Jiyuan Puts Henan’s First Batch of Pure Nitrogen-Insulated Eco-Friendly Switchgear into Operation

Technicians check the operating parameters of the switchgear

Photo by Zhao Peichao

On July 21, a set of pure nitrogen-insulated eco-friendly switchgear was officially put into operation at the 10kV Guangming Switching Station in Jiyuan, following inspection, testing, and energization procedures—marking the first such deployment in Henan Province.

The switchgear, composed of circuit breakers, disconnectors, and relay protection devices, plays a vital role in power reception and distribution, fault protection, and safety isolation. Traditional switchgear uses air as the insulating medium, which involves complex maintenance and affects power supply reliability. Nitrogen, by contrast, is chemically stable and serves as a more reliable insulation option. Pure nitrogen-insulated switchgear features environmental friendliness, and resistance to moisture, condensation, pollution, and salt spray—offering high stability and safety.

State Grid Jiyuan Power Supply Company selected the Guangming Switching Station—a long-serving, high-load facility—as the pilot site. A total of 24 units were installed. Key high-voltage components, such as circuit breakers and load switches, were hermetically sealed to prevent power outages caused by switchgear failure. Modular design reduced the switchgear footprint by 30% compared to traditional models, significantly improving space utilization at the station.

For the first time, the company used a networked high-voltage phasing instrument to perform phase identification of cable lines, reducing the station's outage time by 93% and improving upgrade efficiency by 35%, thus ensuring a stable and reliable power supply for customers.

Going forward, State Grid Jiyuan Power Supply Company will continue monitoring the performance of the new equipment and steadily promote the broader application of pure nitrogen-insulated switchgear, aiming to achieve full coverage across all 37 switching stations in the region.