POWERING T-AND-D SECTIONALIZING SWITCHES WITH PHOTOVOLTAICS - A LOW-COST OPTION

The Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) Solar Power Program has undertaken a major effort to help electric utility personnel identify and install cost-effective photovoltaic (PV) applications. Early proj ects were directed at identifying applications and opportunities for u tilities to use photovoltaic-powered systems; subsequent projects now are directed at informing utilities about these opportunities and at s upporting groups of utilities in their installation of similar types o f PV-powered applications. This paper documents a joint utility-indust ry project which involved the installation of new, or the rebuilding o f existing transmission and distribution sectionalizing switches power ed by PV at a number of utilities. EPRI and Sandia National Laboratori es (SNLA) coordinated the project and provided technical and financial support.