ERDA expands its HV partial discharge laboratory capacity

This expansion aims at assisting Indian manufacturers of high voltage electrical equipment.

Electrical Research and Development Association (ERDA), is pleased to announce enhancement of capacity of its High Voltage Partial Discharge Laboratory to 900kV, 2700kVA high voltage resonant test system with 900kV coupling capacitor, voltage divider and 600 kV standard capacitor. This enhancement will now allow evaluation upto 400 kV Electrical Equipment, at Vadodara. This laboratory has achieved an excellent world class background noise level of <2pC at 900 kV.

This laboratory is having facility for Partial Discharge Test and Measurement of Capacitance and Tan δ upto 400kV voltage class of Current Transformers, Voltage Transformers, High Voltage Cables, Insulators, Bushings (OIP, RIP, RBP, Cast, Gas and Composite), Dry Type Transformers and Hybrid GIS. This laboratory will supplement the High Voltage Impulse Laboratory upto 1600kVp already available at ERDA Vadodara (which is to be enhanced to 2400kVp shortly) and ERDA will be able to offer complete type testing services for these high voltage products.

This project had been set up with grant from Government of Gujarat. Foundation stone for this Laboratory was laid by Shri Sujit Gulati, IAS and Additional Chief Secretary of Government of Gujarat on 8^th October 2016. Evaluation of equipment upto 220kV voltage class started from June 2018. Finally the enhanced capacity of upto 400kV equipment evaluation is available from April 2022. This enhanced capacity of High Voltage Partial Discharge Laboratory has added a new feather in the cap to ERDA as it becomes the highest capacity HVPD Laboratory in the western region of India. All the High Voltage equipment manufacturers located in the western India shall be immensely benefitted with the commissioning of this enhanced capacity HVPD laboratory at ERDA Vadodara.