For a commercial facility, having backup generators is only part of ensuring reliable power. When a facility depends on multiple generators, utility power, or different classes of electrical loads, these power sources also need to be coordinated safely and efficiently.
This is where paralleling switchgear becomes important. It helps to coordinate multiple generators, manage how they share electrical loads, monitor system conditions, and control how power is transferred between sources.
For facilities with critical or variable power demands, this coordinated approach can provide greater flexibility than relying on a single generator and basic transfer equipment. In this guide, Curtis Power Solutions explains how paralleling switchgear works and how it can support reliable commercial power systems.
Commercial facilities may have more than one potential source of power. These can include utility power, one or more generators, and other onsite power sources. The role of Power Switching Controls for such facilities is to help determine which source supplies power and when
For example, under normal conditions, your facility may receive power from the utility but if the utility supply fails, power switching systems like ATS (Automatic Transfer Switches) can transfer the load to backup generation. You can also use manual transfer switches to change power sources but you need a dedicated operator to make this transfer.
If your facility has multiple generators, the system also needs to coordinate which generators operate and how they will support the facility's electrical loads. This is where paralleling switchgear becomes important.
Paralleling Switchgear is equipment that is used to coordinate multiple generators in a facility so they can operate together and supply power to the facility. Think of it as the control point for your multi-generator power system.
Instead of operating each generator independently, the paralleling system coordinates when your generators start, when they connect to the electrical system, and how they share your facility's power requirements.
Depending on the system design, paralleling switchgear can also help to coordinate generator power with the utility supply.
Paralleling switchgear should not be confused with a switching power supply. A switching power supply is an electronic device that converts and regulates electrical power for equipment, while paralleling switchgear is used to coordinate larger power sources such as generators within a commercial electrical system.
The main functions of paralleling switchgear include:
When you need to use multiple generators together, their electrical output needs to be synchronized before they are connected to the same system. Paralleling switchgear manages this process by coordinating the generators so that they can work together safely.
Once these generators are properly synchronized, they can operate as a combined power source for your facility.
Once connected, your facility's electrical among needs to be distributed between these generators. Paralleling switchgear helps to manage this load sharing so that the generators can contribute an appropriate amount of power rather than having one unit carry most of the demand.
For example, if your facility has three generators, the system will distribute the electrical load across the available units based on your requirements and the system design.
Your commercial power systems need appropriate operating conditions and paralleling switchgear supports this by monitoring important electrical conditions such as voltage, frequency, and current. If the conditions change or an abnormal situation occurs, the system can also respond according to its programmed controls and protection settings.
When utility power fails, you may need multiple generators to start, connect, and supply different facility loads. Paralleling switchgear helps coordinate this process. If your facility cannot run every load at the same time, it can also support load prioritization, allowing critical equipment to continue receiving power while limiting lower-priority loads.
Paralleling switchgear can also be used in systems where generators operate alongside utility power. For example, you may use onsite generators for applications such as peak shaving. This requires appropriate controls, protection, system design, and utility coordination.
A basic generator switching system may be suitable for a small facility with one generator and straightforward backup power requirements. However, larger facilities may need more control when they have multiple generators or different levels of electrical demand.
Here’s how paralleling switchgear and traditional generator switching differ:
If your facility has a single generator and simple backup requirements, you may not need the additional control and coordination that paralleling switchgear provides. It becomes more relevant once your facility uses multiple generators or has large or changing power demands.
The main benefit that paralleling switchgear offers is greater control over a multi-generator power system. This control helps facilities manage outages, critical loads, maintenance, and changing power requirements more effectively.
Here’s how paralleling switchgear improves the reliability of commercial power systems:
By connecting multiple generators, your facility has additional generating capacity available. If one of these generators needs maintenance or becomes unavailable, other units may still be able to supply some or all of the required load, depending on the system design.
This gives facility owners more flexibility when they’re planning for equipment maintenance or face unexpected generator downtime.
Paralleling switchgear helps facility owners control how generators connect to their facility and how power is transferred between available sources. This is particularly important during an outage, when the system needs to move from normal utility power to backup generation while continuing to support important loads.
