EPRI research projects span across multiple years. Because of this approach, not all of the work in P35 will be realised at the end of 2017. Nevertheless, there is scope for the delivery of a number of reports and guidance documents in 2017. The full scope of research within each project work-stream for 2017 is listed below.
P35.001 - Inspection, assessment, and asset management of overhead transmission lines
Utilities need to understand the condition of their overhead transmission lines to effectively manage and maintain them at their designed level of performance and safety. Inspection and assessment research is needed to understand the current condition of transmission assets, extend the life of those assets while keeping the ageing infrastructure performance at levels that meet the reliability expectations of the public. d the present condition of their conductors, shield wires and hardware, where these severely aged components are located, what caused the degradation, how future designs may avoid premature ageing and how to forecast the replacement schedule.
P35.011 - Polymer and composite overhead transmission insulators
Polymer insulators offer advantages such as contamination performance, light weight, and vandal resistance. In order to achieve the expected design life, utilities need to understand their design and material characteristics to properly select, procure and apply polymer insulator components.
P35.013 - Overhead line ratings and increased power flow
The demand for electric power over transmission circuits is increasing at a faster rate than transmission assets were originally built for. This trend is pushing the capacity of many existing transmission circuits to their design limits.
P35.015 - Qualification, selection and maintenance of advanced conductors
Recently developed high-temperature conductors (also known as advanced conductors, high-temperature low-sag conductors, or simply HTLS conductors) offer the advantages of higher current capacity, lower conductor sag, and lower line losses than conventional ACSR (aluminium conductor steel-reinforced) conductors. Knowledge on the long-term performance of HTLS conductors is limited, particularly for newly developed products.
Benefits
Continuing to expand National Grid’s knowledge and to deliver value to our stakeholders, participation in P35 during 2017 means the provision of a range of specific outputs across the five work-streams.
P35.001 - Inspection, assessment, and asset management of overhead transmission lines
Continued development of a mix of tools, technology transfer methods and events, and information that will help members improve their line inspection and assessment as well as asset management approaches, with the production and issue of update reports when they become available.
P35.002 - Conductor, shield wire and hardware corrosion management
Continued development of effective inspection techniques, and forecasting the need for maintenance or repair operations. These will help address issues related to conductor, shield wire and hardware corrosion, with the production and issue of update reports when they become available.
P35.011 - Polymer and composite overhead transmission insulators
Continued development of a mix of software tools and information that will help address issues related to the selection, application and inspection of polymer insulators, with the production and issue of update reports when they become available.
P35.013 - Overhead line ratings and increased power flow
Continued development of tools and information that will help address issues to optimize and increase the ratings of their transmission circuits, with the production and issue of update reports when they become available.
P35.015 - Qualification, selection and maintenance of advanced conductors
Continued development of tools and information that will help address issues related to the qualification, selection and maintenance of advanced conductors, with the production and issue of update reports when they become available.
