What medium voltage equipment do you have in your area?

• A. Primary side of substation transformers
• B. Battery banks
• C. Secondary side of substation transformers (switch gear)
• D. Low voltage panels

Answer: (C)

Medium voltage equipment is what you find on the distribution side after a transformer steps the voltage down from high transmission levels. In a substation, the transformer’s secondary delivers that MV to switchgear, which includes circuit breakers, disconnects, and busbars that control and protect the MV feeders. This is the gear you’re most likely to encounter in the area for routine maintenance and operation.

The primary high-voltage side of the transformer is typically not encountered up close in many field settings, and battery banks are DC energy storage rather than medium voltage. Low voltage panels operate at voltages below MV. So the equipment on the transformer’s secondary, the MV switchgear, best represents the medium voltage equipment you would deal with in that area.