Transformer accident drill held at Czech Babylon substation

On Friday, 14 June 2024, an exercise focused on dealing with a transformer fire was held at ČEPS's Babylon substation. Its aim was to test the cooperation between transmission system operator staff and fire and rescue service units.

The exercise scenario involved an accident involving transformer T403 at the Babylon substation, which resulted in the machine catching fire, the loss of the main power supply for the substation's auxiliary systems, and ultimately a shortage of fuel in the backup power source (the diesel generator). As part of the drill, ČEPS staff carried out the necessary steps to disconnect and ground the damaged electrical equipment and handed the site over to the Fire Rescue Service of the Liberec Region for firefighting operations.

“This exercise allowed us to verify and confirm the excellent cooperation between ČEPS staff and fire and rescue service units in responding to a major emergency,” said Pavel Šilhán, Director of the Operations Management Division at ČEPS, a. s.

This was the fifth exercise of this type. Exercises with the same scenario had already taken place in previous years at the Horní Životice, Vernéřov, Dasný and Čebín substations.