The State of Maharashtra has a large consumer base in India with ever-increasing growth in load, infrastructure, and industrial activity. With soaring land prices and limited space for expansion in Mumbai, we must shift the focus to new technologies to upgrade and augment existing substations more efficiently and cleaner way. One of India’s largest Private Power Companies, which powers the Mumbai city by catering electricity to over 2.9 million customers, determined to upgrade their existing distribution network of over 400 sq. km with sustainable, greener, and modern technology. Upgrading the transformers with Synthetic Ester Fluid materialized as the best alternative. However, it carried a risk of never being implemented before in India. The customer entrusted Siemens Energy business in India as their technology partner and placed an order of installing a 125MVA, 220/33 kV 3Ph Siemens Transformer with Synthetic Ester Fluid for the first time in India.
Siemens has also collaborated with one of the ester fluid technology leaders from the UK for its rich experience and global references with Synthetic Ester Fluids. The natural ester insulation fluid adds increased fire safety with its higher fire and flash point. In addition, it doesn’t pose any environmental risk in the unlikely case of a leak because it is biodegradable. The fluids are entirely compatible with standard transformer insulating materials, components, and fluid processing equipment. However, the change of the insulation fluid requires an expert to adjust the transformer to the specific characteristics of this component. Siemens Transformers has been driving this technology for decades and has profound expertise in designing and manufacturing the EHV class ester-filled transformers.
For the first time in India, a Siemens transformer with Synthetic Ester Fluid was erected in a record time of just 15 days at the customer’s 220kV substation at Borivali, an integral part of the Mumbai transmission network, in March 2021. This transformer was entirely manufactured at the Siemens Transformer Factory based in Kalwa, Navi Mumbai. This project displays Siemens’ world-class technical proficiency and prominent collaboration capabilities, which sets up a benchmark in the Indian EHV Transmission Segment by truly living the spirit of “Self-Reliant India” (Atmanirbhar Bharat) and bolstering the Indian government’s vision of “Power for All”.