When an emergency strikes or severe weather rolls into their service territories, electric utilities can now lease a Siemens PRETACT Plug & Play GSU Reslience Transformer. With this on-demand access, asset owners can quickly replace an out-of-service transformer across several voltage ratings and configurations to restore power quickly for customers.
“Traditionally, replacing a conventional power transformer can take several weeks or months, leaving the power supply incredibly vulnerable to outages and interruptions,” says Wade Lauer, vice president of Siemens Transmission Products, in the United States. “This innovative offering now provides asset owners the opportunity to quickly lease this critical equipment locally for quick installation, resulting in a more secure and reliable power supply.”
The GSU Resilience Transformer is easy to load and ship and its plug and play bushings allow for an extremely short installation time. The transformer is also designed with environmentally-friendly synthetic ester fluid so it can be installed near water or sensitive areas.
This rapid response GSU transformer is Sensformer enabled technology that provides real-time measurements on critical parameters in a transformer like oil level, top oil temperature, low-voltage winding current and GPS location. With the help of cloud-based applications, operators can get additional insights on the assets' status and performance on their handheld devices. This real-time asset knowledge helps the operators face challenges of integrating power from various sources like renewables and distributed energy generation, while operating their networks as economically as possible.
Siemens’ new spare transformer program is one of several resilient technologies and initiatives the company has developed to strengthen the country’s storm hardening efforts and the resilience of power grids in general. In 2016, Siemens delivered the first innovative plug-and-play mobile resilience transformers to New York’s ConEd and Kansas-based Westar Energy. While it usually takes several weeks to transport and install a new power transformer on-site, Siemens’ mobile resilience transformers were installed with ConEd in record time at only 30 work hours. ConEd is also relying on Siemens intelligent distribution feeder automation technology that separates power networks to keep power flowing to customers in a section of Lower Manhattan during severe flooding.
The Pretact® concept of Siemens Transmission Products was introduced to maximize the resilience of modern power grids. It comprises a comprehensive set of modular features to prevent and protect transformers and high-voltage products better from operational issues as well as against natural disasters or forced outages. In addition, highly flexible “mobile resilience units” provide a chance to react quickly in case of an emergency or planned maintenance.
Transmission products play a vital role in the energy value chain. Siemens Transmission Products offers all key elements including power transformers, gas-insulated and/or air-insulated switchgear and components, individually or bundled, inclusive of related engineering. With its global factory network and leading innovations, Siemens provides the highest level of quality and reliability to support customers in achieving their objectives.
For further information on Siemens resilient power technology, please see www.siemens.com/Pretact.
