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ERDA News, Volume: 42, Issue No: 1, January-March 2025
51st Foundation Day Celebration
ERDA proudly celebrated its 51st Foundation Day on March 13th, 2025, marking over five decades of service to the power sector. The day began with a formal morning ceremony attended by esteemed guests, customers, and Managing Committee Members, and concluded with an engaging cultural program in the evening, reflecting the spirit and legacy of ERDA.
ERDA had the honour of welcoming Mr. Somes Bandyopadhyay, Managing Director of GSECL, as the Guest of Honour on its 51st Foundation Day. In his address, he shared valuable insights on unity, collaboration, and visionary leadership. His words left a lasting impact, inspiring the ERDA team to move ahead with renewed energy and commitment. His message served as a timely reminder of the values that have guided ERDA’s journey and will continue to shape its future growth.
During the Foundation Day celebration, Chief Guest Mr. A.B. Chaudhari, Chief Electrical Inspector, Gujarat State delivered an impactful address in which he acknowledged ERDA’s significant contributions to the electrical industry. He appreciated the dedication of ERDA’s team and stakeholders who have played a vital role in its journey. His words served as a reminder of the organization’s achievements and a call to continue advancing with a spirit of innovation, excellence, and shared progress.
President Mr. Tapan Tripathy shared inspiring thoughts on ERDA’s journey, highlighting the achievements, future aspirations, and the collective effort behind its success. He emphasized the importance of recognizing the dedication of the team and the unwavering trust of customers, acknowledging how together, ERDA has illuminated lives and strengthened communities for over five decades.
Director’s Speech
(Abstract of Director’s speech is as given below)
On the occasion of ERDA’s 51st Foundation Day, the Director addressed the organization’s stakeholders with a detailed account of its accomplishments over the past year and shared the roadmap for the future.
ERDA’s membership has grown to 368, including 314 Life Members, with 10 new members added during the year. This growth reflects ERDA’s expanding influence and continued relevance in India’s power sector.
As part of its commitment to infrastructure development, ERDA inaugurated two major facilities: a state-of-the-art Solar Inverter Testing Laboratory to meet MNRE and BIS requirements, and a Low Voltage Switchgear Testing Laboratory at Savli conforming to IEC 61439 standards. Several facilities were upgraded to meet increasing market demand, including a fully automated 5000 hour multi-stress insulator testing system and an in-house NABL-accredited energy standard calibration setup.
The Rajahmundry laboratory has been relocated to a larger facility, enabling expansion into new transformer oil and cable testing services. Similarly, the Rabale laboratory is undergoing infrastructure redevelopment, with operations temporarily shifted to Nerul.
Solar PV module safety testing facilities have also been expanded in line with updated MNRE guidelines.
ERDA maintained its accreditations under ISO 17025, ISO 17020, and ISO 27001 and expanded the scope of BIS and NABL recognitions at multiple locations. The organization also completed 13 external and 146 internal audits, reflecting its continued focus on quality.
Through business development activities, ERDA secured approximately ₹15 crore in business during 2024–25, participated in 98 tenders, and won 38 valued at ₹4 crore. Foreign business amounted to ₹5.5 crore, during the year 2024-25 for the products including Panel, bus ducts, Transformer, Cable, Energy Meter, CRGO, RCCB, MCCB, MPCB and Onsite Calibration activity.
ERDA also received approval from KAHRAMAA (Qatar) as a third-party laboratory. Outreach initiatives under the “Sampark” banner and participation in five national exhibitions further enhanced visibility and customer engagement.
HR initiatives included leadership training programs at IIMs for senior officers, 241 man-days of technical training, and 739 man-days of soft skills training. A structured Organizational Transformation Programme was initiated with expert guidance to improve service quality, employee motivation, and customer satisfaction.
