A cooling apparatus is provided for a switchgear having at least one primary contact to connect to a terminal of a circuit breaker, with a busbar joint connected to the primary contact. The cooling apparatus includes an evaporator associated with the primary contact. A condenser is located at a higher elevation than the evaporator. Heat pipe structure fluidly connects the evaporator with the condenser. Heat transfer structure is coupled with the busbar joint for removing heat from the busbar joint. Working fluid is in the evaporator so as to be heated to a vapor state, with the heat pipe structure transferring the vapor to the condenser and passively returning condensed working fluid back to the evaporator for cooling the at least one primary contact.