GE Vernova unveils SF6-free circuit breaker for high-voltage grids
GE Vernova Inc. has launched a 420 kV, 63 kA CO₂-O₂ Live Tank Circuit Breaker, GL316c, at CIGRE Paris 2026, expanding its range of high-voltage transmission technologies for network operators upgrading and reinforcing transmission infrastructure.
The GL316c uses a carbon dioxide and oxygen (CO₂/O₂) mixture instead of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) as the insulating and interrupting medium. It is designed for transmission applications requiring a voltage rating of 420 kV and short-circuit breaking capability of up to 63 kA.
Circuit breakers are used in transmission substations to rapidly interrupt electricity flows during faults, protecting electrical equipment and supporting reliable operation of the power system.
“As transmission networks carry more power and operate under increasingly demanding conditions, equipment at the highest voltage levels has to deliver exceptional switching performance and reliability,” said Eric Chaussin, VP and CEO Power Transmission Business. “Advancing our CO₂-O₂ technology to 420 kV and 63 kA is an important engineering step, extending SF₆-free capability into applications where fault currents are among the most challenging on the network.”
Technology development
The GL316c builds on GE Vernova’s earlier development of a 420 kV, 50 kA circuit breaker under its “LIFE SF6-free HV Breaker” project, which was co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme.
Following that development, GE Vernova’s engineering teams conducted further testing and advanced the technology for applications requiring short-circuit breaking capability of up to 63 kA.
The circuit breaker expands GE Vernova’s GRiDEA portfolio, which includes technologies intended to support the safe, reliable and efficient operation of electricity networks while reducing reliance on SF₆. It also forms part of the company’s broader development of alternatives to fluorinated gases across its high-voltage equipment portfolio.
The 420 kV, 63 kA circuit breaker is planned to be manufactured at GE Vernova’s facility in Villeurbanne, France.
Photo credit: GE Vernova
