The North Macedonia 17 MW Solar PV Project is a 17 MW solar power plant in North Macedonia. Devpan supplied Dev24/36 medium-voltage switchgear together with LV distribution and power factor correction panels.
Electrical Profile of the Project
- LocationNorth Macedonia
- Building typeSolar power plant
- Installed power≈ 2,500 kVA
- Transformer configuration2 × 1,250 kVA
- Main busbar rated current2 × 1,600 A
- Short-time withstand current (Icw)50 kA / 1 s
- Devpan scopeMedium voltage switchgear, low voltage switchboards and engineering
- Verification standardIEC 61439-1, IEC 61439-2
About the Project
In a solar plant, the electrical infrastructure has to collect energy safely from inverter groups spread over a large site and deliver it to the grid. Equipment in open terrain faces frost in winter, high surface temperatures in summer, dust and repeated humidity cycles. Output rises and falls with irradiance through the day, while the network operator expects reactive power support and good power quality at the point of connection. With few staff on site, remote monitoring and safe switching become particularly important.
For a plant of this scale, the collection system is typically built at 10 kV with Dev24/36 metal-enclosed modular switchgear protecting the transformer stations and export feeders. Auxiliary and site loads are served by a low-voltage system of approximately 2,500 kVA, planned with 2 × 1,250 kVA transformers and 2 × 1,600 A main busbars. IP54 – IP55 enclosures withstand outdoor conditions, and DevComp panels help maintain reactive power balance.
Devpan Scope and Switchboard Architecture
Devpan’s scope covers the plant’s distribution infrastructure from MV collection switchgear down to site auxiliary loads.
- Medium-voltage switchgear (Dev24/36): 10 kV service voltage, 24 kV insulation level, metal-enclosed modular panels for transformer and line feeders.
- Main distribution boards (DevPanel): typically 2 × 1,600 A, 50 kA / 1 s, Form 3b, feeding auxiliary services and the control building.
- Field distribution boards (DevBox): IP54 – IP55 boards for security, monitoring, lighting and inverter-station auxiliaries.
- Power factor correction (DevComp): stepped compensation for auxiliary system loads.
- Standby power: an approximately 1 × 800 kVA generator keeping control, communications and security systems running.
Technical Configuration
| Installed power | ≈ 2,500 kVA |
|---|---|
| Transformer configuration | 2 × 1,250 kVA |
| Medium voltage level | 10 kV (Dev24/36) |
| Low voltage / frequency | 400 / 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Main busbar rated current | 2 × 1,600 A |
| Short-time withstand current (Icw) | 50 kA / 1 s |
| Form of internal separation | Form 3b |
| Degree of protection (IP) | IP54 – IP55 |
| Generator back-up | 1 × 800 kVA |
| Verification standard | IEC 61439-1, IEC 61439-2 |
Devpan Products Used in This Project
Project-Specific Engineering Topics
MV collection and protection
Dev24/36 panels connect the transformer stations on separate feeders, so a fault on one line does not take down the whole plant.
Outdoor durability
Field boards use UV-resistant IP54 – IP55 enclosures with anti-condensation heaters.
Reactive power and grid compliance
The required power factor at the connection point is achieved by inverter control combined with auxiliary compensation.
Remote monitoring
Breaker status and energy metering are passed to SCADA, allowing unmanned supervision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the switchboard configuration for the 17 MW solar plant?
For a solar plant of this scale the installed power for auxiliary and site loads is approximately 2,500 kVA, with a typical transformer configuration of 2 × 1,250 kVA. The LV main busbars are typically planned at 2 × 1,600 A and 50 kA / 1 s, while the MV collection system runs at 10 kV on Dev24/36 switchgear.
Why use metal-enclosed MV switchgear in solar plants?
Compartmentalised, metal-enclosed modular panels improve operating and maintenance safety and are easy to extend station by station.
Why does a solar plant need a generator?
At night or during a grid outage, control, communications, CCTV and protection systems still need a reliable supply.
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