A study of the transmission of electric energy through distribution electric networks of various classes of rated voltage, which are on the balance sheet of the branch of PJSC ROSSETI Volga – Chuvashenergo, has been carried out. A brief structural description of the company, its composition, as well as the characteristic features of electricity consumption are given. Based on the source information available in the public domain, an analytical assessment of emergencies arising in the company's electrical networks, as well as the consequences of these failures for the period 2018 – 2024, was carried
out. A quantitative description of emergency shutdowns is given and, in accordance with the proposed classification, the intensity of emergency shutdowns is considered. An analysis of the main causes of failures has been performed, as a result of which it has been established that more than 90 % of all outages occur due to non-compliance with maintenance regulations, which leads to mechanical damage to equipment, as well as the effects of repeated natural phenomena. Visualization of the obtained research results is presented in the form of diagrams using the MATLAB graphics editor. Based on the findings, recommendations have been formulated for the company's management to improve the reliability of power transmission. The obtained research results may be of interest to the management of Chuvashenergo, other electric grid companies, as well as engineering and scientific workers investigating the reliability of power transmission.

   Possible approaches to determining the prospects for the development of the retail electricity market based on organizational and technological platforms and intersectoral balances compiled using the input-output method are outlined. Based on the conducted analysis of the main components of the electricity and heat markets, the necessity of revising the organization of these markets with the priority of a regional component based on effective historically established cogeneration is substantiated. An approach to the formation of socially oriented retail tariffs based on social standards is presented. The necessity of setting prices/tariffs ensuring fair profit within the framework of resolving the dilemma of regulating natural monopolies is substantiated and presented. The scheme of a possible model of a domestic electricity market based on the organizational platform of a competitive regional market is presented. Organizational proposals for the formation of an organizational platform are formulated and the sources of its financing are identified. The mechanisms of its functioning and development are determined through the subscription fees of retail market participants and the connection of new consumers of electric and thermal energy within investment projects. The main stakeholders of retail markets are presented, their roles and areas of responsibility in the field of cost-effective and uninterrupted supply of electric and thermal energy to consumers are defined. The main approaches to creating a digital technology-based billing system are outlined. The analysis of forecasting and planning systems for the development of the Russian electric power industry is given. The multiplicative effect of the influence of the electric power industry on the development of branches of the real sector of the economy is presented. Based on the input-output method, approaches to determining the technological and spatial directions based on the regional markets of heat and electricity are formulated.

   Shell-and-tube heat exchangers remain key elements in various industries due to their reliability and versatility. However, their operation is associated with problems such as hydraulic shocks caused by condensate accumulation in the intertube space. The article considers unstable operation of a heat exchanger designed for a chemical plant according to an individual project, which provides for a horizontal arrangement of the device due to technical requirements. The option proposed by the supplier is based on a classic horizontal heat exchanger with a floating head according to the design of AO «VNIINefteMash». The design of transverse partitions with horizontal cutouts leads to condensate accumulation and hydraulic shocks.

   The novelty of the proposed solution lies in changing the orientation of the cutouts in the partitions from horizontal to vertical, which ensures natural condensate drainage and eliminates the cause of hydraulic shocks.

   Modeling in KOMPAS-Flow software confirmed the reliability of the device: the absence of stagnant zones in the modernized design, and calculations in HTRI X-Changer Suite confirmed its energy efficiency and performance.

   The relevance of the solution is due to the prevalence of horizontal shell-and-tube devices operating with steam-water mixtures.

   The proposed approach can be adapted for similar devices, which will increase their reliability, reduce vibration loads and extend the service life. The research results confirm the effectiveness of the synergy of design and hydrodynamic optimization methods, which corresponds to modern trends in the design of heat exchange equipment. In the future, it is planned to test the modernized design in production and extend the solution to other types of heat exchangers, which will help improve the safety and efficiency of industrial processes.

   Currently, in the structure of covering the daily maximum electricity consumption of the republic, the share of generation from two nuclear power units can reach about 45 %. The regulation range of thermal power plants is almost fully utilized and is insufficient to balance the energy system; there is an excess of generation over consumption. To eliminate the imbalance during nighttime and to implement measures for disconnecting generating equipment depending on the magnitude of this imbalance, it is necessary to analyze various options and combinations of equipment to be taken offline as reserve at power plants. In the context of the investment crisis and sanctions, which prevent the full replacement and modernization of power plant equipment approaching the end of its operational life, the problem of ensuring the reliability and cost-effectiveness of thermal power equipment becomes especially urgent. Аn approach is proposed to solve the problem of optimizing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of power systems operating in maneuvering modes, using the equipment of state district power plants as an example. A generalized function has been derived, incorporating several parameters to select a rational balance and mutual influence between the reliability and efficiency of electricity generation, with the participation of thermal power plant equipment in regulating the daily load profile. The proposed methodology is an effective tool for assessing the suitability of equipment for operation under specified modes. The mathematical model allows for consideration of multiple factors, making the analysis more accurate and well-founded, thereby ensuring the selection of optimal solutions to improve the efficiency of equipment operation under various conditions.

