JST's OD3Mag™ outdoor substation breaker installed at Salem Electric's substation (JST Power Equipment)
To avoid service disruption to their network of 20,000+ members, Salem Electric needed to find a robust, high-quality circuit breaker to deliver continuous power to the region. Founded in 1938, Salem Electric is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that provides electricity to its consumer-members at cost. With the goal of supplying reliable electricity at affordable rates, Salem distributes power to its network of more than 20,000 members across a 17.5 square mile service territory.
When the team at Salem Electric realized that one of the distribution breakers at their Salem, Oregon, substation was approaching end of life, they looked for a replacement breaker with a robust enclosure that could withstand the rainy climate of the Pacific Northwest. It was important to Salem that this new breaker would integrate seamlessly into their existing system, both from a physical form factor and technology standpoint.
As early adopters of magnetic actuation for the primary operating mechanism, the team at Salem understood the benefits of such technology-particularly as it relates to reduction in maintenance time-and developed a preference for magnetically actuated circuit breakers. They were intrigued to learn that JST Power Equipment, a Florida-based power equipment manufacturer, offered a product that met all of their technical criteria and could also meet their project timeline.
"The JST breaker checked all the boxes for our technical specifications. The JST team was great to work with throughout the process of ordering the breaker-from approval drawing review to installation/commissioning, they were very responsive and helpful. The final product was produced with a high level of quality and craftsmanship," said Jamie Buystedt, Lead Project Engineer, Salem Electric.
The team at JST Power Equipment designed the OD3Mag outdoor substation breaker with a robust enclosure to minimize moisture ingress by reducing exterior structural bolts and sealing the roof bushings with a dynamic gasket system. These principles are often found in boating, marine and deep-water engineering applications. Senior R&D Engineer, Patrick Fischer-Carne, whose many years designing medium voltage outdoor apparatus, understood the challenges associated with moisture ingress and outdoor-rated equipment and applied the unique design features to the OD3Mag breaker.
Salem Electric had an opportunity to see the OD3Mag breaker at the Northwest Public Power Association Expo & Trade Show in Reno, Nevada, and recognized the thoughtful and innovative approach JST took with the design of the enclosure. Additionally, the physical dimensions and footprint of the OD3Mag matched the existing breakers at the substation, enabling a seamless, drop-in replacement without costly modifications to the substation layout.
JST's on-site support during installation included comprehensive training for Salem's crew on servicing the magnetic actuator and exploring future applications, such as using the breaker as a triple-single recloser.
