Prolec

Ricardo Suarez, CEO In 2020, the U.S. alone consumed 3.8 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the trajectory will move upward by 2.1 percent in 2021 and another 1.3 percent in 2022. These numbers clearly indicate that electrical energy consumption will increase at an incremental pace, and the scale would become enormous enough to adversely impact our ability to ensure reliable and economical delivery of electricity.

Though the U.S. Transmission and Distribution (T&D) system is considered a monumental engineering achievement, the technologies that go into delivering power from nearly 3000 power plants across the country are dated. It clearly lacks the required capabilities to address the needs of the evolving economy. For instance, the entire world is gradually moving toward renewable energy, and the use of electric vehicles and smart appliances is becoming mainstream. With limited capability, T&D systems cannot accommodate renewable energy sources (which accounted for nearly 20 percent of the overall electricity generation in 2020). Utilizing renewable resources located away from major load centers is also a problem, as this can’t be achieved without making several additions to the existing T&D systems. The emergence of load control and power quality needs also require innovative solutions to maintain the network’s dependability. In parallel, the complete modernization of traditional T&D systems has become essential to support the global effort to “go green”.

At the forefront of overcoming these challenges is Prolec!

“Today, more than ever, we must look forward; the world is changing, and so are we,” says Ricardo Suarez, CEO, Prolec. “We must renew ourselves, evolve, and be responsible and committed to positively impact all the communities in which we are present.”

With over five decades of industry experience and products installed in more than 35 countries, Prolec is a leader in offering power delivery solutions. The company focuses mainly on energy companies (Utilities), conventional and renewable power generation industry, companies in the electrical construction (EPCs), as well as the industrial and commercial industries, associations, and municipalities—all of whom are determined to offer the most reliable power supply to its users.

The Legacy of Innovation

The origin of Prolec goes back to 1957, when Jorge L. Garza, with the support of his father, Rómulo Garza, founded Conductores Monterrey. This company was dedicated to the production of bare wire and low voltage cable. With time, they grew exponentially and became a part of Xignux, an important Mexican consortium with strong participation in the electrical energy and food sectors. Prolec began its operations in 1969, with the acquisition of an IEI company and a small factory of electrical transformers for distribution. In 1979, the company moved to the state of Nuevo León, in northwestern Mexico, where a new plant was built.

Starting in the 1990s, a Culture of Total Quality was established in these companies, with the collaboration of the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) and the Quality Center of ITESM (Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education,) one of the most prestigious universities in Mexico. “In 1995, Xignux and General Electric established a joint venture resulting in Prolec GE.” This joint venture managed to significantly increase the range of products—three-phase pedestals, residential, and industrial transformers were added to power transformers. “When the joint venture began, it only covered power transformers.

Thanks to the positive outcomes, the scope gradually extended to the other product lines,” says Suarez. In mid-2020, this strategic alliance got a strong foothold in the American continent with the integration of two new business units, one in Louisiana (the U.S.) and the other in Canoas (Brazil). This allowed Prolec GE to include ‘network’ transformers, voltage regulators, ‘phase shifters’ transformers, and HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) regulators in its product portfolio. “Ingraining Xignux’s philosophy, we significantly increased manufacturing capacity while maintaining product quality,” Suarez says.

Harnessing the Partner Pedigree to Innovate

Prolec’s rich history undoubtedly exemplifies its efforts to stay in path of excellence and be an important agent of change. It’s always been in Prolec’s DNA to address the needs of the hour by leveraging the knowledge and expertise attained from the days past. That’s why Prolec today is undergoing a visual change at an institutional and commercial level.