Zhiwai Publishes MV Switchgear Guide for Singapore and Johor Data Centres

Guide maps SF₆-free MV switchgear to data-centre circuit duties, with checks for voltage, service continuity, monitoring and local requirements.

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE, October 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Zhiwai has released a guide to specifying SF₆-free medium-voltage (MV) switchgear for data-centre campuses in Singapore and Johor. It maps published Schneider Electric, ABB and Siemens products to primary distribution and transformer-feeder or ring-main duties, with checks for connection voltage, maintenance access and monitoring. The guide draws on manufacturer, utility and regulatory documents and does not involve independent product testing.

Reporting responsibility. Singapore and Malaysia are phasing in ISSB-based climate disclosures. SF₆ leakage is a direct greenhouse gas emission; its classification as a company's Scope 1 depends on the chosen reporting boundary. Operators and tenants should establish ownership, control and lease arrangements before assigning emissions. Singapore's carbon-tax rules classify SF₆ from electrical equipment as non-reckonable. That treatment does not remove it from corporate inventories. CO₂-equivalent conversions should use the factors required by the applicable reporting framework. Buyers should also check group procurement requirements alongside local rules.

Voltage and fault duty. SP Group lists 22 kV and 6.6 kV distribution connections; TNB lists 33 kV and 11 kV, with other voltages in parts of Johor. Large campuses can receive high-voltage supplies and transform them to the campus MV level, so primary MV switchgear is not always at the utility intake. A 33 kV circuit generally requires 36 kV-class equipment; a 24 kV range does not cover that duty. Check voltage, current, short-time withstand current and duration, and breaker making and breaking duties against utility requirements and the fault and protection studies.

Primary distribution. Schneider Electric publishes GM AirSeT primary gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) up to 36 kV using Pure Air; GM AirSeT Performance is listed up to 24 kV. MCSeT 24 with EvoPacT HVX offers primary air-insulated switchgear (AIS) with a withdrawable vacuum circuit breaker. ABB's UniGear portfolio includes ZS1 up to 24 kV and ZS2 up to 36 kV for withdrawable-breaker architectures. Specify the vacuum-breaker version of ZS2 for an SF₆-free offer because the range also lists SF₆ breaker options. Siemens' NXPLUS C 24 blue GIS uses Clean Air and fixed-mounted vacuum breakers for primary distribution up to 24 kV. Confirm the exact voltage version, ratings, local availability and utility acceptance; insulation type alone does not determine maintenance access.

Secondary distribution. RM AirSeT, SafeRing Air and SafePlus Air, and 8DJH 24 blue GIS address transformer-feeder and ring-main applications up to 24 kV with air-based insulation. SM AirSeT provides modular secondary AIS up to 24 kV. Specify the functional units, circuit-breaker or switch-fuse protection, cable interfaces and extension arrangements needed for the campus design. These 24 kV ranges should not be substituted for a 36 kV-rated feeder.

Service continuity and arc safety. Define which compartments must be accessible during planned work and which circuits must remain energized. Under IEC 62271-200, select the loss of service continuity category, such as LSC2A or LSC2B, and the partition class, PM (metal) or PI (insulating), to match those access conditions. These classifications do not establish campus redundancy or fault recovery. Internal arc requirements should identify accessibility type, protected sides, current, duration and pressure-relief arrangements. Request type-test evidence covering the offered assembly and verify the installation conditions, including room clearances and exhaust paths. Supply resilience also depends on the feeder architecture, protection coordination and transfer arrangements.

Monitoring and support. Connected MCSeT with EvoPacT configurations can include thermal, environmental and selected breaker-health monitoring; GM AirSeT options include tank-pressure and breaker or mechanism data. Require a sensor and data-point schedule for every offer, identifying included functions, options and service subscriptions. Confirm any partial-discharge capability for the actual configuration. Compare communication protocols, integration with building-management or supervisory control systems, cybersecurity responsibilities and local service response. Monitoring is also available on conventional switchgear and should be specified separately from the SF₆-free requirement.

The guide states: “The specification should identify what can stay energized during planned work and which ratings each campus circuit needs. Before comparing prices, buyers need the proposed configuration, supporting test evidence and a clear schedule of monitoring and service commitments.”

About Zhiwai

Zhiwai is an electrical-industry research and assessment organization serving engineers, buyers and network operators in Asia. It publishes neutral, document-based product comparisons and procurement guides using manufacturer specifications, regulatory texts, environmental declarations, utility requirements and documented project announcements, without independent laboratory testing.

Selina Huang
Zhiwai
+1 6174703131