Securing power stability with cutting-edge switchgear and storage systems

Innovations in storage systems for the electricity sector are a crucial step towards decreasing the stress on the power distribution system, eliminating the peak demands to a significant amount, and minimising T&D losses, says Ripunjay Parikh, Director of Sales for Power Distribution at Eaton India.
How is switchgear innovating with the increasing demand for constant power supply?
As the economy expands and the cities grow, there is a need for the uninterrupted availability of power. Utilities are upgrading their distribution infrastructure from overhead lines to underground cable networks and creating a ring-based power feed for the customers. This ensures the availability of power even during abnormal conditions. It naturally requires innovative, compact switchgear that can handle higher loads and fault levels.
What we currently refer to as “electrical switchgear” is the suitable and appropriate technology to maintain and monitor our electrical networks with the least amount of downtime and the quickest and most reliable protections.
The new generation ring main units, while being compact, can handle larger currents up to 1250 A and 25 KA fault levels. These ring units include smart meters and automation to send data online over status and power quality to the central monitoring system, ensuring the power is always available.
Further, the switchgear must comply with the latest IEC standards, incorporate all modern safety interlocks, and meet the internal arc norms. This will make the system reliable, reducing the possibility of outages to a large extent.
Switchgears play a pivotal role in power distribution planning. Through proper scheme planning, we can save significant power by reducing overall electrical assets and eventually power loss in conductors while also ensuring reliability. Experts at Eaton work around the best possible switchgear design to ensure uptime and efficiency in utilities, industries, data centres, and infrastructure.

How is the Indian switchgear industry faring in the global energy market?
The Earth’s population is expected to reach more than nine billion by 2050, with an excess of 1.6 billion people in India. Future cities will require smart grids to efficiently manage power distribution, which is becoming increasingly dynamic with the advancements of decentralised energy and smart and sustainable devices. With the growing awareness of environmental concerns, there is a demand for sustainable switchgear that could eliminate the use of hazardous SF6 gas. SF6 is now well known for posing a significant risk to human health and the environment based upon possible operating conditions (extreme heat), possible leakage, and the inappropriate disposal of the equipment at the end of its life cycle. Unfortunately, gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) with SF6 is still used worldwide. SF6 is one of the hazardous greenhouse gases recognised by various authorities on climate change. The device material must also be free from other hazardous chemicals and ROHS compliant.
The Indian switchgear industry is expected to grow steadily at an average rate of 7 percent to 8 percent over the next five years. This will be fuelled by the increasing demand from Indian customers and the government’s power distribution reforms. Further, there is a growing acceptance of Indian-manufactured quality in global markets, and the global industry is looking to India to provide low-cost, high-quality, world-class switchgear.
Eaton is committed to sustainability with a vision to improve the quality of life and the environment using innovative power management technologies and services. We endeavour to make our factories and facilities zero-waste and zero-landfill. All our products are RoHS-compliant. Regarding our products, we are bringing a lot of innovation to reduce the environmental impact.

What are the advantages of advanced switchgear that maintains voltage fluctuation and power supply performance?
The industry requires a high-quality, stable power supply to function. Furthermore, power quality in grids and substations should be meticulously maintained. The quality of loads will influence the overall quality of power, and they have the potential to generate harmonics in the system, which can result in power losses as well as fluctuations in the system voltages.
Another important aspect of the MV and high-voltage devices in the substation is the health of the insulation systems, which can result in unwanted breakdowns. Eaton offers a proven solution with a Partial Discharge Monitoring System (insulgard), which can provide continuous online monitoring of the insulation health of critical devices like transformers, generators, and insulators, which ensures that the system is always up and avoids leakages.
A key development for medium-voltage switchgear used in the distribution system is the need for SF6-free technology. While SF6 is a proven insulating medium, it is known to cause severe environmental damage if released into the atmosphere. Eaton offers unique, solid-insulated switchgear (SIS), XIRIA, which is SF6-free. Their patented solid insulation technology also offers a highly compact footprint. It ensures environment-friendly, maintenance-free, and safe MV switchgear. XIRIA is available now in 24Kv up to 1250A and 25KA-3 sec (12KV) and has more than 100,000 units already installed across the globe.
What are maintenance procedures in place to improve the safety and reliability of switchgear?
The new generation of switchgear is highly reliable, offers minimal maintenance, and has a very high uptime. The implementation of adequate safety measures for the processes should follow the operating guidelines prescribed by the manufacturers. The new generation of switchgear comes with intelligent protection relays and communication devices that can offer advanced diagnostics and alarms that can provide warnings in abnormal conditions. Other practices include maintaining a dust-free, clean environment in the substation areas and training by OEMs for the operators on efficient management of the switchgear.
Due to its transition from outdated methodologies to state-of-the-art communicable and automated switchgear, India needs more skills in the electrical field, especially switchgear. The skills are in high demand. Training and opening more certification courses for switchgear operation and maintenance across our utilities and industries would help in the long term.

What policy changes and financial allocations do you expect in the union budget for 2023?
The government recognises the importance of having reliable, uninterrupted power as a critical component in driving industrial growth and improving citizens’ quality of life. There are various initiatives already being implemented or contemplated in this regard.
The first major initiative is upgrading the power distribution network in smart and Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. The need to have high-efficiency transformers and create an underground cable distribution network using smart, intelligent switchgear.
Secondly, the faster implementation of policies related to the deployment of electric vehicles will accelerate this, so we need to create a wide charging infrastructure network. Eaton is well-positioned to provide a one-stop shop solution, starting with compact medium-voltage switchgear substations, low-voltage distribution switchgear, and world-class EV chargers, both AC (up to 22 KW) and DC (from 30 to 360 KW). It must ensure that the switchgear and chargers are well coordinated. It should also maintain the highest level of safety for the user and the vehicle.
Lastly, the most recent trend in ensuring stable power availability is to balance the supply through smart energy storage systems. This system will store power during low demand and high generation times and feed it to users during peak demand. It is a critical step towards reducing the stress on the power distribution system, eliminating peak demands to a great extent and reducing T&D losses. The government is already actively contemplating encouraging utilities to implement energy storage systems.
For more details visit: https://www.eaton.com/in/en-us.html