About

A group of researchers conducting investigation at the Institute of Energy Systems L.A. Melentyev SB RAS department, separated into a structural unit (design bureau VKK-7 consisting of 4 people) to be able to engage in their work and the development of devices for power engineers.

The SKB EP work began with the development of a “System for the thermal control of hydraulic units”. At that time, management faced a choice between several areas of enterprise development.

The earliest work result in the field of control of high-voltage equipment was the PKKHV-01 instrument. Prior to this device, most companies recorded data using a ruler, pencil, and paper, which badly affected the results. Therefore, the PKKHV-01 was a breakthrough in the diagnosis of high-voltage equipment.

Product development and realization of PKV/M1 - the first oil circuit breaker monitoring instrument.

Product development and realization of PKV/V1-18 (PKV/V1) and PKV/VB2-15 (PKV/VB2) air circuit breakers analyzers.

The first test models of instruments that were discontinued quickly enough to launch an improved model PKV/V3.

Product development and sale of PKV/V3 air high-voltage circuit breakers test analyzer.

This instrument has been on the market for 4 years and became the basis for the PKV/V3A instrument.

Product development and sale of the PKV/M4 the third oil high-voltage circuit breakers test analyzer model, which was in sale until the end of 2000.

A lot of instruments were made to implement this improved device model for monitoring air circuit breakers. Novelty allowed to launch release toon the market the PKV/V3A worthy instrument, which was in implementin the sale until 2005.

This year the official Service Center was established to provide after-sales services for the SKB EP products, as well as the Calibration Laboratory, which carried out all the work in cooperation with the East Siberian Branch of FSUE VNIIFTRI in the first instancein the first few days.

The same year was the start of the production and sale of two new models of PKV/M5N and PKV/M5A instruments, they caused a real “boom” in the instrumentation market and for 7 more years (until 2007) were popular among Users.

In the overhaul tests of most circuit breakers, in addition to monitoring the basic parameters of time, travelstroke and speed, one of the important points is to check the status of the circuit breaker contacts. Therefore, in order to cover a set of diagnostic work at the beginning of the 21th century the development of the first SKB EP micro ohmmeter - MIKO-1 began.

This instrument is one of the long-lived of our company in terms of implementation, because to this day it is one of the most popular micro ohmmeters in the Russian market and CIS countries.

The instrumentdevice fully meets all requirements of the Users and keeping with the asserted. It is easy to use, has the measurement range 1 μΩ ÷ 0.02 Ω and current up to 50A.

The updating time for the fleet of high-voltage circuit breakers began. Which means that production types became more and more, and it was no longer enough for Uusers to work only with specialized devices for monitoring air and/or oil circuit breakers. Therefore, research and development from the middle of 2002 began  to produce a universal instrumentdevice for different types of high voltage circuit breakers control.

The first modifications of universal instrumentsdevices were PKV/U1 and PKV/U2, which entered the market in 2003.

The fourth model (modification) of PKV/M6N instrument for monitoring oil circuit breakers appeared. It, which is still relevant and is being sold on the Russian Federation and the CIS countries markets. During its implementation the instrument received a lot of positive reviews from many companies.

In parallel with PKV/M6N, the PUV-10 remote control for high-voltage DC and AC circuit breaker drives entered the market, which became additional recommended equipment for this instrumentdevice for setting complex operations and simple cycles.

This year the company began to develop a universal instrument for measuring electrical resistance in various types of electrical equipment. Work began on the MIKO-2 instrument, which was the first step toward creating the MIKO-2.2 and MIKO-2.3 devices.

After the development and production of PUV-10 with a current of 10A, almost immediately, work begins on the R&D of another external switching instrument PUV-50 with a current of 50A for testing circuit breakers with a DC drive.

After the first attempts to create universal instruments for monitoring circuit breakers (PKV/U1 and PKV/U2 in 2002), the company's developers did not stop at modernization and began work on the development of PKV/U3.1 and PKV/U3.0 instruments (phase 1 control) .

