Fri, 02/01/2013 - 02:00

ERLANGEN, Germany (Feb. 1, 2013) – Hudbay S.A.C Peru, a subsidiary of Canadian Hudbay Minerals, has ordered technical equipment from Siemens for the power supply and integrated automation at its Constancia copper mine in Peru. The order also includes preassembled power distribution units (E-houses), fully equipped transformer substations with high voltage and medium voltage switchgear, diesel generators, capacitor banks and transformers

Constancia copper mine in Peru is situated in the Andes at an altitude of 4,300 meters, about 100 kilometers south of the city of Cusco. The mine is owned and managed by the Canadian company Hudbay Minerals, which is headquartered in Toronto. The company was founded in 1927 and specializes in the mining of copper, zinc, gold and silver. In Peru, Hudbay is installing new plant and infrastructure equipment for cost-efficient exploitation of the mine. Excavation of copper ore is due to start in 2014.

Siemens is to provide a complete solution (E-EPC) for the medium and low voltage power supply at Constancia copper mine including twelve E-houses. E-houses are equipped with a customized power distribution system at medium and low voltage level, and are assembled complete in individual modules and pretested prior to transport to the installation point. Thanks to their high degree of prefabrication, they can then be erected and put into operation within a short time with no risk of deadline overrun. The delivery package also includes two office containers as well as a permanently installed transformer house with medium voltage switchgear, three diesel generator sets, and six capacitor banks systems with the accompanying distribution transformers. Siemens will also deliver and install a complete high voltage transformer substation for connecting the mine to the grid. The order for Siemens included also the medium and low voltage drives and automation system.

For Hudbay, the key factors behind its decision were Siemens’ many years of experience from similar projects in Peru, project support, delivery of all products and services from a single source, and the knowledge of the trade.

The Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector (Munich, Germany), with approximately 90,000 employees, focuses on sustainable technologies for metropolitan areas and their infrastructures. Its offering includes products, systems and solutions for intelligent traffic management, rail-bound transportation, smart grids, energy efficient buildings, and safety and security. The Sector comprises the divisions Building Technologies, Low and Medium Voltage, Mobility and Logistics, Rail Systems and Smart Grid.

The Siemens Low and Medium Voltage Division (Erlangen, Germany) serves the entire product, system and solutions business for reliable power distribution and supply at the low- and medium-voltage levels. The Division’s portfolio includes switchgear and busbar trunking systems, power supply solutions, distribution boards, protection, switching, measuring and monitoring devices as well as energy storage systems for the integration of renewable energy into the grid. The systems are supplemented by communications-enabled software tools that can link power distribution systems to building or industry automation systems. Low and Medium Voltage ensures the efficient supply of power for power grids, infrastructure, buildings, and industry.