Models
ABB Relion Protective Relay Financing
Relay panels are often the last item quoted and the first item the project cannot proceed without. ABB Relion relay financing runs through our application-only process in 24 to 48 hours on transactions up to $400,000, so the relay package does not become the schedule item that holds up energization. Protective relay procurement for a substation or industrial facility is a real capital expense, and financing it over 48 to 60 months keeps those dollars available for other project needs.
The ABB Relion product family covers the IED range from the REF615 feeder protection relay and REL670 line differential relay through the REG650 generator protection relay and RET650 transformer protection relay. Relion relays are used in utility transmission and distribution substations, industrial bus protection schemes, generator protection panels, and transformer differential protection. They support IEC 61850 GOOSE communications, which makes them the specified choice on substations with modern digital protection schemes.
Relion Relay Projects And Cost Range
A medium-voltage substation relay package might include six to twelve Relion IEDs in a relay panel, each performing a specific protection function: feeder protection, bus protection, transformer differential, and breaker failure. Add the relay panel structure, CT and PT wiring, communications module, and testing, and a complete relay package for a 5-cubicle medium-voltage switchgear room runs $80,000 to $250,000 or more.
Utility distribution substations using Relion relays for feeder and bus protection represent a significant market. Utilities and electric cooperatives upgrading aging electromechanical protection to digital IEDs find that financing the relay package over 48 months aligns the cost with the expected operational benefit period.
Industrial facilities running large process motors use Relion relays for motor protection schemes, bus protection, and transformer differential protection. A motor protection panel for a large compressor or pump drive at a refinery might cost $60,000 to $120,000 for the Relion IEDs, panel structure, and wiring. Oil, gas, and petrochemical facilities run these projects regularly as part of safety and reliability upgrades.
Renewable energy projects use Relion relays at the substation and inverter isolation point for protection of collection feeders and interconnection equipment. Renewable energy and solar developers building generation assets need the relay package to be in place before interconnection commissioning.
The relays pair with the switchgear they protect. A complete protection scheme including protective relays and controls and the associated switchgear is often financed as a single package for efficiency.
Relay Package Financing: Application To Funded
The process: one-page credit application and three months of bank statements for transactions under $400,000. Decision in 24 to 48 hours. Funding within two weeks of approval. Larger relay packages require two years of business tax returns and current financials, but still fund within two weeks of a complete file.
For relay packages that are being procured early in a project while other equipment is still being designed, our progress and deposit financing allows early commitment without a large upfront cash outlay. The relay panel fabrication shop often requires a deposit at order; we fund that deposit and the balance on delivery.
Financing structure options include an equipment loan for buyers who want immediate title and maximum depreciation flexibility, or an equipment lease for buyers managing capital versus operating budget categories. The lease structure allows expensing the full monthly payment as an operating cost, which matters for facilities management budgets where capital approval thresholds are restrictive.
Who Uses Relion Relay Financing
Electrical contractors fabricating relay panels on behalf of an industrial or utility client are a primary group. A relay panel shop building a complete Relion protection scheme for a client's substation has a material cost of $60,000 to $150,000 in IEDs, panel structure, and wiring. Financing that procurement under the contractor entity improves the cash position throughout the build period.
Industrial plant owners upgrading protection schemes as part of a capital reliability program also use this financing. A plant that is converting from electromechanical relays to digital IEDs across multiple buses and feeders may have a relay upgrade program running $300,000 to $800,000 over two years. Financing each phase as it occurs keeps the program on schedule without requiring a large budget appropriation upfront.
Electrical contractors and engineering firms that design and build protection systems for utility clients find relay financing particularly useful on project-based work where the billing cycle lags the procurement cycle.
Price This Switchgear Financing Package
Send the quote, seller, lead time, deposit requirement, project location, and the electrical package scope. We will review the structure around the purchase schedule.
Review Switchgear TermsCommon Questions on ABB Relion Protective Relay Financing
Straight answers before you send the equipment file.
Can we finance the ABB Relion IEDs plus the relay panel fabrication cost together?
Relay panel fabrication cost on the same invoice as the IEDs can be included in the financed amount. The combined invoice is the basis for the financing. Keep IEDs and panel fabrication on the same PO or invoice for the cleanest structure.
We are buying Relion relays directly from the ABB distributor and building our own panels in-house. Does that change the financing?
Buying IEDs directly from a distributor is standard. The IED purchase is the collateral. In-house panel fabrication adds no collateral value from a financing standpoint, but the IED invoice itself is sufficient for the advance as long as the transaction meets the $50,000 minimum.
The relay scheme requires factory acceptance testing at the ABB lab. Can FAT costs be financed?
FAT charges on the same invoice as the equipment can often be included in the financed amount. Standalone service invoices are harder to finance separately. Structure the FAT charges as part of the equipment purchase order when possible.
Can an engineering firm (not an electrical contractor) finance relay packages they are procuring for a client project?
Yes. An engineering firm that is the buyer on the PO can finance the equipment under the engineering entity. The relay IEDs are the collateral. The engineering firm would typically need to be acting as the owner-agent or prime contractor on the project.
We have a Relion relay system that is two years old and fully paid off. Can we do a sale-leaseback to pull out cash?
Yes, if the equipment value supports the advance. Protective relay systems have real market value. We evaluate the current fair market value of the Relion system and structure a sale-leaseback at a term appropriate for the equipment's remaining service life. Contact us with the equipment details.
Review The ABB Relion Protective Relay Financing Package
Send the equipment quote, seller, lead time, deposit schedule, and project location. The finance desk will review the package against the actual procurement calendar.