Hitachi Energy inaugurates transformer component factory in Gujarat

Our goal is to ensure that production operations in India aspire to the highest standards of sustainability in line with our own carbon-neutrality goals, he added.The factory operates on 100 per cent fossil-free electricity.

Hitachi Energy India Ltd on Wednesday said it has inaugurated a transformer component manufacturing factory in Vadodara, Gujarat.

Located at the company's largest plant in the country, this factory will produce dry bushings using the most reliable technology called 'resin-impregnated paper', Hitachi Energy India said in a statement.

This will be the country's first facility that will produce resin-impregnated paper bushings up to 400 kV voltage level, it said, adding that the dry technology improves the thermal, electrical, and mechanical performance of transformer bushings, making them more resilient and reliable –- critical for transformers deployed in the power grid.

Strengthening India's power grid −- one of the largest operating synchronous grids in the world –- is vital for the country as it aims to integrate a greater share of renewables in a step toward its carbon-neutral ambitions. The company explained that resin-impregnated paper bushings offer an improvement over traditional oil-based alternatives by preventing moisture ingress, and oil leakage and reducing risks of fire in case of failure. This technology enables operators to make the grid safer while reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

The new facility can manufacture up to 1,000 units per annum of resin-impregnated paper bushings ranging from 72.5 kV to 400 kV, catering to a potential domestic market of USD 50 million over the next five years, it said.

According to the company, the factory will produce AirRIP flex bushings, a unique combination of Hitachi Energy's best practices from pioneering bushing technologies with a modular and flexible design, covering almost every need and design specification with just one product family.

''Over 80 percent of our portfolio is manufactured locally, and we are continuously evaluating how best to add capabilities for new technologies,'' said N Venu, managing director and CEO, Hitachi Energy India Ltd.

''By localizing such manufacturing capabilities, we are opening up new avenues and creating even more customer value, all while advancing the energy system to be more sustainable, flexible, and secure,'' he added.

''This future-ready manufacturing facility is designed to minimize environmental impact and conserve natural resources,'' said Bruno Melles, managing director of Hitachi Energy's Transformers business. ''Our goal is to ensure that production operations in India aspire to the highest standards of sustainability in line with our own carbon-neutrality goals,'' he added.

The factory operates on 100 percent fossil-free electricity. In January 2022, Hitachi Energy announced that it had achieved 100 percent fossil-free electricity usage in its operations as the first step towards the goal set out in its 'Sustainability 2030' plan.

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