Director also shared a forward-looking agenda that includes 15 upcoming solar PV module test setups, new inverter and EV supply equipment testing facilities, seismic and lightning arrester evaluation, and the establishment of two new utility labs. A major highlight is the purchase of 9.56 acres of industrial land at Jhajjar, Haryana, where a new integrated testing campus will be developed in phases to serve northern India.
In conclusion, the Director acknowledged the valuable contributions of ERDA’s committee members, customers, employees, and government departments. He extended gratitude to all stakeholders for their continued support and reaffirmed ERDA’s commitment to innovation, service excellence, and national development.
B. Inauguration of New Laboratories
ERDA marked its 51st Foundation Day with the inauguration of several advanced test facilities, signifying a major step forward in its journey of growth and innovation. The upgrades were highlighted as a testament to ERDA’s continued commitment to technical excellence and industry leadership. These developments are expected to open new avenues for the organization and strengthen its role in advancing the power sector.
250 KVA Solar Inverter Test Facility
As part of the Foundation Day celebrations, ERDA inaugurated a state-of-the-art Solar Inverter Test Facility. This initiative responds to the rising demand for mandatory inverter testing under the Quality Control Order issued in The Gazette of India by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), in accordance with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act. The facility is equipped to conduct a wide range of tests, including:
- Safety Tests as per IEC 62109 / IS 16221 (Part 1 & 2)
- Anti-Islanding Tests as per IEC 62116 / IS 16169
- Efficiency Tests – MPPT & conversion efficiency as per IEC 62891 / IS 17980 & EN 50530
- Grid Connectivity Tests as per IEC 61727, CEA, and MNRE guidelines
Low Voltage Switchgear and Control Gear Assembly Testing Facility at ERDA Savli
The Foundation Day also marked the inauguration of ERDA’s new Low Voltage Switchgear and Control Gear Assembly Testing Facility at Savli. Developed in line with IEC 61439 series standards, the facility is designed to carry out a wide range of critical tests.
This facility will conduct comprehensive range to tests including:
- Verification of temperature rise limits
- Verification of dielectric properties
- Verification of short circuit withstand strength
- Clearance and creepage distance
- Effectiveness of protective circuits
- Lifting and marking
- Glow wire test
- Thermal stability test
- Mechanical operation test
Precision Primary Energy Standard Calibration Laboratory
ERDA has developed an in-house state of art NABL accredited reference energy standard calibration facility to calibrate up to 50 ppm energy master. It is an automated one stop solution covering wide range of multi parameters systems covering range of 1 mA – 200 A, 0 – 600 V, 0.01 Lag to 0.01 Lead & up to 100th Harmonics orders.
ERDA Rajahmundry Laboratory
Established in 2006 to serve the South-Eastern region of India, ERDA South at Rajahmundry initially offered services such as Transformer Oil Testing (including DGA as per IS 1866), Energy Meter Testing, and Calibration of Energy Meters both in the lab and onsite. In response to growing industry demand, the facility has now been relocated to a significantly larger premises—offering nearly three times the floor area and approximately twenty times more open space. With upgraded infrastructure and enhanced test capabilities, the new facility is equipped to expand its scope to include comprehensive testing of both used and new transformer oils (mineral and ester), as well as new testing capabilities for distribution transformers and cables
5000 Hr Multiple Stress Test Facility
To reduce long waiting time at its semi-automated facility, ERDA has now established an additional fully automated test facility for polymeric insulators, to assess material properties under combined environmental stresses—temperature, humidity, rain, salt fog, UV radiation, and high voltage for 5000 hrs as per IEC 62730.
C. Cultural Program
As part of the Foundation Day celebrations, a vibrant cultural evening was held to honour our rich heritage and diverse traditions. The event provided a meaningful opportunity for employees and their families to connect, reflect, and celebrate together. The evening featured captivating performances, delectable cuisine, and concluded with the symbolic Holika Dahan—an expression of renewal and unity. It was a remarkable celebration that captured the spirit of ERDA and our shared journey forward.
