GE T&D India starts operation in dedicated 765kv GIS line

Company said that the demand for the 765 kv GIS is growing

GE T&D India — the power transmission and distribution (T&D) system business bought by General Electric from Alstom — has on Wednesday announced that it has started operations in its dedicated 765kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) line at its high voltage transmission equipment manufacturing facility at Padappai in Chennai. The first 765kv GIS from the facility has been flagged off on Wednesday, which will be exported to Chilean electrical utility.

The company, in a press announcement, stated that the dedicated 765kV GIS line is equipped with the most modern assembly and testing facilities including a dedicated high voltage test transformer of 1000kV for carrying power frequency withstand test as part of factory acceptance test.

Since its inception in 2009, it has produced over 430 GIS bays — the highest number by any GIS manufacturer in the country.

Rathin Basu, managing director, GE T&D India said, "To cater to the growing demand for 765 kV GIS in India and to make India self-sufficient in this technology, a dedicated manufacturing line for 765 kV GIS products with advanced testing facilities has been established at our world-class facility in Chennai."

"We are extremely upbeat about the opportunities as well as the far-reaching benefits that the country will accrue with the roll out of this advanced technology in the T&D space," he said. However, the company officials did not divulge the investment behind the new line or the capacity added now.

The first localised 765kV GIS Breakers manufactured at the facility will be exported out to Nueva Cardones GIS substation at Chile. The order was awarded by Transmisora Electrica del Norte (GDF- Suez and Tractebel consortium) operated by Chilean Utilities to GE Energy Connections in France as a turnkey contract in 2015.

The GIS breakers has been designed, developed and manufactured at Chennai in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for GIS in GE Energy Connections, France.

GIS is gaining popularity as the preferred technology in India since it is compact, encapsulated and ideal for use in restricted areas. It is also suitable to be used in locations with severe weather conditions — high temperatures, altitudes, near the sea — and industrial environments — toxic areas or corrosive environments.