Powerco Transmission Services’ new Te Rere Hau Wind Farm, now under construction in Palmerston North, New Zealand, will feature an initial quantity of 65 wind turbine generators.
An additional 32 turbines are planned after the initial phase is
completed. S&C Electric Company’s Wind Turbine Style Vista
Underground Distribution Switchgear, rated 38kV maximum, 25kA
short-circuit, was selected by Powerco to provide protection, as well
as a convenient connection and isolation point for each turbine. Each
Vista and a transformer converting the wind turbine’s 415V to 33kV will
be located in a kiosk at the base of the turbine. The kiosks are
daisy-chained together via separable connectors, which are coupled to
the load side of the switchgear bushings. Each wind turbine circuit is
connected to the wind farm substation at medium voltage, then stepped
up to transmission voltage for connection to the grid. Two S&C
Vista Type 321 Switchgear units will also be installed at the
substation for protection and control. The buses of these two Vista
units will be connected through a tie switch, permitting either unit to
bring power from the generators to the substation while protecting the
wind farm circuits.
