Schneider Electric is working with Equinix to test software-defined medium-voltage switchgear designed to reduce the hardware complexity and deployment time of data center electrical systems.

Switchgear equipment controls and protects the flow of electricity through a data center, including isolating equipment when a fault occurs. Schneider’s new system handles medium-voltage power, a key part of the electrical infrastructure that supplies servers and other data center equipment.

Traditionally, much of this infrastructure is designed for the requirements of an individual facility. Schneider is attempting to change that model by using standardized hardware and moving functions such as monitoring, protection, automation, metering and control into software.

The potential payoff is faster construction and simpler infrastructure. Schneider said a comparison involving a 20-panel system found its software-defined configuration required 87% less control wiring and 91% fewer terminals. The amount of copper used for control wiring fell 85%.

The company also claims the architecture can cut commissioning and onsite acceptance testing time by as much as half. Ordering and manufacturing can be up to three times faster than with conventional engineered-to-order switchgear.

The technology is currently operating in an Equinix colocation facility as part of a pilot program. Schneider has not disclosed the location. The company plans additional pilots through 2027, followed by broader availability in 2028.

Capacity and Speed of Deployment

The potential improvements could be significant for data center operators attempting to add capacity for AI workloads. Some planned data centers are moving toward gigawatt-scale compute requirements, placing greater demands on medium-voltage distribution. Large facilities can also include multiple voltage levels, onsite power generation and energy storage, adding complexity to electrical infrastructure.

The company’s strategy is to configure standardized equipment through software after manufacturing rather than build a heavily customized system for each facility. Operators could also add capabilities through over-the-air software updates instead of replacing or modifying physical components.

For Equinix, the pilot offers a test of whether this model can be applied to data center development on a larger scale. The company said the approach could help standardize how it builds and operates switchgear while maintaining requirements for safety and quality.

Moving critical functions into software also puts greater emphasis on cybersecurity and failure recovery. Software updates to electrical equipment need protections against unauthorized changes and mechanisms to recover from failed updates, adding another consideration for data center operators.

Schneider promotes the technology as part of a larger shift in how power infrastructure is built for AI data centers. The company plans to extend the software-defined architecture across its medium-voltage portfolio, including the PremSet and AirSeT product lines.

Additionally, the company introduced the RM AirSeT 38 Software Defined system, which extends its SF6-free medium-voltage technology to 38 kV.