HAMLET — Another company in the utility industry has made a sizeable equipment donation to Richmond Community College’s Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology program.
International manufacturer of portable electrical test equipment Megger donated two test devices to the EUSRT program so students would have firsthand knowledge of how to use the equipment.
Megger donated a TTR20-1, which is a handheld, battery-operated transformer turns ratio tester that costs about $3,000, and a DET24C, which is an advanced clamp-on ground resistance tester that costs about $1,800.
“This is state-of-the-art equipment donated from an industry leader in electrical test equipment that supplies customers all over the world,” said EUSRT instructor Mark Rhyne, who worked with Megger Applications Engineer Jason Huneycutt to secure the donation. “We are very thankful for companies like Megger that partner with us to provide the highest quality of education for the next generation of relay technicians.”
Established in the late 1800s, Megger designs and manufactures instruments that perform electrical measurements for preventative maintenance, troubleshooting and commissioning.
The TTR20-1 allows the user to operate the test set while holding it in one hand, which speeds up testing time. It is particularly suited for testing in substations, transformer-manufacturing environments and meter shops.
The DET24C has set new standards in terms of access, performance, features, simplicity of operation and safety.
“Our students are learning cutting-edge technology in the utility industry, which makes them all the more qualified to go straight into the field after completing the two-year associate degree program,” Rhyne said. “Richmond Community College is turning out the best relay technicians the industry has seen, which is why the EUSRT program is gaining the attention of international leaders such as Megger.”
Dr. Dale McInnis, college president, said the goal when the EUSRT program was developed in 2011 was to prepare people for high-skill, high-demand, high-wage jobs.
“We are placing our students in lifelong careers while also meeting a huge demand for relay technicians and transformer specialists,” he said. “We may be a small college, but we’ve had a big impact on the utility industry, thanks to our partnership with many companies that have supported the program over the past six years.”