Australian Switchgear Engineers NOJA Power today announce a new product providing Auto Change Over (ACO) functionality, allowing users to connect multiple incoming Medium Voltage supplies for connection to a single critical load. The ACO Ground Mount Kiosk uses two OSM Reclosers as the incoming circuit breakers, with advanced control between the devices allowing for coordination of ACO operations.

NOJA Power’s original GMK product has gained popularity as an integrated solution for the connection of renewable generation and infrastructure to the grid. The original GMK design contained a single OSM Recloser, a NOJA Power RC10 controller and any further revenue metering or earth switch requirements. This all-encompassing device could be built and tested at the factory, then delivered and commissioned with minimal testing and integration costs.

Left: General Arrangement of Internal Medium Voltage Reclosers Right: Cable bay. Incoming feeders top and bottom, central horizontal arrangement of outgoing feeder to critical load.

To extend this cost saving to ACO schemes, NOJA Power’s engineers have released this variant of the GMK which includes a second OSM Recloser in the same kiosk housing and implemented the additional communications infrastructure between the two circuit breakers.

Essentially, the ACO Ground Mount Kiosk arrangement becomes a field ready solution which can be tested at the factory and commissioned rapidly on site. The arrangement of the control panels as shown in figure two highlights both NOJA Power’s control simplicity and provision for further third party equipment for communications. As most ACO applications are power critical, the minimal downtime for ACO installation provides significant added value to private customers whilst mitigating risks of installation issues at critical load sites.

“Once again we are taking the field proven overhead solutions and creating solutions for underground medium voltage switching,” says NOJA Power Group Managing Director Neil O’Sullivan. “Our ACO schemes have been used extensively in overhead distribution applications so the technology is field proven for this ground mount switchgear application.”

Figure 2: Control Panel for NOJA Power ACO Ground Mount Kiosk

NOJA Power are dedicated to creating safe, reliable and environmentally friendly Medium Voltage Switchgear. The ACO Ground Mount Kiosk joins the Australian manufacturers product line up alongside the OSM Recloser, GMK and VISI-SWITCH^®. To find out more, visit www.nojapower.com.au or contact your local NOJA Power Distributor.