International Copper Association Indiajoin hands with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Indian Transformer Manufacturers Association (ITMA)
Hyderabad, December 23rd, 2015:International Copper Association India (ICA India), in an attempt to proliferatesustainable development in India today conducted a workshop on “Standardization, Certification & Quality Control of Distribution Transformers. The workshop was conducted in association with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and Indian Transformer Manufacturers Association (ITMA).
This seminar is very specific to bring all stakeholders – BIS officials, Distribution transformer manufacturers, regional power utilities&testing agencies at one platform to discuss the issues related to certification process, and this seminar was helpful to all stakeholders & all manufacturers of this region to get certified before mandatory date -01st February 2016.
The speakers in the event were representatives from ITMA, BIS and Testing agencies.The event was well received by consultants, transformer manufacturers, Power utilities and General Industries utilizing the Distribution Transformers.
Transformers play a crucial role in the power distribution network and any failure creates disruption of power supply to consumers and its extent of effect depends upon the quality. High efficiency transformers create economic benefits for society in addition to the reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved reliability and potentially longer service life if lower temperature rises are experienced through the energy-efficiency improvements. With these benefits in mind, many countries have taken policy initiatives to establish mandatory and voluntary programmes to conserve energy & to help the domestic markets by adopting energy-efficient transformers.The focus of the workshop was on maximizing energy conservation and emission reductions through use of energy efficient transformers and to discuss manufacturing practices of power distribution transformers and maintenance for reduction of failure rate.
The life cycle cost has to be calculated considering financial point of view, taking into account the cost of energy losses, failure risk and maintenance into account, as well as the investment cost and the residual value of the transformer at the moment of retirement.The replacement issue mainly comes down to the question whether the energy efficiency can be improved sufficiently to reduce the life-cycle cost of the transformer. As the cost of the energy losses mount up to a multiple of the investment cost of the transformer, a minor energy efficiency gain can already be enough to justify replacement.
The overarching objective of the seminar is to createawareness on the STANDARD –IS1180 (part-1), Certification &Quality Control Of Distribution Transformersand enhance the Operational Efficiency, Incorporate Global Practices, Testing, Failure Analysis, and Improvement in Design and Performance of Distribution Transformers.
Ms.SavithaSattu, Scientist C, BISsaid “Industry facilitators like ITMA, &ICA India all are working towards a common goal of providing continuous power supply to the consumers. Through such seminars we aim at helping industry experts to create awareness and upgrade their knowledge in adopting resourceful ways of preserving energy. It is very critical that manufacturers are updated with latest developments in standards and certification process and quality control, and Transformer Technology & Quality Assurance. It is essential to adopt energy efficient standards for distribution transformers as it will save total cost to consumers — ultimately saving money while also reducing energy consumption.”
Bureau of Indian Standards has launched the revised standard IS 1180:2014, “Outdoor Type Oil Immersed Distribution Transformers Upto and including 2500 KVA, 33KV —Specification Part 1 Mineral Oil Immersed”. And this standard extends the scope of coverage beyond 200 KVA and up to and including 2500 KVA and 33 KV. This extension of the scope would bring India’s coverage more in line with other major economies such as Australia, China and the United States.
Mr. N. Visweswara Reddy, Vice President, ITMAsaid “We appreciate the efforts by ITMA, ICA India, and BIS to create awareness on the standards of Distribution Transformers. The demand for transformers has been increasing at a rapid pace due to rising population and migration of people from rural areas to urban cities. This has further led to increased demand for reliable power supply systems within the country. Tackling the transmission losses and providing uninterrupted power supply is one of the key issues on the government’s agenda.
N. Hemanth Kumar, Chief Manager, ICA India said “Today every unit of electricity consumed in the country is delivered through distribution transformers. Hence it is essential that we deliver every unit of electricity in a reliable & efficient way for achieving a sustained economic growth. As a sustainable energy advocator we at ICA India are committed to optimize the effective use of copper to enhance the electricity system. The implementation of higher efficiency transformers in addition to enabling environmental benefits will also facilitate advancements in manufacturers’ energy saving technology while enhancing their productivity and thus lead to sustained economic growth.”
High efficiency transformers are a mature technology with their economic and environmental benefits clearly demonstrated. While their higher initial cost can be more than recovered by reduced running costs, many distribution transformers are still chosen on the basis of the purchasing price. Hence, implementing regulatory framework to assess long term benefits is helpful in the promotion of rational energy use.
About BIS:
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India, resolves to be the leader in all matters concerning Standardization, Certification and Quality. Keeping in view the interest of consumers as well as the industry, BIS is involved in various activities like Standards Formulation, Certification of Product, Hallmarking and Quality Management Systems, Laboratory Services, Sale of Indian Standards and other publications, International Activities, Consumer Related Activities, Promotional Activities, Training Service, Information services, Financial Resources – Mobilization and utilization
About ITMA:
Indian Transformers manufacturers Association (ITMA) established in 1979 is a national association of manufacturers of distribution and power transformers and its accessories as well as allied industries dealing in raw materials. It has more than 250 members across the country and represents maximum capacity of power and distribution transformers. It was conceptualized to form a powerful representation of the transformer industry with different ministries other government bodies in the power sector. It also endeavors to disseminate relevant information to members and seeks solutions of technical and commercial problems of members with the help to conduct their business with absolute confidence.
About ICAIndia:
The International Copper Association India (ICA India) is a member of Copper Alliance and the Indian arm of the International Copper Association, the leading not-for-profit organization for the promotion of copper worldwide. ICAIndia is driven by the same objective as that of its parent organization, which is to ‘defend and grow markets for copper based on its superior technical performance and its contribution to a higher quality of life worldwide’. ICA India contributes mainly through its catalytic role, accelerating changes and transforming the long-term markets for Copper in a sustainable way through its major initiatives such as electrical safety and energy efficiency. ICA India’s activities focus on helping end users to better understand and appreciate the positive attributes of copper.
