Stabilising New York

Siemens and Con Edison of New York have successfully installed an innovative ‘plug-and-play’ mobile resilience power transformer in record time. While it usually takes several weeks to transport and install a new power transformer on-site, the team completed the transformer’s positioning and final installation in only 30 working hours.

Manufacturer Siemens calls its mobile resilience transformer a ‘first aid kit for emergency situations’. The transformers for this site were developed by Siemens in collaboration with Con Edison as a part of the Siemens Pretact concept for maximum grid resiliency. Siemens delivered the equipment late last year. They can be transported to the installation site on a truck and will serve as an emergency measure in the event of unplanned outages – such as those caused by hurricanes – or for planned outages caused by maintenance work.

The transformers were designed as single-phase units to be as compact and lightweight as possible. For quick installation, they are transported already filled with their low environmental impact ester-based dielectric oil to give a transport weight of 216 000 lbs, and equipped with ‘plug- and-play’ bushings and cable connections.

The Pretact concept employed in the design combines several modules that help grid operators prevent transformer failures through dedicated service measures and protect the transformers from harm, such as that caused by natural disasters.