2004 Program 35 Overhead Transmission Systems · PDF filereliability problems have highlighted...

EPRI Destinations 2004

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35 Overhead Transmission Systems Program Overview EPRI's Overhead Transmission Systems Program offers a focused portfolio of products and technologies to support today's most important corporate objectives for transmission companies: cut operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, reduce capital expenditures for new/refurbished equipment, and improve reliability. Projects in the Program also address the important related areas of extending equipment life, ensuring health and safety for workers, and reducing impacts on the environment. Complementing the Overhead Transmission Systems Program is the Increased Transmission Capacity Program and the Power Delivery Asset Management Program. These Programs offer a portfolio of projects aimed at increasing the power throughput of existing transmission and substation equipment and effectively managing system assets. The economic realities of today's electricity business demand lower O&M costs for overhead transmission lines, just as they demand lower costs for other business areas of an energy company. At the same time, recent grid reliability problems have highlighted to transmission line owners—and regulators—the critical importance of ensuring high transmission service reliability. In 2004, the Overhead Transmission Systems Program provides tools to achieve these goals by improving transmission line performance and developing diagnostic inspection tools to identify and fix problems before costly outages occur. To help cut costs, the overhead transmission Assessment and Inspection Method (AIM)—a tool available only from EPRI—enables significant improvements in inspection and maintenance, boosting the ability of an electricity company to maintain reliable overhead systems within tight budgets. These improvements provide maintenance crews with better information on equipment integrity, thereby allowing O&M problems to be identified and solved with less money and in less time. In addition, because location of incipient failures enables just-in-time maintenance, this guideline also improves service reliability. For 2004, the guideline will be enhanced to allow users to obtain greater performance and flexibility from their overhead transmission assets. Other products of this Program will also help control O&M costs. For example, Vibration Management of Overhead Transmission Lines will reduce maintenance costs by ensuring optimal placement and quantity of vibration dampers for reliable operation. A related project promotes cost-effective life management of overhead structures through inspection procedures and life extension techniques. The lightning performance project will ensure reliable transmission operation under extreme weather and ground fault conditions. To help reduce capital cost expenditures, the Program offers an integrated set of projects designed to enhance system performance without compromising reliability or safety. For 2004, work in this area focuses on updating the “Red Book” (the industry standard reference for overhead line design) to include the latest understanding and new realities of the restructured transmission industry. The new edition of the Red Book will include software applets that can be exercised to develop greater understanding of the design theory. In the area of supporting new technologies that reduce capital cost expenditures, EPRI leads with a project investigating the application and long-term performance of advanced non-ceramic insulators. Finally, the Overhead Transmission Systems Program continues to develop and support the safe use of live-line working techniques as a means of combining cost reduction with improved performance. New live-line working methods will enhance transmission line availability by eliminating planned outages for maintenance repairs. For 2004, live-working projects address inspection procedures, tools for satisfying the Occupational Safety and Health Administration work rules, and methods for providing equipotential zones so that workers can perform live-line maintenance safely.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 2 35 Overhead Transmission Systems

If an EPRI customer implements even one-fourth of the results obtained from this Program this year, on only one transmission circuit, it is estimated that overhead transmission reliability will improve up to 10%, maintenance costs will be reduced by 5 to 15%, and capital cost expenditures will be reduced by 10 to 20%. As a result, past Program customers have estimated they obtain a return on their investment in the range of a factor of 2 to 4 by funding this Program. For flexibility and convenience to customers, the Overhead Transmission Systems Program projects are categorized into Project Sets. Each contains an integrated package of projects that directly relate and complement each other. For 2004, the Program offers the following Project Sets:

• PS35A Reduce Transmission Maintenance Costs and Extend Equipment Life

• PS35B Improve Transmission Line Lightning Performance

• PS35C Reduce Overhead Transmission Design & Construction Costs

• PS35D Improve Safe Live-Line Maintenance Work Practices In addition, the value of the Overhead Transmission Systems Program is enhanced by EPRI's world-class centers for high-voltage power delivery research and full-scale testing. These centers are located in Lenox, MA and Haslet, TX, and they enable laboratory and field-testing of new overhead transmission lines, insulators, and structures, as well as developing customized solutions to problems at customer sites. PROJECT SET: PS35A Reduce Transmission Maintenance Costs and Extend Equipment

