NOJA Power Expands EcoLink® Capability to 12.7kV SWER

NOJA Power announces the approval of EcoLink ® for deployment on 12.7 kV Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) networks , marking a meaningful step forward for rural and remote distribution systems. This advancement enhances the reliability and resilience of communities that depend on some of the world’s most challenging power networks.

SWER networks support many rural and remote communities, often operating without communications infrastructure and across long distances. These environments place high demands on equipment and make network reliability essential.

To ensure EcoLink ® could reliably operate in SWER conditions, NOJA Power’s Research & Development team undertook a dedicated program of assessment, modelling and field‑based validation. This included focused investigation into single‑phase stress characteristics, extended energisation scenarios, and a range of real‑world operating profiles.

Following this rigorous evaluation, EcoLink has now been released for use on 12.7 kV SWER networks, confirming its readiness to enhance automation and reliability in these essential systems.

With EcoLink in service, utilities can prevent wide‑area outages caused by fuse operations and avoid voltage regulation issues that occur when remote SWER reactors are left isolated after a fault. In regions where equipment may sit hundreds of kilometres from support crews and operate with no communications infrastructure, EcoLink also helps reduce long fault‑finding journeys and restore stability more quickly. This approval represents a practical step forward in improving service continuity and operational efficiency across remote distribution networks.

With the availability of 12.7 kV SWER, EcoLink’s applicability broadens across rural distribution networks worldwide, supporting regions that rely on single‑phase systems such as those found throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and other areas using 11–13 kV rural feeders. For example, Queensland alone operates more than 65,000 kilometres of SWER lines across vast remote areas, illustrating the scale and value of automation in these networks.

“EcoLink’s approval for 12.7 kV SWER marks an important step forward in our mission to support safer, more reliable distribution networks,” said Neil O’Sullivan, NOJA Power Group Managing Director.

“Rural and remote communities deserve the same quality of service as urban areas, and EcoLink helps utilities modernise some of the most challenging parts of their networks. We are excited to partner with utilities to bring these benefits to life.”

For more information, visit www.nojapower.com or contact your local NOJA Power Distributor.