Ultrahigh voltage switchgear commissioned, over 1 million Volts

ABB commissions switchgear rated at more than 1million volts, seen as a key component of safe and reliable ultrahigh-voltage ac transmission. See photo.

By Control Engineering Staff March 30, 2009

ABB ultrahigh-voltage gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) has a switching capability of 6,900 MW. Photo: ABB

Zurich, Switzerland – ABB commissioned a switchgear rated to handle more than one million volts (1,100 kV), new heights in global voltage levels, the company says. The ultrahigh-voltage gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) has a switching capability of 6,900 megawatts.The GIS can turn power equivalent to the average electrical consumption of Switzerland, a country with more than 7 million inhabitants, on or off within milliseconds.GIS is a central component of ultrahigh-voltage electricity transmission designed to carry huge amounts of electricity over vast distances with very low losses, the company says. ABB completed the assignment in just two years with technology partner Xian Shiky. The Chinese switchgear manufacturer cooperated with ABB throughout the project. ABB explains more about the ultrahigh voltage project , announced March 23.

– Edited by Mark T. Hoske , editor in chief Control Engineering News Desk Register here .