Overhead Line Monitoring System

Completed

Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics)
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution plc (SHEPD)

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 November 2015

01 May 2018

30 months

£300,000

Power

Scotland

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution plc (SHEPD)

Project Contact, Southern Electric Power Distribution plc (SEPD)

The project will:1) Prove whether the production prototypes produced will survive winter months when mounted on live overhead lines;2) Determine whether there is any sign of degradation to the wires where the sensors are mounted;3) Will indicate whether there is any sign of vegetation encroachment onto the overhead line network;4) Prove whether, or not, the sensors can communicate quickly and effectively with the SCADA system;5) Provide an indication that non vegetation objects have collided with an overhead line or pole, examples would be poles moving due to soft ground, line collisions by raised farm trailers or forestry vehicles;6) Determine the viability of deploying the sensor system as an alternative to replacing sections of overhead line with underground cabling. The project will be a success if:1) It can be confirmed whether or not the system is able to detect the collision between the overhead wires and trees, branches and/or farm, forestry, or construction vehicles, on live lines. 2) It can be confirmed whether or not the sensors, and communication system can withstand the effects of the weather on the system;3) It can be confirmed whether or not the mounting of the sensors will have a deleterious effect on the overhead lines;4) It has determined if and when the sensor system is a viable alternative to replacing an overhead line with underground cabling

In many rural areas of the country, the distribution network is carried via overhead lines, at 33KV, 11KV and LV. These lines are susceptible to damage by wind carried debris, inadvertent collision by farm and forestry vehicles, and even kites, fishing lines, and yacht masts, dependent on where they are in relation to normal activities carried out by the public. There are also occasions where the poles supporting the lines are moved by surrounding ground becoming soft, or vehicle collision, but which does not cause a break in the line. As the lines are usually uninsulated, there is a risk of death to anyone that makes contact with them. In forest or wooded areas, there is the possibility of trees or large branches falling and coming to rest against a line or pole, but not breaking the line. In each of these situations, the overhead lines are protected by appropriate equipment but conditions which do not immediately initiate the operation of protection systems such as the minor movement of poles or contact by trees are difficult to detect and may remain until reported by third parties or our own staff. The Technical method will show that the developed microcircuitry mounted in an environmental enclosure will be able to detect line collisions and pole movements, and pass the alarms to a gateway installed in a substation many spans away from the sensor location. The project will determine whether using solar panels to power small microcircuits throughout the shorter winter months is feasible, and whether electronics can operate during the depths of winter. The project will also be testing whether we can use a licence free radio frequency to communicate at short range to a gateway device that can then pass information on to the control room Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above

17/09/18