In the same year work began on the first instrument for monitoring circuit breakers in an ergonomic case - PKV/M7.

The development and testing of universal software for PCs which help in work with databases of PKV/M5, PKV/M7, PKV/U2, PKV/U3 instruments has been completed.

At the exhibition "Electrical Networks of Russia 2006" in Moscow, the company was awarded with a diploma «for the development and implementation of devices for diagnosing the HV circuit breakers state».

In the same year a training course "Modern methods and means of monitoring the technical condition of high-voltage circuit breakers" was developed for higher educational institutions and training centers.

In autumn the company celebrated its 15th anniversary.

This year, development of the specialized PKR-1 instrument (discontinued in 2013), work began. Device was recording the circular diagramscarry out the pie diagrams of on-load tap-changers (reactor and high-speed), as well as oscillogram window of the contactors work, without difficulty and with minimal time.

The third instrument from the line of additional devices for switching the PUV controller has entered the market. It is intended for testing circuit breakers under reduced voltage in complex cycles and simple operations with determining the value of the minimum operating voltage. And also, there was a universal MIKO-2.2 instrument, which made it possible to measure contacttransient resistance at a current of up to 700 A

The first professional workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

Sales of the upgraded version of the universal instrument МИКО-2.3 was launched. This device was for measuring electrical resistance in various types of electrical equipment. The instrument is still one of the most popular models among SKB EP devices. For contrast, the closest worldwide competitor ohmmeter has weight of 7.5kg and can produce max current only up to 500 A, while MIKO-2.3 with a mass of only 2.7 kg gives a current of up to 1000 A.

The first cooperation agreement between SKB EP and the Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) was signed for the inclusion of lecture material on devices in their educational program.

The second annual training workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

This year was rich in upgrading and improving the functionality of devices and components:

• a 4-pole cable modification was made for the universal PKV/U3 control instrument (each pole began to have its own specific color, the cables stopped tangling, became more compact and convenient to use);

• upgrade of the PKV/M7 the control instrument for high-voltage equipment was completed (data transfer to USB-flash, support for templates was added, the mode of conducting life tests, and many others was added);

• the development work on the attachment kits for the DP21 angular transducer installation displacement sensor on foreign high-voltage circuit breakers, such as Siemens, ABB, Areva, etc., was completed.
  

Registration of SKB EP trademark, the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property, Patents and Trademarks.

At the request of Soyuz High-Voltage Equipment Plant CJSC, a significant modernization of the PKV/U3.0 instrument was made - the number of movement transducersdisplacement sensors channels was increased to three in June.

SKB EP won a grant from the Irkutsk Region Government in innovative projects competition in December. With the subsidy funds the MIKO-7 milliohmmeter, the first instrument in the SKB EP equipment line for measuring active resistance at a current of 10A, was developed and produced.

The III annual training workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

The company won the government grant among small innovative enterprises in the Irkutsk region for the modernization of the production line under the project “New OLTC control instrument PKR-2”.

The PKV/M7 instrument received the "Scientific Instrument of the Year 2011" award at the International Exhibition "SIMEXPO - Scientific Instrument Making - 2011".

During the 14th International Specialized Exhibition "Electric Networks of Russia - 2011" JSC IDGC Holding handed SKB EP the diploma in the "Technical Excellence" nomination.

SKB EP celebrated its 20th anniversary in October, and in November, it presented a new instrument - the MIKO-7 -milliohmmeter (I = 10A, R range10 μΩ ÷ 1 kΩ). In parallel with the output of the MIKO-7 milliohmmeter, work began on the development of the MIKO-8 milli ohmmeter with DRM mode.

The IV annual training workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkuts.

On April 20^th the V annual three-day-training workshop was completed in Irkutsk. Official opening of the new branch in Technopark of Novosibirsk Academgorodok.

