A UK manufacturer's view-new switchgear and aftermarket options

Commercial pressures are increasing on electric utility organisations to maximise their plant utilisation, improve network performance and reduce their plant lifetime costs. All this is happening at a time when the average age of switchgear on many network is quite high, (35 to 40 years) and is increasing. Also of significance is the fact that, in many organisations, the available experienced resource to operate and maintain the network and manage the asset replacement is becoming depleted. This paper reviews some of the recent advances made in the design and performance of transmission and distribution switchgear together with an outline of some of the current developments which are likely to influence the switchgear purchaser and operator in the future. Examples are given of design tools which have been applied to recently developed products which have delivered high integrity, high performance equipment with significantly reduced development time-scales. It continues with a view of the aftermarket and the developing relationship between the manufacture and the owner or operator of the asset. It covers the three R's of asset replacement-the options of replace with new, refurbish and retrofit explaining the options of retrofit and refurbishment, highlighting the factors and considerations involved in the decision to retrofit, refurbish or replace with new. The paper concludes with practical examples of the design and implementation of retrofit of switchgear and protection in HV and LV networks for the ESI and industrial sectors.