Retail Merchandiser Chooses PMX™ Modular Metal-Enclosed Switchgear for New Store in Indiana.

Burmeister Electric Company in Minnesota was asked to prepare a quotation for switchgear that featured a primary disconnect switch with fuse protection and metering. The end user, a new retail merchandise store in Evansville, Indiana, had awarded a design and build contract to the Interstate Utility Service located in Willmar, Minnesota.

When the merchandiser opens a new store location, they determine if the local utility rate encourages primary service. If they decide that they want their own primary service, they then contract it with the Interstate Utility Service.

Since a cost-effective solution was desired, many options were considered. Standard free-standing Metal-Enclosed Switchgear fit all the requirements, but was larger and more expensive than needed. Interstate Utility Service finally requested that S&C make them something similar — a PMH-5 equipped with metering. Fortunately, Burmeister Electric Company had just attended the recent IEEE show, and had viewed S&C’s new product, PMX™ Modular Metal-Enclosed Switchgear.

With ratings of 13.8 kV and 25 kV, S&C’s PMX Switchgear combines the solid features of S&C System II Modular Metal-Enclosed Switchgear with the size and economic benefits of S&C Pad-Mounted Gear. The pre-engineered modules are easily joined together to create switchgear assemblies suiting a wide variety of applications.

Each module is designed to withstand the rigorous standards of ANSI C37.20.3, as required of all metal-enclosed interrupter switchgear. This capability, combined with low-profile and compact size, allows PMX Switchgear to be installed in areas accessible to the public without special site considerations. In 13.8 kV, each PMX feeder bay measures only 41" wide and 67" high, compared to System II’s feeder bay measurements of 46" wide and 90" high.

Most importantly, this new PMX Switchgear offered the metering capability that the retail merchandiser desired.

Burmeister Electric Company immediately saw the possibilities that S&C’s new PMX Switchgear offered in the areas of price and flexibility. They submitted a quotation to Interstate Utility Service, featuring a PMX unit with a three-bay line-up — equipped with a metering module.

The Interstate Utility Service and the retail merchandiser carefully reviewed the quotation on S&C’s PMX Modular Metal-Enclosed Switchgear. They viewed PMX as a practical alternative to System II since it was more economical yet had the same features. As a consequence, the PMX design was submitted and approved. The gear was shipped on January 26, 2004.