Deccan Enterprises (P) Ltd, a
Hyderabad - based
manufacturer of silicone
composite insulators is planning to
set up a new plant in Gujarat.
Speaking to Electrical Monitor at
Elecrama 2012, V. Bala Krishna and
M. Pradeep Kumar, two senior
company officials explained that
demand for silicone composite
(polymer) insulators used in power
transmission lines is expected to rise
sharply in the western and north
Indian markets. State utility
Gujarat Energy Transmission
Company Ltd, for instance, is an
active proponent of silicone
insulators, they explained.
Decosil, as the company is
popularly known, takes credit for
developing composite insulators for 's 1,200kV Bina test station
in Madhya Pradesh. Decosil is the
only supplier of polymer insulators
for the Bina project, the officials
explained.
The Decosil spokespersons also
explained that while the company
is already supplying insulators for
400kV projects. Decosil is also
India's first company to make
silicone composite insulators in the
765kV class. "In this fiscal year, we
have already 10,000 insulators for
400kV projects, while another
30,000 insulators are under
commissioning," they noted.
Decosil's manufacturing unit is
located at Hyderabad. "New
machines will be installed at
Hyderabad to increase
manufacturing capacity," they said.
The officials explained the
benefits of silicone composite
insulators over the conventional
porcelain insulators. Apart from
low maintenance, polymer
insulators are more hydrophobic
(water repellant) that the other
variants. For Indian conditions,
which are known for industrial
pollution and also extreme
temperatures, the use of polymer
insulators is preferred.
Secondly, as polymer insulators
are lightweight, they are very easy to
manufacture, store, transport and
install. Polymer insulators are 90 per
cent lighter than porcelain or glass.
Stress on the transmission line is hence
vastly reduced. Both the officials
emphasized that silicone composite
insulators are maintenance-free and
can last the entire service period.