The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), on May 14, 2026, issued a notification regarding the Standardization of Technical Specifications for CRGO Core Distribution Transformers.
The following has been stated:-
•The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), in coordination with the All India Discoms Association (AIDA), has finalized the standard technical specifications for single-phase and three-phase CRGO core distribution transformers.
•Formulated by a specialized committee comprising experts from the CEA, DISCOMs, IEEMA, and ISGF, these guidelines aim to harmonize procurement practices and design ratings across member power distribution companies.
•Because distribution transformers contribute significantly to technical network losses, these standards strictly enforce energy-efficiency compliance, requiring mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) star ratings.
•The documentation provides precise engineering criteria, specifying low-loss cold-rolled grain-oriented steel laminations, double paper-covered aluminium conductors, and robust outdoor-sealed tank construction.
•Furthermore, comprehensive multi-stage inspection procedures—including short-circuit, impulse voltage, and raw material verification tests are mandated to guarantee a minimum operational design life of 25 years.
•Complementing this initiative, standardized technical specifications for amorphous core distribution transformers are concurrently under preparation and will be published shortly.
The detailed notification is given in the document below.
[Notification No.: CEA-GO-16/1/2026-DPT/91]
