With Ukraine’s power industry under threat, a data center in the industrial heartlands has moved to secure its electricity feed.

Parkovaya Data Centre in central Ukraine has bolstered the security of its power supply, by signing a deal with Ukraine-based UPS dealer Madek. The power management dealer has supplied a standby power solution consisting of two F G Wilson P1375E3 and four P1700P1 generator sets to the data center operator.

High risk power supply

According to a report by analyst The Differ Group, Ukraine’s electricity system is at high risk. While electricity demand is expected to double by 2030, outdated thermal production facilities and higher fuel costs make the Ukrainian electricity system vulnerable.

The investors needed, meanwhile, are being put off by corruption, powerful oligarchs and political instability. With Ukraine’s generation facilities only running at 38 per cent capacity (as a result of old, inefficient plants and poor transmission lines) a power management regime is vital to the survival of any data center in the region, according to Madek, which has supplied a backup power station with a total capacity of 9550 kVA.

Six synchronised generation sets were fitted in the data centre’s engine room, in order to provide power in the increasing likelihood of a mains failure. Four P1700P1 units will provide emergency power for the data centre while the two P1375E3 units will supply power for common data centre infrastructure.

The unique circumstances of the facility meant that Madek engineers had to develop all the technical solutions for the Parkovaya Data Centre themselves, according to Dmitry Gladkyi, commercial director at Madek. These included the design and installation of the automatic refueling system and of the fuel storage tanks. The tanks have to provide enough fuel – 40,000 litres of diesel – to provide 24-hour, non-stop power generation.

‘The design and installation of the fire extinguishing system was an important element of our work,’ said Gladkyi.