Hitachi Energy has announced it will deliver the world’s first sulphur-hexafluoride-free 550 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) to the Central China Branch of the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), for a “pilot application.”
SGCC is the world’s largest utility company, serving over 1.1 billion people across 88% of China’s national territory, with an ambitious action plan for carbon neutrality.
The SF6-free 550 kV GIS is part of EconiQ®, Hitachi Energy’s “eco-efficient” portfolio.
By replacing SF6 with a “sustainable gas” mixture, the new GIS technology eliminates the greenhouse gas emissions caused by SF6 while maintaining the same reliable performance and compact design as the conventional technologies. Replacing SF6 is crucial for protecting the environment, says Hitachi Energy, “because it has a global warming potential 24 300 times higher than CO2 and remains in the atmosphere for over 1000 years if it leaks from the equipment.”
Markus Heimbach, Managing Director of Business Unit High Voltage Products at Hitachi Energy, commented, “The world’s first SF6-free 550 kV GIS represents a major milestone.”
Hitachi Energy says it has been providing SGCC with 145 kV EconiQ SF6-free gas-insulated switchgear and live tank circuit breaker (LTA) equipment since 2022. The EconiQ high-voltage series includes SF6-free LTA, GIS, gas-insulated lines (GIL), dead tank circuit breakers (DTB) for various voltage levels, and retrofill for GIL.
UK’s first non SF6 switchgear
Meanwhile, at the medium voltage/distribution level, SP Energy Networks (SPEN) has reported energisation of what it describes as the UK’s first non-sulphur-hexafluoride switchgear, at a substation in Mid Cheshire, UK.
The installation employs a Lucy Electric Sabre EcoTec non-SF6 ring main unit (RMU). This uses ‘synthetic air’ – a mixture of pure nitrogen and oxygen – instead of the SF6 greenhouse gas currently used to insulate critical electrical network equipment.
Lucy Electric’s Sabre EcoTec RMU is said to be the only such SF6-free unit designed to UK distribution network specifications, “addressing the challenge of a gap in available products ahead of the anticipated UK ban on SF6 in 2026.”
Taking up the same space as traditional switchgear, Sabre EcoTec is also designed to fit within the existing substation footprint and can be directly mounted to the transformer, removing any need for costly adaptations.
This first installation is seen as a “vital step” on SPEN’s journey to develop what it’s calling “truly sustainable substations”, which will be environmentally sustainable at every stage of development – from design through construction to operation.
SPEN has had a long-standing partnership with Lucy Electric, which saw the network operator input into the design and product development process for EcoTec, alongside other UK distribution network operators. This collaboration has been key to ensuring the RMU meets SPEN’s current specification and future network needs, including automation technology as standard, says the network operator.
Eddie Mulholland, Process and Technology Director at SP Energy Networks said:“This is a huge milestone, not just for SP Energy Networks, but for our industry as a whole.”
John Griffiths, CEO Lucy Electric commented: “We look forward to rolling out more EcoTec units to serve the growing package substation market in the UK and beyond. At Lucy Electric, we remain committed to ensuring our utility partners are prepared for future regulatory changes.”
