Three Engineered Portfolios. One Utility Partner.

MacLean Power Systems engineers and manufactures three connected utility portfolios. Each is designed for a specific operational moment — installation, daily switching and protection, and transmission infrastructure — and all three are built to the same engineering standard, supplied to Canadian utilities through Rexel Utility.

MPS ERGO inline disconnect, installation-efficient distribution hardware

ERGO Inline Disconnects

Installation efficiency and safer field deployment.

MPS Inertia three-phase recloser with SCADA-ready interface

Inertia Switching & Protection

Distribution reclosers, switches (including the GOVB gang operated vacuum break switch), and SCADA-ready protection devices.

MPS engineered transmission hardware assembly

Engineered Transmission Hardware

Utility-grade assemblies and structural infrastructure components.

Plus the engineering layers that cut across all three: safety and efficiency design, automation and SCADA integration, and ANSI/IEEE/CSA standards compliance.

Installation Efficiency, Engineered Into the Hardware.

ERGO is MPS’s installation-efficient inline disconnect platform — engineered around the operational reality of distribution work: thinner crews, tighter schedules, more time on energized assets than anyone wants. ERGO installs below the line: a lineman twists the switch into place by hand, with no fire-on tool, so there are no misfires, no jams, and no wedge-driven connections to correct after the fact. A built-in range-taking connector system inside the switch body lets it work across conductor sizes without a separate, conductor-specific connector — the switch effectively functions like a tool. The design eliminates steps from the install procedure, reduces the tooling load a crew brings to the pole, and — where utility procedure permits — supports single-person installation.

Key ERGO capabilities

  • Below-the-line installation — the lineman works below live lines rather than above or between energized conductors, cutting exposure during the highest-risk part of the job.
  • Tool-free, fire-on-free install — the switch twists into place by hand, eliminating the misfires, jams, and failed connections associated with fire-on wedge tools.
  • Built-in range-taking connector system inside the switch body — no external connector dependent on a specific conductor size; the switch functions like a tool across conductor ranges.
  • Glove-friendly key ring nuts — secured with hardware crews can handle with gloves on, simplifying the install.
  • In-line sectionalizing — isolates only the damaged section of line so the rest of the circuit stays energized during repairs, limiting customer outages and speeding restoration.
  • Single-person installation capability where permitted by utility operating procedure.
  • Compatible with standard distribution line configurations across Canadian utility voltage classes.

Distribution Switching, Built for the Modern Grid.

Inertia is MPS’s distribution switching and protection portfolio — engineered for utilities that need field hardware ready to participate in automation, SCADA integration, and modern fault-management workflows on day one. Reclosers, switches, and protection devices share consistent communications and sensing interfaces, so a utility’s modernization roadmap doesn’t depend on swapping vendors per voltage class.

Inertia product groups:

MPS Inertia distribution recloser with automated reclosing capability

Distribution Reclosers

Automated reclosing with sensing, communications interfaces, and SCADA-ready integration for fault isolation and restoration workflows.

MPS Inertia AMPVAC distribution load-break switch

Distribution Switches

Load-break and disconnect switches, including the GOVB gang operated vacuum break switch, engineered for operational control, fault management, and integration into automation programs.

MPS Inertia protection device and surge arrester

Protection Devices

Engineered protection products supporting overcurrent, fault detection, and coordinated relay schemes across the distribution network.

Two isometric CAD views of a railway bogie showing suspension springs, brake components, and steel frame.

GOVB — Gang Operated Vacuum Break Switch

The GOVB is MPS’s gang operated vacuum break switch — a load-break switching alternative to the traditional gang operated air break (GOAB) design. Instead of breaking load in open air, the GOVB interrupts current inside a sealed vacuum chamber, removing the arc from the environment entirely. For Canadian utilities managing wildfire exposure on distribution feeders, that eliminates a major open-air ignition source while preserving the visible air gap operators rely on.

Vacuum interruption and wildfire safety:
  • Current is interrupted inside a sealed vacuum chamber, preventing exposure to the surrounding environment.
  • Removing open-air arcs eliminates a major ignition source in dry, high-risk regions — fire-safer load-break switching for wildfire-prone areas.
  • Consistent, fire-safe operation even under extreme conditions.
Targeted, cost-effective sectionalizing:
  • Isolates specific feeder sections without requiring a recloser at every location — efficient sectionalizing without over-investing in equipment.
  • Compatible with existing GOAB switches, simplifying retrofits.
  • Ideal for open points or segments where fault interruption is managed upstream.
  • In-line disconnects provide a visible air gap, enhancing field-personnel safety.
Flexible, communication-ready operation:
  • Supports manual handle, hookstick, or motor operation for maximum flexibility.
  • Configurations allow interlocking disconnects and load/source voltage and current sensing.
  • Fully compatible with modern communication systems for remote monitoring and SCADA operation.
  • Robust vacuum switching design reduces mechanical failure risk and maintenance vs. exposed legacy mechanisms.

