The new transformer financed by FEDER funds from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and the CNRS is installed on the CNRS campus in Grenoble!

The Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Intenses, one of the major research infrastructure of the CNRS, is now directly connected at the national level to the 225,000 V high voltage grid of « RTE ».

September 28, 2023; arrival of the 60 MVA 225 kV/15 kV transformer from SIEMENS-Italy via the Fréjus tunnel.

The transformer and its heat exchangers in its dedicated building, ready for service to users.

With a power of 60 MVA, this transformer now increases, from 24 to 30 MW, the power distributed to electromagnets for intense magnetic fields. Equipped with a new generation of fast response voltage regulator, this transformer allows a better management of the network voltage during the magnetic field’s rise and fall phases which are controlled by the researchers.

The immediate benefit for the international community of users is a better stability and an increased safety margin during their experiments in very intense fields. Furthermore, ongoing tests and developments of magnets aim to increase the magnetic field values ​​available in different configurations taking advantage of this additional power now available.

Finally, direct connection at a high voltage level allows us to reduce joule losses and become a player in the regulation of the national electricity network. These are essential building blocks for working towards the long-term sustainability of our scientific activities !