ALSTOM Switchgear introduces outdoor metering unit
30/11/2004
Media Release – Final ALSTOM SA
Metering
ALSTOM Switchgear introduces versatile outdoor metering unit
A free-standing open air insulated outdoor metering unit offering users important advantages that include flexibility in application, greater affordability, user-friendliness and safety was recently introduced into the local market by medium voltage switchgear suppliers ALSTOM Switchgear.
The first buyer of the locally designed and manufactured new model system is Rossmund Golf Club in Swakopmund, a new luxury golf housing estate that has been established in the Namibian coastal town. This unit, supplied in September via Swanib Cables of Windhoek, ALSTOM SA’s agent in Namibia, has been installed in a substation supplying power to the estate.
The new unit, rated at 12 kV, 20 kA and 630 A, is housed in a kiosk for outdoor applications, but may equally be employed minus the kiosk for indoor use.
Being open-air insulated, the product is easier and less expensive to manufacture than the conventional oil-immersed equivalent metering unit – with resultant cost savings passed on to the customer – and is also more reliable and easier to maintain due to the elimination of sealed tanks and the potential risk of gas and oil leaks.
Other advantages over the conventional product are:
It offers maximum flexibility and is compatible with any brand of medium voltage switchgear.
It is more user-friendly, offering better access to all the unit’s components.
It has a withdrawable voltage transformer (VT), thereby ensuring maximum safety for maintenance personnel as the VT can be disengaged from the low voltage secondary equipment whenever rewiring, adjustment or repair of that equipment is required.
As a free-standing unit it is unencumbered by space limitations and can therefore accommodate the installation of a substantial number of additional metering components should they be required.
ALSTOM Switchgear is part of black economic empowerment (BEE) group ALSTOM SA (Pty) Ltd, in which the BEE equity currently stands at 38 per cent. The group’s BEE shareholders are Tiso Private Equity (Pty) Ltd, Kagiso Ventures Private Equity, Kgorong Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Sibilant Investments (Pty) Ltd and Management.
ALSTOM SA (Pty) Ltd employs 4 500 people and has an annual turnover in excess of R2bn. It has 25 operating units, including 2 empowerment subsidiaries, 20 production facilities and 21 distribution centres throughout Southern Africa.
ALSTOM SA has exclusive distribution, technology and representation rights for ALSTOM and AREVA in Southern Africa and maintains management and commercial links to the ALSTOM and AREVA business units in Europe.