Schneider Electric has announced a collaboration with Southern California Edison (SCE) to deploy SF₆-free, gas-insulated switchgear at existing electric substations in California. The technology uses pure air and vacuum instead of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), a greenhouse gas commonly used in electric utility equipment. According to Schneider Electric, the compact technology is expected to help double capacity within the existing substation footprint.
The company will provide SF₆-free medium-voltage switchgear integrated into compact, preassembled and enclosed substation systems designed for faster installation. The deployments are intended to help SCE connect new customers more quickly while maintaining reliable and affordable electric service across its territory. The first two projects will take place at the Great Lakes substation in the Antelope Valley region of northern Los Angeles County and the Running Springs substation in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles. Both are existing facilities on SCE’s grid, with installation scheduled to begin in 2027. The projects are expected to support SCE’s broader plans to scale similar substation modernization approaches over time.
Southern California Edison is deploying Schneider Electric’s compact, SF₆-free gas-insulated switchgear at existing California substations to help expand grid capacity faster, reduce emissions and support growing electricity demand. (Photo courtesy of Schneider Electric)
Southern California Edison is deploying Schneider Electric’s compact, SF₆-free gas-insulated switchgear at existing California substations to help expand grid capacity faster, reduce emissions and support growing electricity demand.
“Our customers and communities are becoming increasingly dependent on electricity,” said Shinjini Menon, Senior Vice President, System Planning & Engineering for SCE. “Demand continues to grow at an unprecedented pace across our service area, and we are committed to updating our grid architecture so that we can energize customers faster and keep electric bills affordable. Compact switchgear has a smaller footprint, can be installed quicker, and is safe and reliable by design. It is also digital-ready and environmentally friendly, making it a key component of our grid buildout going forward.”
The project reflects a broader shift toward standardized, modular substation designs that can be deployed more efficiently to meet rising electricity demand.
“Utilities shouldn’t have to choose between speed, cost and clean energy,” said Ruben Llanes, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Grid, and President, North America Power & Grid, Schneider Electric. “This enables SCE to bring new capacity online faster, manage project costs and reduce emissions at the same time.”
The SCE deployment will use Schneider Electric’s GMAirSeT™ switchgear, which replaces SF₆ gas with pure air and vacuum technology to help reduce emissions while maintaining reliable electric service. Its compact, modular design allows SCE to modernize substations without undertaking full rebuilds. This approach can help bring new capacity online faster, make better use of existing space, minimize disruptions to surrounding communities and simplify ongoing maintenance.
SF₆-free medium-voltage technology has seen widespread adoption in Europe and parts of Asia, but its use in U.S. utility substations has been more limited. The SCE projects demonstrate how utilities can deploy alternatives to traditional SF₆-based equipment while maintaining performance and reliability. In California, utilities are working to expand capacity, integrate new electrical loads and meet evolving environmental requirements. New York has also enacted regulations supporting the phasedown of SF₆ in gas-insulated electrical equipment.
“California and New York are advancing electrification and grid modernization, and meeting this moment requires deep collaboration between utilities and technology partners,” said Michele Hix, Vice President, Strategic Customers & Segments, North America Operations, Schneider Electric. “Innovations like these not only expand capacity and strengthen infrastructure, but also lay the foundation for a more resilient, digital and decarbonized energy future across the U.S.”
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a global energy technology leader focused on electrification, automation and digitalization. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, homes and electric grids to operate as open and interconnected ecosystems, helping improve performance, resilience, efficiency and sustainability. The company’s portfolio includes intelligent electrical devices, industrial automation and control systems, software-defined architectures, artificial intelligence-enabled systems, digital services and advisory capabilities. Schneider Electric has approximately 160,000 employees and works with approximately one million partners in more than 100 countries. For more information about Schneider Electric’s smart-grid solutions, please click here.
About Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States and a subsidiary of Edison International. The company delivers electricity to approximately 15 million people across a 50,000-square-mile service territory in Central, Coastal and Southern California. SCE operates and maintains an extensive network of transmission lines, distribution circuits and substations. The utility is investing in grid modernization, electrification, wildfire mitigation and clean-energy infrastructure to support California’s growing and evolving electricity requirements. For more information, please click here.
Source/Photo Credit: Schneider Electric
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Molly Bakewell Chamberlin is the Founder, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Components Source Network, a 100% woman- and disability-owned B2B publishing and expert marketplace platform serving the global high-tech manufacturing and engineering community. She is the architect, author and developer of the Network’s 11 specialized e-news sites and 11 peer-vetted expert e-marketplaces, including Industrial Sustainability Monthly. With more than 25 years of experience in strategic technical marketing, public relations and business development, she is also the Founder and President of Embassy Global, LLC, which has supported more than 200 high-tech industry brands worldwide since 2008. Molly also serves pro bono as Second Vice Chair of the Government Team for the WBENC Forum and is a long-standing advocate for small business, supplier diversity, sustainability and women in STEM. Connect with Molly on LinkedIn.
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