Operational capabilities across the Inertia portfolio

SCADA-ready interfaces for utility automation platform integration.

Communications and sensing capability for fault visibility, restoration speed, and operational analytics.

Fault management designed to convert sustained outages into momentary events where the network supports it.

Outdoor utility-grade construction engineered for North American climate and operating conditions.

Transmission-Class Assemblies. Engineered Per Application.

MPS’s engineered transmission portfolio supplies utility-grade hardware and structural assemblies for transmission infrastructure projects. The portfolio is designed to scale distribution capabilities into transmission applications, so utilities can specify across voltage classes — and projects can move between distribution and transmission scope — from one engineering partner.

Transmission portfolio scope:

  • Engineered structural hardware for transmission infrastructure
  • Utility-grade assemblies fabricated to project specifications
  • Scalable across distribution-to-transmission voltage classes
  • Project-specific kitting via MPS application engineering

Transmission projects move at a different pace than distribution work — longer engineering lead times, more specification iteration, and tighter project gating. MPS’s transmission engineering is built into the supply relationship rather than treated as a separate channel.

Designed to Take Steps Out of the Highest-Risk Work.

Across ERGO, Inertia, and the Transmission portfolio, MPS engineers products around a consistent principle: take the highest-risk steps out of utility work where the hardware can absorb that complexity instead of the crew. The result is a portfolio designed for safer installs, simpler operations, and reduced exposure during the moments when the cost of getting it wrong is highest.

How this shows up in the field:

Reduced install complexity

ERGO eliminates tooling and lift steps that legacy inline disconnects require — and the steps that get cut are typically the ones with the highest injury risk.

One-person install capability where permitted

ERGO supports single-person install under utility-approved procedure, which directly addresses crew availability pressure.

Reduced tooling load

Less specialized equipment on the truck means less staging time, less to misplace, and faster job turnover.

Utility-focused safety design

Inertia switching and protection devices are engineered around operator exposure reduction, not generic industrial safety language.

Arc-free load-break switching

The GOVB interrupts current inside a sealed vacuum chamber, removing the open-air arcing that drives wildfire ignition risk on distribution feeders.

SCADA-Ready, Sensing-Capable, Modernization-Aligned.

Modernization on the Canadian grid is a multi-year program, not a single deployment. MPS engineers Inertia switching and protection hardware to plug into that program rather than be replaced by it — communications interfaces, sensing capability, and SCADA integration are built into the product line, not added later as accessories.

From Field Hardware to Utility Automation Platform

How MPS Inertia switching and protection devices integrate with utility SCADA, analytics, and DERMS-adjacent platforms.

Field Hardware

MPS Inertia portfolio

  • 1
    Inertia Reclosers
    Coordinated reclosing
    Fault interruption
  • 2
    Inertia Switches
    Motor-operated isolation
    Remote switching control
  • 3
    Protection Devices
    Relays and protection logic
    Fault detection at the asset

DEPLOYED AT
Distribution feeders, substations, reclosing pole tops, pad-mount gear

Telemetry

Communications & Sensing

SCADA-ready, vendor-neutral

SENSING SIGNALS
Switch position · Recloser operation · Fault detection · Load and voltage

SCADA INTERFACES
DNP3 · IEC 61850 · Modbus
Engineered into the device, not bolted on

COMMUNICATIONS PATHS
Fiber · Cellular · Mesh radio · Serial
Plug into existing utility backhaul

DESIGNED IN, NOT ADDED LATER
No accessory kits. No third-party retrofits. Modernization-ready from day one of deployment.

SCADA

Utility Automation Platform

Operations, analytics, planning

  • 1
    Operator Console / SCADA
    Real-time switching control
    Fault location on the map
  • 2
    Operational Analytics
    CAIDI / SAIDI reporting
    Outage and event analysis
  • 3
    DERMS / ADMS
    DER orchestration inputs
    Modernization roadmap targets

OPERATIONAL OUTCOME
Sustained outages convert to momentary events. Metrics move.

Why This Matters for Modernization

Communications-ready from day one. Hardware plugs into utility comms platforms as those roll out — no field swap.

