EQ In Exclusive Conversation With Mr. Karthik Krishnamurthi, Head of Sales and Marketing, Hitachi Energy India Limited – EQ Mag Pro

What involvement does Hitachi Energy now play in India’s rail and metro systems? What are the plans for Hitachi Energy to increase its presence in India?

Hitachi Energy solutions help rail and metro operators to minimize risks across their network, enhance operational and financial performance, and execute the right strategies for the future. Our extensive solutions are driving a superior passenger experience, helping rail and metro operators to develop the next level of digital insight through asset transformation, rail sustainability, passenger and worker safety, as well as power and infrastructure network management and mission-critical communications. A clean and sustainable transportation network not only helps reduce the environmental impact but also supports a sustainable future of mobility. Today, Hitachi Energy’s power technology is powering nine out of ten metros in the country. From the metro stations to 3rd Rail DC traction systems we are supplying energy efficient and dry-type transformer, which offers protection against transient over voltages due to voltage surges in the network. Today, more than half the world’s electric locomotives and train sets are powered by Hitachi Energy transformers. We are proud to be the partner of choice for many rail and metro operators and we continue to serve them with reliable, safer, and sustainable mobility solutions.

How has Hitachi Energy accelerated the electrification and decarbonization of the rail and metro segments of India?

Hitachi Energy has been driving the movement of sustainable transportation with its advanced technologies. We have been leading the development, manufacturing, and supply of dry-type transformers for more than 40 years – with path-leading technological innovation. We provide our power quality solution for established operations such as the Kanpur Metro where we provided design, supply, supervision, and commissioning of special transformers. These dry-type transformers require low maintenance and minimize environmental contamination and fire hazard. These transformers are a preferred alternative to conventional transformers because they provide safe voltage levels for power consumption, eliminate causes of fire and oil spillage and also withstand extreme conditions making sustainable and environment-friendly transformer technology.

How will Hitachi Energy help the world’s fourth-largest railway network, Indian Railways strives to achieve 100 percent electrification of broad-gauge routes by 2023?

For more than a century, Hitachi Energy has been a pioneer in rail and urban transportation with our offering of traction transformers and substations to our proven asset management and network control systems. In India, we reinforced our relationship with the rail segment. We continue to support the electrification of rail routes receiving orders to power the country’s dedicated freight corridor, and providing our traction and track-side transformers for many projects.

What are some of the unique projects that Hitachi Energy has undertaken recently, and how is Hitachi Energy’s power technology unique in the market?

We have provided our solutions to many projects from the third rail DC Traction Systems to transient Voltage Protection installed in the Transformer for protection against frequent switching surges for many metros in the country including Bangalore, Kochi, Kanpur, Agra, Kolkata and more. Our traction transformers are vital components in the traction chain that impact both train performance and operator services. Apart from this, the Atal tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, which is Asia’s longest road tunnel and features a cutting-edge is powered by similar transformers by Hitachi.

Our transformers are enabling essential train functions such as traction, lighting, ventilation, braking, signaling, and communication. As the cities are growing the rail and metro networks are becoming more complex to meet the passenger loads increase. Our MicroSCADA systems help the operators interact with power networks with a fully scalable control center and ensure reliable and safe transportation. Our products enable the digitalization of transportation systems supporting successful operation in rail projects around the world.

What are some of the critical problems or obstacles in the power sector that need to be addressed?

Electrification and energy transition are two of the major drivers among many others for the power sector today. As we are advancing towards a carbon-neutral future, ensuring access to power for all, while bringing increasing the energy mix to include renewable energy is very crucial. The country is one of the highest consumers of energy with our energy consumption doubling almost every year. But we are taking commendable steps toward balancing economic growth with clean energy adoption. However, ensuring seamless integration of renewable power with a consistent supply of clean energy and fewer power outages and fluctuations is a huge challenge. Digitalization helps upgrade the infrastructure to improve power quality, cope with the integration of large-scale renewable energy, increase power monitoring and control, and also improve asset health.

What are some of the environmentally friendly initiatives taken by Hitachi Energy during the powering of rail/ metro segments of India?

Hitachi Energy is focused on advancing a sustainable energy future for all and views India as one of its top markets. We consistently work toward introducing sustainable solutions to our portfolio. One such example is the Dry-Type transformers. They are environmentally friendly and safe for usage in indoor or even crowded places. They are E2 C3 F1 compliant as per IEC60076-11 protocols. Often metro line networks face transient voltages leading to failure of transformer and interruption of metro train services. To protect the transformer from these over voltages surges, we have developed and installed Transient Voltage Protection systems in the transformer supplied to various metros.

Apart from this, sustainability and environment-friendly innovation are part of our mission. While supporting our customers and partner, we aim to achieve the milestone of carbon neutrality in our operations by 2030. Through our Sustainability 2030 plan and targets, we have reinforced our commitment to ‘Advancing a sustainable energy future for all and championing the urgency of a clean energy transition in India through innovation and collaboration.