German firm to supply REL grid equipment

A Eberle, a German transmission and distribution equipment manufacturer, has tied up with New Delhi Power (NDPL) and Reliance Energy (REL) to supply its tap changers.

Tap changers stabilise grid fluctuations and maintain a basic voltage profile.

The German company will be setting up two tap changers for REL in Mumbai by February. It has already set up over 100 tap changers for NDPL in New Delhi.

"Nowadays, power systems have become more vulnerable. The load dynamics are getting increasingly complex leading to narrowing of the stability margin and, subsequently, causing a collapse or a blackout," said Pradeep Modi, business head, Asia and the Middle East.

He feels that given the power scenario, A Eberle's products , which includes tap changer control and transformer monitoring systems, Peterson coil regulator, earth fault detection relay and digital recorders, will enable power utilities to better their voltage profile.

"We think that India will become a big market for us in 5-10 years. At least 30-40 per cent of our turnover would come from here by 2010. The power sector has evolved to the extent that not even single power failure is affordable. So systems like ours, which feed the fault and keep supply levels healthy, will be in demand," said Modi.

A Eberle's customers in India include Gujarat Electricity Board, Surat and Ahmedabad electricity supply companies and electrical majors such as ABB, Areva (Alsthom) and Siemens.

The company's international customer base includes utilities from the European Union, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia as well as T&D contractors. It has a turnover of Rs 50 crore.

The company kicked off its India operations two years ago and is planning to introduce its collapse predictor at a forthcoming industry meet in Mumbai.