Meridian Energy Limited is seeking information from the market on available technologies and solutions that enable in-service condition monitoring of brush wear in rotating electrical equipment (specifically large hydro generators).

We are particularly interested in systems that allow remote access to real-time or near-real-time data, ideally through PLC or IoT-enabled pathways.

This RFI is part of a broader maintenance innovation initiative aimed at reducing manual servicing frequency, improving safety, and enabling condition-based maintenance strategies.

We invite responses from vendors, developers, and integrators who can offer proven or emerging solutions that align with these goals. Your input will help shape our understanding of what is technically feasible, cost-effective, and scalable across our generation fleet.

What we need/What is in scope

We are exploring solutions that can monitor brush wear and associated parameters (e.g., temperature, vibration, current distribution, dust accumulation) while the unit remains in service.

The ideal system would provide remote visibility of brush condition, either through direct measurement (e.g., proximity sensors, brush length sensors) or indirect indicators (e.g., temperature trends, resistance changes), and integrate with our existing data infrastructure (e.g., PI system, PLCs).

We are particularly interested in:

• Plug-and-play or retrofit-friendly systems that minimize invasive installation.
• Solutions that support remote data access.
• Proven use cases in hydro or similar industrial environments.

This RFI also seeks to understand the maturity of such technologies, lead times, installation requirements, and any constraints or limitations. We are open to both commercial off-the-shelf products and pilot-ready innovations.