E.ON selects latest generation of Saft nickel battery for reliability, availability and maintenance cost savings

Saft Uptimax nickel battery solutions are installed in a pilot project as a Plug and Play replacement for lead-acid batteries
E.ON will benefit from long, reliable life and low operating cost of Uptimax nickel batteries

Paris, September 24^th 2019 – E.ON has upgraded the backup power batteries at one of its distribution substations in the north west of Hungary in a pilot project, by switching from lead-acid to Saft’s nickel-based batteries. The objective is to show how the latest Saft technology can be installed as a direct Plug and Play replacement for time-served lead-acid batteries. The site is one of the first to benefit from Saft’s latest Uptimax maintenance-free nickel battery, which was launched end 2018.

The Uptimax is a new breed of nickel battery that can charge fully at a single rather than dual voltage level. As a result, E.ON will be able to upgrade the batteries while retaining the existing charger.

Saft Uptimax nickel battery technology offers long-term value over the lifetime of an installation. It provides a long operational life, high availability and reliability. Unlike lead-acid, Uptimax nickel batteries do not experience sudden death or need any maintenance. In addition, they can accept fast charging for a rapid return to service after a power outage, reducing risk as well as backup requirements.

Previous models of nickel batteries required a higher charge voltage, which called for the replacement of the existing battery chargers or an upgrade to adjust the charge voltage. However, these are not required for the latest generation of Uptimax, easing the installation and decreasing the overall cost of DC systems.

By installing the latest Saft Uptimax nickel batteries, E.ON will benefit from long-term reliability, maintenance-free operation and rapid return to service – all without replacing or upgrading its battery charger. We believe that this is the first of many successes for the new Uptimax.

Roland Knobloch Saft’s Sales Manager for Central Europe

Saft is supplying two nickel battery systems, each made up of 170 Uptimax 195 Ah cells and manufactured at Saft’s factory in Oskarshamn, Sweden, through Statron Hungary, the integrator for industrial power supplies. The two firms formed a partnership in 2017 to identify potential sites to replace existing lead-acid batteries in Hungary’s 120 kV distribution grid.

Substations require battery backup power systems to operate switchgear, as well as monitoring and control systems, in the case of an outage. The batteries provide the power to reconfigure the network and clear faults so that operators can carry out network repairs safely.

About Saft

Saft specializes in advanced technology battery solutions for industry, from the design and development to the production, customization and service provision. For 100 years, Saft’s longer-lasting batteries and systems have provided critical safety applications, back-up power and propulsion for our customers. Our innovative, safe and reliable technology delivers high performance on land, at sea, in the air and in space. Saft is powering industry and smarter cities, while providing critical back-up functionality in remote and harsh environments from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. Saft is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Total, a leading international oil and gas company and a major player in low-carbon energies.

We energize the world. www.saftbatteries.com

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Press Contacts

Saft

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Tel.: +33 1 58 63 16 60, e-mail: karen.hollington@saftbatteries.com

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Tel.: +33 1 58 63 16 73 , e-mail: dominique.lebaron@saftbatteries.com

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