Location-centered mitigation of lightning-caused disturbances

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · IEEE Computer Applications in Power

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/67.526852· OSTI ID:287424

Kappenman, J G; Van House, D L ^[1]

---

1. Minnesota Power, Duluth, MN (United States)

This article describes how asset exposure locations and lightning-caused disturbances can be pinpointed by combining accurate transmission line asset location with lightning timing and location. Emerging analysis and hardware technologies are providing revolutionary techniques to detect, analyze, and mitigate the impact of lightning on transmission systems. Lightning is the number one environmental cause of electric utility power interruptions across the US. In response to the needs, Global Atmospherics, Inc. and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) upgraded the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) in 1994 to increase the lightning detection performance to that required for utility analysis applications. Additionally, Minnesota Power has participated in a collaborative effort with EPRI member utilities to research and develop practical lightning analysis tools. In addition to these lightning analysis tools, several other technological developments are converging to provide additional insight and mitigation options. For example, power system disturbance timing that uses time-stamping based on the Global Positioning System (GPS) and GPS mapping of line assets, when combined with lightning location technologies based on a geographical information system (GIS), can locate the lightning-caused disturbance virtually to the transmission structure. Analysis of fault-associated events can allow a utility to determine situations in which faults are occurring in unusual concentrations in certain sections of transmission lines. Further, once a set of high-incidence structure locations have been pinpointed, transmission line arresters (another recent technology) can be rapidly and economically deployed on those affected sections, rather than upgrading the entire line to improve performance. This location-centered methodology may allow utilities to deploy mitigation more effectively and at a much lower cost as compared to conventional approaches.

• OSTI ID: 287424
• Journal Information: IEEE Computer Applications in Power, Journal Name: IEEE Computer Applications in Power Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 9; ISSN 0895-0156; ISSN ICAPEH
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
DETECTION
ELECTRICAL FAULTS
LIGHTNING
MINNESOTA
POWER TRANSMISSION LINES