Life (056060) The project set below will help owners and providers of overhead transmission services reduce and improve cost control metrics, which arise from lower operations and maintenance costs and longer life of overhead transmission facilities. For 2004, this Project Set focuses on assessing and managing remaining life for structures, mitigating vibration in overhead lines, and assessment the aging of conductor and conductor accessories, which translate to fewer phase to phase outages. The results of Projects 1, 3 and 4 in this project set contribute to the information and data used to produce the guideline in Project 2 of this set. Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P35.001 Overhead Lines Structure Life Management 052005 2004-2006

P35.002 Overhead Transmission Assessment & Inspection Methods (AIM) Guideline 052001 2004-2006

P35.003 Vibration Management of Overhead Transmission Lines 055812 2004-2006

P35.004 Assessment of Conductor and Conductor Accessories Premature Aging from High Operating Temperature Cycling

058548 2004-2006

The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research. P35.001 Overhead Lines Structure Management (052005) Benefits: Reduce capital cost by extending life expectancy of overhead transmission structures and equipment through inspection procedures and aging mitigation techniques/tools. Description: Energy companies are faced with a large aging population of transmission line structures. Often the condition of these structures and the remaining life are unknown. In the short term, the degradation of these assets does not necessarily pose a threat to the reliability of the system, but long-term implications may be significant.


This ongoing project will provide electricity companies with the tools to develop and optimize an effective approach to structure management in the short and long terms. The project will deal with inspection and maintenance of steel poles and lattice towers, concrete poles, and wooden structures (in that order), as well as concrete foundations. It will not address capital investment issues and line hardware such as insulators and ground wires. The project will focus on the following projects: Prioritization of Structures Requiring Maintenance: The environmental and loading conditions of a structure have a pronounced effect on the rate of aging and hence the maintenance approach that is adopted, but these stresses are often ignored in structure inspection and maintenance plans. The objective of this task is to develop guidelines that will assist electricity companies in assessing the environmental and mechanical stresses for structures and develop an appropriate inspection program. Optimal inspection and assessment techniques will be defined as well as recommendations for remedial actions that should be taken based on the environmental and mechanical stresses. Significant cost savings are possible. Inspection and Assessment Guidelines: Guidelines will be developed that will help electricity companies inspect and assess the condition of structures. The applicability and effectiveness of various inspection techniques and tools will be discussed for different structure types and conditions. Guidelines will be provided on how to assess the risk that the observed degradation poses, what remedial action should be taken, and when. Remedial Option Investigation: Remedial options, difficulties in implementation, long- and short-term performance, and cost-effectiveness will be investigated. The results will help members select, apply, and predict the performance of remedial actions. Handbook on Structure Maintenance: The outline of the reference handbook developed in 2003 will be used as the template to provide up-to-date contents in the handbook. Proposed sections in the handbook include:

• Introduction: Defining scope, terminology and definitions

• Factors contributing to degradation: Environment, vibration, mechanical loading, freeze-thaw

• Planning an inspection and maintenance program: Selecting inspection tools and techniques, assessment and prioritization

• Inspection of structures: How to inspect and utilize the available tools, categorization of risk, and determining plan of action

• Remedial measures: Their application, performance and associated issues

• Lessons learned: What should be avoided and what has been successful

• Appendix: Guide to visual inspection of structures

• Appendix: Template check sheet for tower inspection Delivery Approach: The reports’ outline and drafts will be prepared for review and comment by project advisors. The outline will be revised based on feedback and the reports completed. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: This project is seen as continuing (i.e., longer than 3 years). The topic of steel structures will be completed in 2004. Following this work, wooden poles and concrete poles will be tackled in this order. The EPRI working group advisors, as in the past, will specify the completion criteria for this project. Deliverables

• Steel Structure Maintenance Chapter: Version 2 • Technical Report (1002006), 12/31/04

