Switchgear

Switchgear is made up of electrical disconnect switches, fuses, or circuit breakers that control, protect, and isolate electrical equipment. Switchgear is used to de-energize equipment to allow maintenance work to be done and to clear faults downstream.

Products include:

Breakers
High-voltage fuses
High-voltage outdoor power circuit breakers and switches
Low- and medium-voltage power circuit breakers
Medium-voltage load interrupter switches
Pad-mounted switching equipment
Power switchgear assemblies
Reclosers
Sectionalizers

NEMA develops product Standards and advocates technical and industry positions that are in the best interests of Member companies, the industry, and the users of their products. Members generate active, effective, and organized marketing and technical programs.

Staff Contact: Brian Marchionini

Applications
Standards
Companies
Products
Activities
Resources

Utility distribution circuits
Utility and industrial substations
Microgrids, distributed energy resources, and renewable energy systems
Buildings with medium-voltage circuit breakers for distribution circuits
For industrial applications, a transformer and switchgear may be combined in one housing

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Technical

Develops and maintains proprietary Standards for the Switchgear Section (i.e., SG 4 Alternating Current High Voltage Circuit Breakers, SG 10 Guide to OSHA and NFPA 70E Safety Requirements When Servicing and Maintaining Medium-Voltage Switchgear, Circuit Breakers, and Medium-Voltage Controllers Rated above 1000 V, SG 11 Guide for Handling and Maintenance of AC Outdoor High Voltage Circuit Breakers, and NEMA 260 Safety Labels for Pad-Mounted Switchgear and Transformers Sited in Public Areas); maintains the secretariat position within ANSI C37; coordinates input into UL 1066, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and other Standards/code bodies
Provides input to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committees and administers the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for several IEC Technical Committees to promote harmonization with European and global Standards
Administers Standards Testing Laboratory North America (STLNA) activities group to develop consistency for high-voltage product testing and promote global harmonization of switchgear and circuit breaker testing Standards
Administers the CANENA (Council for Harmonization of Electrotechnical Standards of the Nations in the Americas) Technical Harmonization Subcommittee Working Group for transfer switches over 750 volts and low voltage power circuit breakers to promote harmonization of \switchgear Standards throughout the Americas

Advocacy

Lobbies for federal and state policies that promote grid build-out and grid modernization, including support for federal infrastructure legislation, siting and permitting of transmission lines, and commenting on state public utility commission (PUC) dockets
Promotes adoption and harmonization of key Standards by ANCE (Mexico's national Standards and certification body)
Provides intelligence on the privatization of the Mexican power grid, including access to Mexico's new Standards regulator for the power grid