Investment in Czech electricity distribution networks is rising as their load increases

Electricity distribution system operators in Czechia are gradually increasing their investment in networks, spending billions of crowns a year. The reason is the growing strain on distribution networks, which increases every year as renewable energy sources are connected and electric mobility develops. However, distributors say there is no risk of potential large-scale network outages, known as blackouts, in Czechia. This is according to information provided to CTK by the companies.

ČEZ operates the largest distribution area and will invest 15,8 billion crowns in its network this year. „This year, we have earmarked 6,5 billion crowns of that amount for network upgrades and reinforcement, to connect customer requests more quickly, particularly those involving renewable energy sources, especially solar power plants,“ said Martin Zmelík, CEO of ČEZ Distribuce. The company plans to increase investment further in the coming years. In addition to boosting capacity, it will make increasingly frequent use of so-called smart solutions to enable better management of electricity supply.

EG.D, which operates the distribution network mainly in South Moravia and South Bohemia, plans to increase its investment this year from the current five billion crowns a year to more than seven billion. „The increase in investment is mainly driven by a sharp rise in demand to connect renewable energy sources, especially solar power plants. Other factors include the development of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and, last but not least, higher demands from businesses and households for supply stability and quality,“ said Pavel Čada, EG.D’s vice-chairman of the board. Most of EG.D’s investment will go towards upgrading high- and low-voltage networks in the regions, with the rest going to very-high-voltage equipment and smart devices.

PREdistribuce, which covers the capital, is also investing approximately two billion crowns in its distribution network. According to spokesman Karel Hanzelka, the company currently has several substations at various stages of preparation, as well as investment projects involving high- and low-voltage networks. PREdistribuce also expects more than a hundred upgraded transformer stations to come into operation this year.

According to the companies, investment in distribution networks should also help prevent potential outages. Distributors say the risk of blackouts—massive outages with no backup sources—is minimal. According to ČEZ, any local outages are short-lived and are usually caused by third-party interference, weather events or material fatigue. „We seek to prevent outages through targeted equipment diagnostics, regular maintenance and servicing, the natural replacement and modernisation of distribution system equipment, and the addition of smart components,“ added ČEZ spokeswoman Soňa Holingerová.

One of the biggest power outages in Czechia struck Prague early last June, disrupting life for several dozen minutes, especially in the city centre and on the right bank of the Vltava. „The supply of electricity from the higher-level transmission system to our substation in Chodov was interrupted. Within tens of minutes, we restored electricity supply to the affected areas of Prague from our other substations. So this was not a blackout in the true sense of the word, when no source of electricity is available,“ PRE spokesman Hanzelka said. He stressed that the outage had no connection with the technical condition of the company’s distribution network, as it was caused by an external factor. The outage at the time was caused by a technical fault at a ČEPS substation.

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