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Product category: Electrical hardware
News Release from: Merlin Gerin | Subject: Compact integrated Distribution Switchrooms
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 22 November 2001

Distribution Switchrooms cut costs in
Scotland

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The Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Centre will be among the sites to be powered by new Merlin Gerin Compact integrated Distribution Switchrooms being installed for Scottish Power

The Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Centre will be among the sites to be powered by new Merlin Gerin Compact integrated Distribution Switchrooms (CiDS) The CiDS, for Scottish Power, are to be installed at four sites in Edinburgh to meet increased customer demand for power

Each CiDS is a totally integrated and self-contained substation fully fitted with the latest switchgear, auxiliary equipment and controls.

Fully engineered, assembled, tested and pre-commissioned the system provides consistent quality, shorter lead times and minimised on-site commissioning compared with conventional substations built on site.

"We chose the Merlin Gerin substation because it cuts our costs significantly", says Mr Colin McNeil, Asset Manager, 33kV generation section leader, Scottish Power.

"All testing is done at the Merlin Gerin factory, which cuts the time needed for commissioning on site.

Another advantage is that it can be simply placed in position and connected up - there are no separate components to connect together on site." CiDS eliminates the bulk of the major costs and delays in implementing traditional brick built substations.

A CiDS package is simply placed onto prepared foundations, connected to the electrical network and commissioned.

Only a few days are needed for commissioning, rather than months, cutting the time spent on site by up to 80%.

CiDS has been shown to reduce the total installation cost of a substation by 30% compared to conventional brick built solutions.

The sites for the CiDS include Ocean Drive, near the new Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Centre in Leith, the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and a site near Edinburgh Airport.

A fifth CiDS will be used for training at Scottish Power's training centre in Cumbernauld.

McNeil adds: "The fact that we can 'lift and lay' the substation means that we can use the training CiDS as a back up - if a major failure happens at the operational substation, we can simply transport the training CiDS to the site and be up and running again with the minimum of delay.".

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