   The results are presented of a study of the possibility of using neural network (NNT) technologies to analyze the energy efficiency of power plants through the development of an NS model of a steam turbine installation (ST) of a VVER-1000/320 design NPP. The development of such models is quite a challenge, since it involves solving many tasks: determining the target functions — the parametrs that the NNT model will determine; searching for input parameters and extracting a variable part from them using various statistical analysis methods; choosing the type of NNT model experimentally; developing the NNT as such and the software package based on it, which would be accessible and understandable to the personnel of the power plant. During the study, all the presented measures were carried out, and a software package was developed to determine the values of the target functions, namely, specific heat consumption (SHC), specific steam consumption (SSC), electrical efficiency and the instantaneous value of the specific consumption of conventional fuel (SCCF), based on eighty-two input parameters, of which two are determined as variable ones. At the same time, the accuracy in validating the NNT model on a sample that did not participate in the NNT training is 99.5 %. Therefore, the developed NNT model makes it possible to determine the necessary indicators with high accuracy, with the time spent on calculating the same being within 0.5 s. This confirms the possibility of using NNT models to evaluate the energy efficiency of power plants according to the algorithm presented in the study, and opens up prospects for optimizing the operating mode of power plant equipment using similar NNT models. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the software package, technically sound standards for the relevant target functions have been developed on its basis, which can be recommended for use in analyzing the energy efficiency of the ST under consideration.

   The article addresses the challenges of improving methods for studying large-scale multi-component cleaning devices. The considered method can be used for the numerical investigation of two-phase flows in structurally complex devices such as air cleaning systems used in gas transportation, energy, and industrial sectors, with the aim of designing and/or enhancing devices to improve the reliability of compressor and gas turbine units (GTUs). In particular, GTUs are widely employed as drives at compressor stations within gas transportation systems. The potential for reducing their material intensity through the use of modules with cyclone-filter elements featuring combined stages of coarse and fine cleaning is examined. Numerical studies of two-phase flow motion within a module were conducted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. The module geometry, resembling the arrangement of cleaning elements in battery cyclones, was chosen as the initial model. Based on the aerodynamic flow study results within the module, the coordinates for the element arrangement were determined to facilitate maximum entry of the two-phase flow into the elements. Consequently, a scheme for the localization of semi-volute inlets into the elements was developed. The aerodynamic characteristics of the dispersed flow obtained through numerical studies were validated using a full-scale model of the "cyclone-filter" element with a housing diameter of 100 mm. As a result of both numerical and full-scale investigations, a concept for an air cleaning device was developed suitable for both large and small enterprises, as well as for scenarios involving extreme air conditions in populated areas due to natural or anthropogenic incidents. A method for a combined numerical study of structurally complex devices was established to optimize the arrangement of their elements with a computational resource expenditure acceptable for small computing centers.

   The article analyzes current trends in the automation of engineering systems in thermal power engineering. It explores the methodological foundations for enhancing the efficiency of energy production through the adoption of innovative energy management technologies. The necessity of integrating traditional and alternative energy sources to improve the competitiveness of energy technology complexes is emphasized, alongside the urgent need to modernize outdated equipment amid limited investments, rising costs, and inflationary pressures. The study substantiates the application of remote monitoring systems such as SCADA and ADMS, as well as intelligent energy resource distribution technologies. Special attention is given to the use of artificial intelligence methods, neural network algorithms, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize energy consumption and minimize thermal losses. The proposed concept of decentralized energy envisions comprehensive regulation of processes within heating systems, thereby enhancing the energy, environmental, and economic performance of facilities. The results demonstrate the practical applicability of the developed methodologies and highlight the need for further research in automating thermal power complexes. The findings provide a foundation for recommendations on modernizing energy resource management systems in response to current economic and technical challenges. The outcomes indicate the feasibility of systematic implementation of automated solutions to improve the reliability and resilience of power installations. Adoption of these methodologies will reduce operational costs, optimize energy distribution, and ensure compliance with contemporary safety and environmental standards. Further research in this domain will contribute to advancing automation technologies, fostering the development of thermal power engineering, and securing the stability of energy systems in practice.

   Violation of the integrity of the rotor bars in the squirrel-cage winding of an asynchronous electric motor is currently the most common rotor defect occurring during motor operation. Running an asynchronous electric motor with such damage can lead to complete failure, as operation with damaged rotor bars may cause them to contact the stator windings. It is noted that during operation, such faults can be identified using spectral analysis methods. However, applying these methods faces challenges in processing the results and detecting broken rotor bars, since any changes in the electrical and mechanical parameters of an asynchronous electric motor introduce modulations in the stator current spectrum. A criterion for detecting broken bars in the squirrel-cage rotor winding of an asynchronous electric motor is proposed, based on the measured instantaneous values of the stator phase currents represented in vector form. The proposed fault detection criterion not only identifies breaks in a group of bars, but also detects damage to a single bar, making the method sensitive enough to diagnose rotor faults without decommissioning the motor. The effectiveness of the proposed criterion for determining broken bars in the squirrel-cage rotor winding is confirmed through mathematical modeling.