Australian switchboard builders and industrial electricians have a new modular option worth considering. Rittal’s VX25 Ri4Power is a type-tested low-voltage switchgear and power distribution system built on the company’s VX25 welded enclosure platform, now listed for the Australian market with configurations spanning Form 2a control panels through to Form 4b switchgear.

The system is rated to 6300 A, with a short-circuit rating of 100 kA for one second, and all solutions are certified to IEC 61439. Mark Guest, Rittal’s Product Manager for Power Distribution, describes the platform as “suited for both power distribution systems and motor control centres”, a scope that stretches across industrial, infrastructure, and battery energy storage (BESS) applications.

For panel builders, the practical selling point is time. Rittal claims its Power Engineering (RPE) software configurator can cut assembly times by up to 50% through digital configuration before a single piece of hardware is touched. The system is also compatible with air circuit breakers from ABB, Eaton, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Mitsubishi, General Electric, LSIS, and Terasaki, meaning builders don’t have to change their preferred ACB supply chain to make it work.

A separate energy storage section, VX ESS, extends the platform into battery energy storage projects, timely given the pipeline of BESS work opening up across Australia as coal plant retirements accelerate.

Energy Magazine Australia reported in April 2026 that engineers across Australia and New Zealand are moving toward integrated power distribution platforms, partly because compliance requirements are tightening. New Zealand switchgear firm TLJ Switchgear was cited as a real-world user of the VX25 Ri4Power on an energy project, giving the system some track record in a market with similar compliance expectations to Australia’s.

The arc-fault safety design is built with guidance from IEC 61641 to reduce the risk of internal arc faults, a practical concern for switchgear that will sit in service for years. For Australian panel builders and electricians pricing industrial or BESS jobs, the combination of IEC 61439 certification, broad ACB compatibility, and the claimed labour savings makes VX25 Ri4Power a system worth putting on the shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

What current rating does the Rittal VX25 Ri4Power support?

The system is rated to 6300 A with a short-circuit rating of 100 kA for one second.

Which circuit breaker brands work with VX25 Ri4Power?

The system is compatible with air circuit breakers from ABB, Eaton, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Mitsubishi, General Electric, LSIS, and Terasaki.

Is VX25 Ri4Power suitable for BESS projects?

Yes. A dedicated VX ESS section extends the platform into battery energy storage applications.

What standard is VX25 Ri4Power certified to?

All solutions are certified to IEC 61439, the international standard for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies. The arc-fault safety design also follows guidance from IEC 61641.

Sourced from Energy Magazine Australia, Rittal Australia, Rittal UK Blog, Machine Building (UK). Original article.