Switchgear to protect Welsh wind farm

With wind energy in sharp focus, Schneider Electric has received a substantial order for switchgear to be installed at the Tir Mostyn wind farm in North Wales.

With wind energy in sharp focus, Schneider Electric has received a substantial order for switchgear to be installed at the Tir Mostyn wind farm in North Wales.

The 21MW wind farm is being built by Spanish company Gamesa Energia Servicios and will provide energy for 13,150 homes.

The windfarm has 25 turbines each producing 850kW of energy.

The 33kV switchgear provided is from Merlin Gerin, a brand of Schneider Electric and connects the output from the farm directly to the public distribution network.

Five panels of Merlin Gerin CBGS-0 switchgear are being installed - each comprising one circuit breaker, three load break switches and one fuse switch.

The circuit breaker is fitted with the latest Merlin Gerin Sepam S84 protection and control relay to provide the short circuit and G59 protection systems.

The Sepam unit enables an automatic "grid connection" restoration scheme which ensures that the windfarm is capable of exporting power and therefore generating capital for the maximum amount of time.

It also provides a monitoring and sequence closing scheme for the load break switch panels helping to ensure compliance with the P28 voltage standards.

To protect the wind turbine transformers and connect them to the CBGS-0 grid substation, 25 Merlin Gerin CAS 36 fuse switches are being deployed.

Schneider Electric predicts significant growth in the wind energy sector in the UK over the next five years.

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