• Woodpole Structure Maintenance Chapter • Technical Report (1008730) 12/31/04


Future Year Deliverables

• 2005—Foundation and Secondary Items Maintenance Chapters Technical Report

• 2006—Concrete Structure Maintenance Chapter Technical Report

P35.002 Overhead Transmission Assessment and Inspection Methods (AIM) Guideline (052001) Benefits: Increase reliability of overhead transmission lines and lower maintenance costs by using best practices for overhead transmission equipment inspection, assessment and maintenance, which will lead to consistency of approach and provide invaluable training system and reference material. Description: Increasing the reliability and life of overhead transmission equipment necessitates timely and effective maintenance, which in turn requires inspection and knowledge of equipment condition. Much of this information is presently obtained through visual inspection or use of nondestructive evaluation. This project is aimed at development of new inspection and maintenance tools, with particular focus on consolidating the knowledge/data base, documenting lessons-learned, and developing a training program. Objectives include 1) optimization of the operation, reliability, and the life of overhead transmission equipment; 2) capturing the right facility condition data to support decision-making for timely and effective maintenance actions; 3) electricity company guidance in the selection and use of inspection techniques, (as well as identifying gaps and deficiencies with present-day inspection equipment and approaches); and 4) development of a comprehensive training program for the best-practice inspection and condition assessment of overhead transmission equipment. Although the major focus of the project is to develop comprehensive guidelines for inspection and maintenance of overhead transmission lines, as well as to develop a comprehensive training program, additional topics may be added and removed under the direction of the Maintenance Working Group. In 2004, the following two core topics will be addressed: Inspection and Maintenance Guidelines for Overhead Transmission Lines: This task will develop guidelines to help reduce capital and maintenance costs by enabling utility companies to compare in-house inspection, condition assessment, and maintenance procedures with updated industry standards and manufacturers’ recommendations. Equipment covered will include insulators, structures, conductors, hardware, foundations, grounding systems, fiber-optic cables, and splices. The outline for these guidelines was developed in 2002, and an initial version was completed in 2003. In this initial version, the guidelines address issues on a component level (e.g., insulator, conductor). Future versions will also address broader topics such as inspection techniques and asset management approaches (e.g., airborne inspections). A second version will be published in 2004. In 2003, experts were identified and contracted to write each of the areas outlined in 2002. These Guidelines will be updated on an ongoing basis and will become the focal point for the EPRI Overhead Transmission Systems Program. As such, other projects in this program will feed their latest results and information into the guidelines. The guidelines will be available in both electronic and hardcopy formats. The electronic file will be in a structured searchable format for ease of use. The guidelines will also be combined with a training course on their use and content. Training System for Maintenance Personnel: An aging workforce and the ever-increasing use of contractors have increased the need for effective training and competency evaluation techniques. This task will develop novel computer-based training tools utilizing interactive technologies such as multi-media or virtual reality. The tools will be based on industry standards, and emphasis will be placed on making them easily adjustable to the specific needs of different members’ systems and practices. The training tool developed will address a range of maintenance tasks including inspection techniques, rating of observations, the associated decision-making processes, recording of


information, handling of components, and use of tools. The training system will not only address the training and evaluation by utility personnel but may also be applied to ensure compliance by contractors. Overhead Transmission Line Equipment, Inspection and Maintenance Practices Conference: This task will organize and convene a conference addressing overhead transmission asset management. The proceeding for the conference will be published in hard copy and electronic formats. Delivery Approach: The guidelines will be delivered as both a traditional report and an interactive CD-ROM. Both the report and the CD-ROM will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After these draft versions and software have been updated, final deliverables will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: This is an ongoing project that addresses a range of issues related to inspection, condition assessment, and maintenance of overhead transmission line components. Topics will be added and removed from the project under the direction of the Maintenance Working Group. The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the deliverables will determine the requirements for the final technical reports. The completion dates for tasks currently planned are shown below. Deliverables Inspection and Maintenance Guidelines for Overhead Transmission Lines:

• Second Version of Inspection and Maintenance Guidelines for Overhead Transmission Lines • Technical Report (1002007), 8/30/04

Training System for Maintenance Personnel:

• Overhead Transmission Maintenance Training System Version 1.0: Training Course • Service (E206842), 03/31/04

• Overhead Transmission Maintenance Training System Version 1.1 • Software (1002010), 11/30/04

Overhead Transmission Line Equipment, Inspection and Maintenance Practices Conference • Overhead Transmission Line Equipment and Maintenance Practices

• Conference/Workshop (E215379), 8/30/04

Future Year Deliverables • 2005 - Third Version of Inspection and Maintenance Guidelines for Overhead Transmission Lines

Technical Report

• 2006 – Fourth and full version of Inspection and Maintenance Guidelines for Overhead Transmission Lines Technical Report

