• A dedicated line for 765kV GIS has been established at the Chennai facility to cater to the growing demand of 765kV GIS in India
• In line with the ‘Make in India’ vision of the government, localised 765 kV GIS will be manufactured from GE’s state-of-the-art facility at Padappai in Chennai
• GE has the largest GIS bays reference in India; out of 755 GIS bays commissioned till date, 308 bays have been manufactured at the Chennai facility
Chennai, October 5, 2016: GE (NYSE: GE) today achieved yet another milestone in its ‘Make in India’ journey, with the commencement of dedicated 765kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) manufacturing line at its high voltage transmission equipment manufacturing facility at Padappai in Chennai.
The dedicated 765kV GIS line is equipped with the most modern assembly and testing facilities including a dedicated HV test transformer of 1000kV for carrying Power Frequency Withstand test as part of Factory acceptance test (FAT). The GIS manufacturing facility at Chennai also doubles up as the Competence Centre for 765 kV GIS. 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 Limited 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 have continuously invested, localized and introduced the latest technologies in India. 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".
The first localized 765kV GIS Breakers manufactured at the facility will be exported out to the end customer Chile Utility for their 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 765kV GIS breakers have been designed, developed and manufactured at Chennai in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for GIS in GE Energy Connections, France. Its sub-assembly and the manufacturing of components have been successfully type-tested as per latest IEC standards.
GIS is gaining popularity as the preferred technology in India. It is compact and encapsulated, 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). The footprint of a typical GIS substation is generally 20% of an Air-Insulated Substation (AIS). As land becomes scarce in India, GIS has become a more commercially viable solution.
With GIS experience spanning 50 years, GE provides a full range of Gas-Insulated Substations (GIS) for utilities and industries worldwide. The portfolio includes GIS solutions from 60 to 800 kV, along with secondary products to maximize switchgear and network operation.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. To learn more, please visit www.ge.com.