ABB to develop 1200 kV circuit breaker for India

Recently, ABB stated that it will develop a new device that can reduce the floor area by 60%—a 1200 kV circuit breaker. This is also the highest level of AC voltage breaker equipment in the world. ABB will be jointly developed with engineers from India and will also be provided by State Grid Corporation of India.

The newly designed 1200 kV circuit breaker will be installed in a national test station built by the National Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) in the Bina region of Madhya Pradesh, India. At present, the demand for electricity in India continues to grow, raising serious challenges, which also increases the installed capacity of India’s power generation. But at the same time, the construction of a highly efficient and reliable transmission and distribution facility has also become a part of the development that cannot be ignored.

Because the high-voltage transmission technology has significant advantages in transmission capacity and loss, it has also become a promising technology in the development of the Indian power grid. India began to develop the transmission system with the highest AC voltage level in the world. Bina's test station will also undertake the field test mission. At the same time, there is another major feature of high-voltage transmission technology, that is, it can effectively reduce the floor area.

The 1200 kV circuit breaker that ABB plans to develop, due to its new design, will reduce the floor space by about 60% compared to conventional equipment. The core components are placed in a housing with insulated gas and are not susceptible to the environment. The overall seismic capability of the equipment will be significantly improved.