Smart electricity to aid systematic monitoring of power generation and consumption

While entering 2020, India still stands in the category of developing nations where blackouts and improper power distribution is very common.
Piyush Garg, Director, Balaji Switchgears

Piyush Garg, Director, Balaji Switchgears talks about the need for monitoring test data and upgrading to the latest technology for sustainable and quality performance of switchgears, and how the Union Budget 2020 is opening up new opportunities for the electrical industry.

What are your views on the current electrical market in India?
The electrical market is currently getting exposed to huge turmoil. The growing inflation rate of 7.40 percent is affecting all G&S sectors in India and is said to be the highest rate in the past six years. Due to the slowdown in the automobile, construction, F&B and many other sectors, the production/maintenance/planning departments have reduced their potential significantly which has reduced the growth rate of every domain. The requirements have reduced and the customer’s ideology of providing the best-in-class quality product is reducing, thus affecting the overall business.

What are the parameters to maintain efficiency in LV switchgears?
Parameters to maintain efficiency in LV switchgears must begin with performing Infrared Inspections to identify loose bus connections. At least once a year, every facility should manually operate circuit breakers to ensure contacts are clean and help operating mechanisms to move freely. It is essential to keep records and trend performance of the switchgear body. Tracking test data provides a better idea of the expected life of the equipment and helps focus maintenance efforts on the areas that need it the most. As we talk of innovation, with time we should upgrade to new technology and equipment because using one technology for a very long time does not ensure sustainable and quality performance of any circuit. All the above stated parameters can enhance the life of the switchgear and if done on a regular basis can help in reducing predictive downtime in the near future.

In the light of financial budget, what kind of business opportunities do you see for switchgears and automation in the electrical industry?
While entering 2020, India still stands in the category of developing nations where blackouts and improper power distribution is very common. In the Union Budget 2020, schemes to convert conventional meters to prepaid smart meters have been launched. This will help power grids adopt the practice of smart electricity, and the generation and consumption of power would be monitored in a systematic manner. This step will open up new areas of opportunities to explore. Also, as more smart cities and upgraded infra will be built, there stands an opportunity for all of us to maximise our potential for the same.

What are the new technologies being seen in the LV switchgear segment?
The switchgear market has evolved with leaps and bounds in the last decade. Industries have evolved themselves with the latest technology and are geared to transform their entire ecosystem. Now everyone aspires to have communication capable technology in their businesses, which should be energy-efficient and have features like predictive maintenance, so as to reduce downtime and failures. Our team provides complete solutions for such needs and we are catering to multiple utilities for their associate requirements.