The company won the contest "The Best Enterprise of Irkutsk" in the nomination "Patriarch" for many years of successful activity, and also became a grand winner of the R&D of new innovative device - the high-precision micro ohmmeter  MIKO-21.

Sales of the MIKO-8 milliohmmeter with the optional non-demountableon-board diagnostics of on-load tap-changer devices (DRM method) were launched.

The launch of the updated RPN PKR-2 device monitoring instrument for diagnostic of OLTCs also started.

The R&D for new OLTC analyzer PKR-2M were began.

The VI annual three-day-workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

The company was awarded the Golden Prometheus and became the winner in the "Best Innovative Company" nomination in the Irkutsk Region.

This year PKV/M6N appeared on the market in a lightweight configuration (without measuring transducerssensors included), as in accordance with many instructions of manufacturers during operation of vacuum and gas-insulated circuit breakers, it is only necessary to control the timeemporal characteristics. Moreover, for individual brands the speed of moving contacts can be normalized indirectly by the passage time of the control section of the course.

In addition, this year a DP32.1 new model of the measuring variable-resistive resistance transducersensor was developed for vacuum circuit breakers of the WWE-M-10-20/630 type.

The first cycle of free online webinars has been launched. It provided answers to key questions in the diagnosis and control of high voltage circuit breakers and transformers.

The VII annual three-day-workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

The equipment of SKB EP was introduced:

• in the specialized Register of domestic producers purchased by authorities, state enterprises, and institutions;

• in the Register of innovative products, technologies and services, which are recommended for use in the Russian Federation. The information contained in the Register is recommended to be used in the procurement of goods, works, services within the framework of 94-FL and 223-FL.

The first approval was obtained from Russian Railways for the use of the MIKO-1 microohmmeter in accordance with STO RZD 1.07.003 - 2008 (Standard of Russian Railways).

At the end of June, the start was given to the production of a new OLTC tester PKR-2M, which inherited the advantages of its predecessor (PKR-2), and also acquired new additional features.

The VIII annual three-day-workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

The calibration laboratory was registered in the Russian calibration system of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise VNIIMS with the assignment of the code of the DAE calibration mark.

A certified admission for the use of SKB EP measuring instruments was obtained at the facilities of the JSC Russian Railways power supply facilities, and most of the instruments were included in the Register of Innovative Solutions of PJSC Rosseti.

In the summer, representatives of SKB EP took part in the inter-regional and final world skills competitions PJSC Rosseti, as observers and judges in order to give the independent evaluation for participants competencies in the diagnosis of high-voltage equipment using SKB EP test devices.

A new MIKO-10 microohmmeter which is designed for rapid measurement of electrical resistance to direct current is launched on the market.

The IX annual three-day-workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

The 25^th anniversary of SKB EP establishment.

The calibration Laboratory was renamed to Metrological. It served as the beginning of an updated laboratory creation to ensure the uniformity of the company's measurements, in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation.

SKB EP representatives took part in the inter-regional and final competitions of personnel for HV equipment at FS FSK UES substation. We were judges and evaluate competing teams’ ability to correctly diagnose high-voltage circuit breakers state by using SKB EP instruments.

The SKB EP devices were first presented in Vietnam (Hanoi) at the Vietnam International Industrial Fair (VIIF 2017) and EXPO-RUSSIA VIETNAM.

The XI annual three-day-workshop was hold on the manufacturer basis in Irkutsk.

The New Year was the start for MIKO-9A - the new multifunction milliohmmetr, which has no competitors in the Russian and CIS countries markets.

MIKO-21 the most accurate microohmmeter in the Russian market has passed certification (CE mark), which confirms compliance with the basic European requirements of the EU/EU Directives (2014/35/EU Low-voltage equipment and 2014/30/EU Electromagnetic compatibility).

The company first presented equipment at "Middle East Electricity-2018" exhibition in Dubai, UAE.

