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Power Transformer and Distribution Transformer Compared
The two words get used interchangeably and they are not the same equipment. The split is where the unit sits on the grid and how hard it is loaded.
| Power transformer | Distribution transformer | |
|---|---|---|
| Voltage class | Above 33 kV, often 66 to 765 kV | Below 33 kV, typically 4.16 to 34.5 kV |
| Typical rating | 5 MVA and up, into hundreds of MVA | 5 kVA to 2500 kVA |
| Where it sits | Generation and transmission substations | The last step before the customer |
| Loading | Near full load most of the day | Varies constantly, peaks a few hours |
| Designed for | Maximum efficiency at full load | Best all-day efficiency across a varying load |
| Cooling | Forced oil and air, radiators, sometimes water | Usually self cooled, ONAN |
| Lead time now | Three to five years | Forty to sixty weeks, or days from stock |
Which you actually need
If it is feeding a building, a plant or a site, it is a distribution transformer, and a pad-mounted unit is the most common form of one. If it is stepping transmission voltage down at a substation, it is a power transformer and it is a different purchase entirely, with a different lead time and a different price per kVA.
Working from a specification that uses one of these terms loosely? Send it over and we will tell you which equipment it is actually calling for, before you order the wrong thing. Get a quote or call 786 220 2801.