Hitachi Energy is strengthening its Indian transformer insulation production by aiming to double its capacity for pressboards according to the IEC standard. The factory in Mysore, India, is expected to become an ultra-low carbon pressboard production facility in 2027 with no fossil fuel use for process heat generation and procurement of fossil-free electricity. It is a clear demonstration of our deep commitment to driving innovation and sustainability and supporting the communities where we operate.
Driving local production, supporting the community
In India, a shortage of high-quality insulation is currently affecting domestic transformer customers, as these are imported and subject to supply chain constraints. With a new investment, Hitachi Energy is expanding the capacity of the Mysore factory to produce the in-demand 800 kV class pressboards to serve India and the global market. Part of the investment is the installation of top-of-the-line pressboard lamination machinery.
This advancement introduces several key benefits across the value chain. It ensures sustained supply and protects customers from global disruptions and uplifts local production by prioritizing locally manufactured pressboards.
Moreover, by increasing domestic production, transportation and logistics requirements are minimized, resulting in a lower carbon footprint. The expansion will also involve upgrading the facility to serve the 765 kV transformer market in India—a sector not yet supported by the existing capacity of local factories.
The planned facility expansion will create new employment opportunities for engineering graduates of local universities and colleges and other members of the local community.
“With this expansion, we are proud to provide the technology and capacity to support the industry supply chain and thus contribute to the continued development of India’s electrical grid and the accelerated energy transition. It follows a series of strategic investments around the globe, such as our capacity expansion in composites in Pitea, Sweden, or our recently announced bushing investments in Halol, India, and Alamo, Tennessee. As we keep supporting our partners and enabling overall industry growth, we will keep expanding and announcing further projects down the road.” Helmut Bockshammer, Global Product Group Manager Transformer Components and Insulation Business Unit, Transformers.
Advancing sustainability
As part of our commitment to Hitachi Energy’s sustainability 2030 targets, our teams are taking strong actions to reduce Hitachi Energy’s environmental footprint and use resources more efficiently. At our Mysore facility, we will take a pioneering step by replacing the last fossil fuel boiler, ensuring this becomes a pressboard production site that does not use fossil fuels for process heat generation. The facility already consumes only fossil-fuel-free electricity.
This is in addition to Mysore’s existing sustainable initiatives that were implemented over the last couple of years:
- Water and wastewater management: Treated water from the Sewage Treatment Plant and the Effluent Treatment Plant is recycled to reduce freshwater consumption. By 2024, freshwater usage had already decreased by 22 percent compared to the 2019 base year.
- Waste management: We achieved a 100 percent total recovered waste rate in 2024, ensuring that all generated waste was recycled or reused, with zero waste sent to landfills. By reusing waste pulp, the Mysore facility reduces landfill disposal, conserves raw materials, and lowers costs.
- Green infrastructure: On our Mysore campus, we continue to maintain a vibrant green cover that supports biodiversity, improves air quality, and enhances employees’ well-being.
These initiatives directly contribute to Hitachi Energy’s global goals on carbon reduction, water efficiency, and circularity, showing how each step brings Hitachi Energy closer to a sustainable energy future.
The barrier inside a transformer
The Mysore factory produces transformer insulation pressboards and laminated boards. Insulation material acts as a proactive barrier, ensuring the flow of oil for cooling and preventing electrical breakdowns inside a transformer.
Pressboard is manufactured from pure, unbleached cellulose taken from long-fibered coniferous wood. With their high chemical purity, strength, and oil impregnability, they are mainly used as insulation in liquid-filled transformers.
Laminated board offers higher stability, compression resistance, and better electrical insulation than natural wood. Pre-compressed laminated boards are simply high-density boards glued together.
Hitachi Energy transformer insulation pressboard materials are used up to the market’s highest voltage and current ratings, covering the full range of liquid-filled transformers.
Meeting customer demands
Today, there is a significant gap between demand and availability of transformers and components in India and globally. The expansion of Hitachi Energy’s Mysore facility is a strategic response to address this shortage by boosting the supply of insulation material across India and markets like the U.A.E., Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, Korea, and South Africa. With the expansion, Hitachi Energy will be able to meet the demands of global customers while supporting its long-term sustainability goals.
With these developments at the Mysore location, Hitachi Energy will be able to continue serving internal and external customers while supporting the community and working toward achieving our long-term sustainability goals.
The project will be completed by mid-2027, marking a key milestone in Hitachi Energy’s long-term growth in India.
