To avoid service disruption to their network of 20,000+ members, Salem Electric needed to find a robust, high-quality circuit breaker to deliver continuous power to the region.
Founded in 1938, Salem Electric is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that provides electricity to its consumer-members at cost. With the goal of supplying reliable electricity at affordable rates, Salem distributes power to its network of more than 20,000+ members across a 17.5 square mile service territory.
When the team at Salem Electric realized that one of the distribution breakers at their Salem, Oregon, substation was approaching end of life, they looked for a replacement breaker with a robust enclosure that could withstand the rainy climate of the Pacific Northwest. It was important to Salem that this new breaker would integrate seamlessly into their existing system, both from a physical form factor and technology standpoint. As early adopters of magnetic actuation for the primary operating mechanism, the team at Salem understood the benefits of such technology—particularly as it relates to reduction in maintenance time—and developed a preference for magnetically actuated circuit breakers. They were intrigued to learn that JST Power Equipment, a Florida-based power equipment manufacturer, offered a product that met all of their technical criteria and could also meet their project timeline…