Not every electrical load in a facility has the same level of importance. A healthcare facility may need to prioritize critical medical and life-safety equipment. A data center may need to keep servers and cooling systems running.
A properly designed power system can prioritize these loads when generator capacity is limited.This allows available backup power to be directed where it is needed most.
A commercial facility's electrical demand can change throughout the day. Multiple generators give the system more flexibility to match available generation with actual power requirements. Depending on your system design, generators can also be brought online or taken offline as the demand of your facility changes.
Generators need regular inspection, servicing, and maintenance to remain ready when they are needed. With a multi-generator system, you can take one generator offline for planned maintenance while other units continue to support your facility.
A commercial facility's electrical demand can change throughout the day. Multiple generators give the system more flexibility to match available generation with actual power requirements. Depending on your system design, generators can also be brought online or taken offline as the demand of your facility changes.
Generators need regular inspection, servicing, and maintenance to remain ready when they are needed. With a multi-generator system, you can take one generator offline for planned maintenance while other units continue to support your facility.
You can also use generators for more than emergency backup. With an appropriately designed system, you can use generators alongside utility power for applications such as peak shaving or other power-management strategies.
This utility-parallel operation requires appropriate controls, protection, system design, and coordination with the utility. That's why it’s recommended to work with reliable partners like Curtis Power Solutions.
When your facility depends on multiple generators, you need visibility into how the system is performing. Paralleling switchgear can help by providing information about generator status and electrical conditions, while protection equipment can respond to certain abnormal conditions.
This helps your teams to identify issues, monitor system performance, and determine when maintenance or other action is required.
For emergency backup generators, regular Testing and required certifications help ensure the system is ready at hand to perform when needed.
Paralleling switchgear is generally most useful when a facility has significant power requirements, multiple generators, critical loads, or requires greater power-system flexibility.
It can be especially beneficial for facilities such as
Data centers depend on reliable power for servers, networking equipment, and cooling systems. Multiple generators provide additional capacity and redundancy, while paralleling controls can coordinate how these generators support the facility.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities have critical electrical loads that need backup power during utility outages. A coordinated generator system helps to direct the available capacity toward important operations.
Manufacturing equipment places significant demands on a facility's electrical system and unexpected downtime can disrupt production. Multiple generators can provide additional capacity and flexibility for continued operations.
Hotels, office buildings, campuses, and other large commercial facilities often require greater flexibility and redundancy than a single-generator system can provide.Paralleling switchgear helps to coordinate multiple generators and manage power across the facility.
Some facilities use onsite generation alongside utility power to manage periods of high electricity demand. Paralleling equipment can help coordinate this type of application when the system is designed for utility-parallel operation.
To reap the benefits of a reliable multi-generator system, you need more than the generators themselves. The generators, switchgear, controls, transfer equipment, and distribution system all need to work together.
At Curtis Power Solutions, we offer Commercial Power Solutions that include paralleling switchgear, generator controls, automatic transfer switches, and other power-switching equipment. We design the system around how your facility uses power, which loads are critical, and how the system should respond when normal power is unavailable.
We also provide generator rentals, maintenance, and remote monitoring services. If you’re considering new backup generation or looking to improve an existing power system, Get in Touch with our team to discuss your needs.
Paralleling switchgear is used to safely synchronize, control, and combine multiple power sources such as backup generators or utility feeds, so they can function as a single, unified power system.
Paralleling switchgear improves reliability by coordinating multiple power sources, supporting automated load sharing, and allowing other generators to remain available when one unit is offline, depending on the system design.
Power switching allows commercial power systems to transfer electrical loads between available power sources using equipment such as transfer switches, while circuit breakers help protect and isolate electrical circuits when needed.
Yes, you can use paralleling switchgear to not only control multiple generators but to synchronize and manage their operations.
No, switching power supply is not the same as a paralleling switchgear. Switching a power supply is used to convert AC or DC voltage into a regulated low-voltage DC output while paralleling switchgear is used to synchronize multiple generators so they can be used together.