“The flexibility of the PCorr+ device is what makes it the perfect solution to the challenges faced by BEG.  As a portable device, PCorr+ allows leak teams to focus detection efforts in one area of the network and then quickly and efficiently switch to additional problem areas”
Jovan Mandaric, JUTILITEK Solutions

The Challenge

In the cold winter months, it is relatively easy for Balkan Energy Group (BEG) to locate large leaks within the heating system it maintains in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Average low temperatures of between 0^o and -4^o during the winter means that steam from the heated water escaping from the system often easily identifies a leak position.  Although easier to discover, large leaks in the heating system during the winter months can cause major problems and potentially risk residents going without heating, so identifying and fixing them is a priority.

While larger leaks can be easy to identify, the smaller leaks within the system are often masked and are much more difficult to find.  Pump noise interferes with the leak detection efforts, making hearing leaks with the human ear almost impossible.

In the summer months, specifically between April and October, the water is not heated and leaks are not easily distinguishable.  It is during these months that BEG's small leak and maintenance team is focussed on locating smaller leaks through frequent pipeline testing.

The Solution

With a large network to cover and a limited time in which to effectively run pipeline tests, BEG turned to JUTILITEK, the approved supplier of HWM products in North Macedonia for support, and JUTILITEK recommended PCorr+.

The key reason PCorr+ was chosen is that BEG were looking initially for a portable solution, rather than the fixed network telemetry offered by solutions such as PermaNET+.

A portable leak detection system allows BEG's leak team to cover more ground more quickly and efficiently.  The team is able to set up the PCorr+ devices overnight, monitor specific areas within their network and swiftly identify leak locations.

The solution also included equipping the leak team with other HWM products including MicroCorr Touch Pro and Xmic to help pinpoint the leak position and to minimise the impact on the 50,000 households that the heating system supports.

Once the leak has been identified, the PCorr+ devices can be easily extracted and moved to other areas within the network to continue looking for leaks.

Since using PCorr+, the Balkan Energy Group leak team has found a number of leaks and has dealt with them quickly, saving water and money for BEG.

As such, BEG are considering PermaNET+ as a fixed solution that will help them to identify leaks all year round.

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