SKB EP won the "Best Small Innovative Enterprise" in Golden Mercury Prize, and was awarded the 1st degree diploma "Energopartner MOESK-2018" in the "Supplier of the Year" nomination.

The XII annual three-day workshop on the basis of the manufacturer ended in Irkutsk.

The company started exporting to foreign countries and hosted the first equipment presentations in Thailand, Ecuador and Indonesia.

The MIKO-7M(A), MIKO-8M(A) and MIKO-9(A) multifunctional milliohmmeters and the MIKO-10 microohmmeter passed certification (CE mark), which confirms compliance with the basic European requirements of the EU/EU Directives (2014/35/EU Low voltage equipment and 2014/30/EU Electromagnetic compatibility).

New adapters were developed for installing the DP21 transducer from the PKCV group of instrumentsdevices. It helped the work with the Schneider Electric Evolis and Susol VL-06 high-voltage circuit-breakers.

This year was the beginning of the renewal and rebranding of the company - "New Year, a new corporate identity, and a new company website".

The growing market of e-commerce required a special approach in organizing the acceptance of fast electronic payments, therefore, for the convenience of online shopping, we developed a special resource for MIKO-10 micro-ohmmeter.

In 2020, the pandemic situation made a huge impact on the usual way of life. Therefore, we switched over to online mode of our educational trainings. Throughout a year we carried out more than 30 webinars that covered all the fields of our clients’ work.

In 2020 SKB EP entered the market of Australia, Canada, Pakistan, China, Morocco and Nigeria.

This year SKB EP started cooperation with Huaming Russia in order to carry out a project on field OLTC diagnostics with the use of specialized PKR-2 и PKR-2М devices.

This year SKP EP turns 30 years old! In order to celebrate this occasion, we have planned several contests for our clients with valuable prizes.

In 2021 we started the development of a new circuit breaker analyzer PKV/M15.

SKB EP keeps working on cooperation development with the companies all over the world. Currently, we supply products and cooperate with specialists from more than 33 countries around the world.

This year had become a push for implementation of new projects, searching alternative solutions and it gave us a strong feeling that modern realities require constant development. So 2022 had made it possible to achieve a lot:

• We created our own mobile app for working with measurement results of milli-ohmmeters MIKO-9A, MIKO-8M(A) and MIKO-7M(A). Adaptation to all languages for our partners from all over the world is ahead.
• We hosted guests – our partners from Morocco, and also have raised the prospects of geography sales expansion by participation in business missions to Iran, Turkey and Egypt.
• The first practical laboratory work based on the training program developed by SKB EP specialists was performed. It was carried out with 4th year students of the Department of "Power Plants, Networks and Systems" on the diagnostic of the SF6 high-voltage circuit breaker VGT-110 (ZETO) using SKB EP’s instruments. Now these studying trainings are regular!
• For the first time we took part in some Russian exhibitions: International Trade Fair for Mining Technology "Ugol Rossii and Mining – 2022", The St. Petersburg International Gas Forum (SPIGF – 2022), the Russian Energy Forum (REF - 2022), the International Forum-Exhibition Russian Industrialist.
• With our official dealer and partner we organized the largest in the number of participants webinar – a total 302 people were registered. 

This year was an impetus for the realization of new projects. The company has achieved a lot despite all the difficulties!

We took part in 7 exhibitions and business missions in Thailand, Morocco, China, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Belarus. SKB EP official partners of in the Asian market have achieved considerable success – large deliveries of MIKO-10 micro-ohmmeters to China and Thailand have been made.

Engineers of SKB EP were actively developing new instruments and improving the current ones:

• developed and successfully tested a new device for SF6 circuit breakers, which we will announce soon;
• started development and "packaging" of a new milli-ohmmeter with extended technical parameters;
• revised the functionality and defined the design of a new device for monitoring and diagnostics of high-voltage circuit breakers.

We have also expanded our presence on the Web, actively maintaining pages on LinkedIn, and developing an international channel on YouTube.