Vendor-neutral interfaces. Integration works across major utility automation vendors — no lock-in on the modernization investment.

Incremental rollout. Modernize one substation or feeder at a time without retiring still-useful field hardware.

Modern-grid capabilities:

Communications and sensing integration

Standardized interfaces support utility communications platforms across vendor environments.

Smart-grid alignment

Inertia devices are engineered for the automation, fault management, and DERMS-adjacent workflows utilities are deploying now.

Operational visibility

Field-level sensing and reporting feed the operational analytics utilities use to drive CAIDI/SAIDI improvement programs.

Future-aligned design

Hardware deployed today stays useful as automation rolls out — modernization is incremental, not a forklift replacement.

Sensing and interlocking on switching

GOVB configurations support load/source voltage and current sensing and interlocking disconnects, feeding remote monitoring and SCADA operation.

ANSI. IEEE. CSA. Engineered and Tested to the Specs Utilities Specify.

Every MPS product family is engineered and tested to the standards Canadian and North American utilities specify. Standards aren’t an afterthought — they’re built into the product engineering and documented at the assembly level, so utility engineering teams get the documentation they need on the first request.

ANSI: Applicable to ERGO, Inertia, and Transmission portfolio products.

IEEE: Applicable across switching, protection, and engineered assemblies.

CSA: Canadian standards compliance for products specified into Canadian utility work.

Utility-tested designs: Product engineering driven by field-validated performance, not bench-only test cycles.

ANSI logo
IEEE logo
CSA Group logo

Compliance for Canadian Utilities

MacLean Power Systems products specified into Canadian utility work are tested and documented against the standards Canadian utilities reference for distribution and transmission infrastructure.

Ready to Spec ERGO, Inertia, or Transmission Hardware?

Whether the project is a distribution inline disconnect refresh, a substation switching modernization, or a transmission hardware scope, MPS application engineering — coordinated through Rexel Utility’s regional account managers — can move from initial conversation to a documented spec in days, not weeks.

View real-world applications

Find Your Regional MPS Specialist

Western Canada (BC & Alberta)

ERGO install programs, Inertia switching modernization, Transmission specs.

Ontario

Full portfolio support for distribution and transmission infrastructure.

Quebec

Full portfolio support for distribution and transmission infrastructure.

Atlantic Canada

Coastal-rated specification support for maritime utility environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ERGO and a traditional inline disconnect?

ERGO installs below the line with no fire-on tool — the lineman twists it into place by hand, so there are no misfires or jams — and a built-in range-taking connector means no conductor-specific connector. Traditional inline disconnects typically require fire-on wedge tools, multi-person lifts, and longer exposure on energized assets. ERGO eliminates steps from the procedure.

Yes. Inertia reclosers, switches, and protection devices ship with SCADA-ready interfaces and sensing/communications integration built into the product line. Modernization paths for utility automation programs are engineered into the hardware itself, so deployment into existing distribution networks doesn’t require accessory kits or third-party retrofits.

The GOVB is MPS’s gang operated vacuum break switch. It interrupts load current inside a sealed vacuum chamber instead of breaking it in open air, which removes the arc — a major ignition source in dry, high-risk regions — from the environment entirely. That makes it a fire-safer load-break alternative to traditional gang operated air break (GOAB) switches.

Yes. The GOVB is compatible with existing gang operated air break (GOAB) installations, so utilities can introduce vacuum load-break switching without a full equipment overhaul. It supports manual handle, hookstick, or motor operation, provides a visible air gap, and is ready for sensing, interlocking, and SCADA communications integration.

Yes. ERGO, Inertia, and the engineered transmission portfolio are all MacLean Power Systems product families backed by the same application engineering team. Utilities can specify across distribution and transmission voltage classes from one engineered partner, and Rexel Utility coordinates supply and engineering support through one regional relationship.

MPS engineers and tests to ANSI, IEEE, and CSA across the ERGO, Inertia, and Transmission portfolios. Specific standards per family are documented at the product specification level — request the relevant spec set through Rexel Utility when scoping a project so engineering teams get the standards documentation upfront.

Yes. MPS application engineering supports configuration variants and project-specific assembly work across all three portfolios, particularly on the Transmission side where engineered assemblies are core to the offering. Custom and project-specific kitting is part of the supply relationship, not a separate engagement — coordinated through Rexel Utility.

Rexel Utility typically routes specialist requests within one business day. Submit a request through the specialist contact form with project scope and target voltage class, and a regional account manager coordinates the conversation — including MPS application engineering when the scope warrants direct engineering involvement.