation in Senegal. The Diass substation is considered a central node in the grid, serving over 60% of the country’s electricity demand. Its commissioning is expected to enhance grid reliability and support Senegal’s broader infrastructure development goals.

The project was executed on behalf of the national utility company Senelec by construction group Eiffage, in partnership with electrical engineering firm Schneider Electric. The facility includes an 80 MVA transformer and fully operational high-voltage and medium-voltage control and command systems.

SOCELEC Engineering’s scope covered the entire protection and automation chain, including the configuration and testing of Micom P643 / P132 relays and C264 controllers. Functions tested included differential protection, breaker failure and logical selectivity.

The integration involved a Siemens HMI interface harmonized with Schneider’s existing architecture, as well as SCADA validation to ensure communication with DMS/IDMS systems and national dispatch centers. Robustness audits were also carried out on Siemens 7SJ85 cells, with tests on I/Os, interlocks and voltage thresholds.

The substation is a key component of Senegal’s power transmission upgrade under the MCA-Senegal II program – a U.S.-funded compact by the Millennium Challenge Corporation aimed at improving Senegal’s power sector infrastructure and reliability.