NOJA Power’s Tesla Training Facility has Grand Opening Event with Local Utility

Australian pole mounted switchgear manufacturer NOJA Power showcases its new training facility in its multimillion dollar Brisbane factory upgrade. Designed for delivering training to both internal staff and utility end users, the training facility provides NOJA Power with the capability to build industry expertise in their equipment which is installed in 100 countries worldwide. Named in honour of pioneering Electrical Engineer and Inventor, Nikola Tesla, the Tesla Training Facility has played host to the first utility training event for members of Brisbane Australia’s local Distribution Network Service Provider. With the addition of this new training facility, NOJA Power is demonstrating dedication to its ongoing commitment to build industry expertise.

Since its inception in 2002, NOJA Power has organised and conducted countless training sessions and conferences for its users and staff. In the energy industry, knowledge sharing and education is not only expected of manufacturers, but demanded as a safety measure to ensure that the risk of operating high voltage equipment is mitigated. Oftentimes, utility training rooms can be used for conducting this work, however there is little substitute for actual hands on experience with the equipment. The Tesla Training Facility at NOJA Power provides the switchgear manufacturer with the ideal facility to demonstrate the correct operation of its equipment.

NOJA Power has maintained a steady release schedule of Research and Development projects, with firmware upgrades to its flagship RC-10 Recloser Controller released up to four times a year. This proliferation of functionality is often driven by end user utilities, but it is the vision of NOJA Power that the innovation of great minds internationally can be implemented and shared to new users. Challenges which have been solved at one utility may also be the answer for others facing the same questions. Recent releases of firmware functionality such as ANSI 25 Synchrocheck, IEC 61499 and IEC 61850 are capabilities which have never before been included in a Recloser Controller. By providing training to end utility customers, NOJA Power is enabling its users to capitalise on the vast swathe of functionality available in their assets.

The Tesla Training Facility at NOJA Power’s Research and Development Centre is equipped with state of the art AV facilities. Comprehensive IT network integration and video capabilities allow for projection of HMI control panels to the visual screens. This capability allows students to become immersed with the technology on offer, ensuring that all attendants gain value from the class – not simply the students in the front of the class. Additionally, current model RC-10 controllers and legacy RC-01 controllers are standard equipment installed in this room, allowing trainees hands on experience with the exact same equipment which is deployed in over 40,000 installations worldwide.

NOJA Power offers training packages to utilities and end users which can be tailored to differing audiences based on requirements. NOJA Power’s Sales and Service team conduct training sessions for Protection Engineers, SCADA Teams, Field Test Technicians and Linespeople on a regular basis, and the Tesla Training Facility allows for these sessions to be conducted at NOJA Power.

“Employees are the most important asset a company has,” says NOJA Power Group Managing Director Neil O’Sullivan. “Investing in training for staff is investing in the most important asset of the business. Our Tesla Training Facility will allow our electricity utility customers to invest in their most important asset as well as NOJA Power investing in our own staff training.”

By capitalising on the capability and competence of their inhouse engineers, NOJA Power’s Tesla Training Facility is an ideal facility for the demonstration and education for end users of the OSM Recloser System. As the most advanced recloser system available today, the extra time taken to investigate and analyse the advanced capabilities in the recloser is well worth while. The Tesla Training Facility allows NOJA Power to build expertise and share knowledge with end users to continue to contribute technology advancements to the energy industry.