I am extremely proud and fortunate to have undergone my engineering graduate studies at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India, and post-graduation at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. These institutions provided me with a strong knowledge base and instilled a lasting passion for the subject. What I had learnt during my seven years of stay in these institutes has remained permanently embedded in my brain and has enabled me to remain focussed on a lifetime career in engineering. I am grateful to the learned faculty of these institutions.

I have benefited from catalogues and publications of leading power equipment manufacturers such as ABB, ALSTOM, AZZ, EATON, GE, SCHNEIDER, MITSUBISHI, SIEMENS among others, and technical literature published by the Copper Development Association, UK, and the Aluminum Association USA.

I am grateful to ABB, AZZ, MOSER-GLAZER, MDF, MWB, SIEMENS, COPPER ALLIANCE for permitting me to use the information in their catalogues/publications that are in the public domain.

I have drawn inspiration from the original works of some of the giants in the industries and utilities. Maxwell stands as a colossus among them. Works of Arnold, Dwight, and Rosa will remain classics in the field. Contributions of Ashdown, Albright, Butcha, Conangla, Carlson, Deans, Frick, Harris, Killian, Mankoff, Niemoller, Sayre, Schurig, Shores, Skeets, Swerdlow, Van Nostrand, White, Wilson, Woodruff, Wyman, and many others have been immense. It is impossible to list the names of all the distinguished scientists and engineers who have contributed to a better understanding of the subject in this field and I owe them an apology. It is all the more awe-inspiring when I realize that they did not have access to modern-day computing facilities available in the cheapest lap-top! The industry is reaping the benefits of their brilliance and hard work.

Procedures and recommendations detailed by the American National Standard Institute – Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (ANSI/IEEE) the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and are a great source of information in a condensed form since they are the outcome of deliberations by experts. They have helped me appreciate the manufacturing processes and the installation, testing, and commissioning activities.

Type Testing of the product at the various testing facilities and laboratories has been a learning experience. They have provided enormous inputs and considerably enhanced my understanding of the subject and the product.

Years of working in the industry, interacting with design engineers and staff at works and installation site have been an invaluable experience. Some of the brilliant solutions to practical problems have originated from shop-floor operatives.

I credit my wife Kamala who helped me remain focused on my career and encouraged me to document my experiences in a book, in the present form.