P35.003 Vibration Management of Overhead Transmission Lines (055812) Benefits: Reduced maintenance and capital cost by optimal placement of dampers on conductors. Cost-effective maintenance on components damaged by vibration prior to failure. Finally, ensured capture of knowledge through the updating of the Transmission Line Vibration Handbook. Description: Wind-induced vibration of single and bundled conductors can lead to fatigue at conductor attachment points and of components including dampers, marker ball clamps, and even structural support members. In order to mitigate fatigue, vibration dampers of various designs can be attached to the conductors. This project will address


the issue of vibration from a design perspective, and will investigate the effect of vibration from the perspective of transmission line inspection and maintenance. Vibration Software: It is a common practice for an energy engineer, seeking to mitigate vibration effects, to contact a damper manufacturer for recommendations regarding damper quantities and locations. This in itself is a concern as the decision-making process is removed from the engineer, and the energy company is forced to accept the manufacturer’s recommendation. In 1998, EPRI published Vibration 1.0 software, which aids energy companies in the selection and placement of dampers on single-bundle overhead conductors and shield wires. In 2004, the software is being upgraded to evaluate and analyze multiple conductor bundles, to have an “open” data base on conductors, armor rods, and dampers from an unlimited set of manufacturers, and to provide a graphical user interface defined by the project advisors. The new software version (V2) will also comply with a peer-reviewed software quality assurance check. Best Practices—Inspection and Maintenance to Ensure Adequate Vibration Mitigation: Investigation of the effect of vibration on the long-term performance of transmission lines will complement the work to upgrade EPRI’s Vibration 1.0 software. Issues such as inspection and assessment procedures for dampers, together with end-of-life criteria will be addressed, as will the influence of vibration on other components such as compression end fittings. A guide will be developed that will support electricity company engineers in addressing these issues. Updating the Reference Book on “Wind-Induced Conductor Motion”: In 1979, EPRI published the Transmission Line Reference Book–Wind-Induced Conductor Motion, commonly known as the “Orange Book.” Since then, there have been considerable changes in both approach and technology. In order to maintain the investment in this resource, it is proposed to generate a new edition of this industry reference. The approach will be to assemble a team of experts to initially review the existing structure and content, and then to re-scope and re-draft each chapter. The intention is that an updated “Orange Book” reference guide would form a companion to the new edition of the “Red Book” due to be issued in the time period late 2003 to early 2004. Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. The vibration software will be delivered in accordance with EPRI’s software quality assurance standards. Completion Criteria and Duration: The project will be completed as shown below, when 1) Vibration 2.0 is delivered, 2) a training course for Vibration 2.0 is given, and 3) the Guidelines for Inspection and Maintenance of Line Damper Components is delivered. Deliverables

Line Vibration Software: • Training Course on Line Vibration 2.0 Software

• Workshop/Conference (E206844), 08/30/04

Best Practices—Inspection and Maintenance to Ensure Adequate Vibration Mitigation: • Guidelines for Inspection and Maintenance of Line Damper Components

• Technical Report (1002014), 10/30/04

Updating the Reference Book on “Wind-Induced Conductor Motion”: • Draft of New Edition for Peer Review

• Technical Update (1002016), 10/30/04



• 2005—New Edition of Transmission Line Reference Book on “Wind-Induced Conductor Motion” Technical Report

• 2006—Updated Vibration Software with Revised Algorithms and Features P35.004 Assessment of Conductor and Conductor Accessories Premature Aging from High Operating Temperature Cycling (058548) Benefits: Reduced maintenance costs, reduced failure and improved reliability by providing on-time maintenance of conductor and conductor accessories. Description: In an attempt by energy companies to stay competitive under the re-regulated environment, the power industry has reduced the availability of funding for capital projects. Compounded with difficulties in acquiring right-of-ways, energy companies are left with no alternative than to squeeze more capacities out of their systems. One of the options is to operate the transmission lines at much higher temperatures than they were originally designed for. Some of the effects of high operating conductor temperature are loss in conductor strength and reduction in conductor ground clearance. This project specifically investigates premature aging of conductor and conductor accessories, including conductor fittings, dampers, spacer dampers and other hardware resulting from thermal cycling of these components. Information on the effect of thermal cycling on these components will allow an energy company to perform on-time maintenance and take appropriate rectifying measures to avoid transmission line failures and thus improve system reliability. Investigate and Collect Transmission Line Operating Conditions: In order to determine typical operating conditions of a transmission line, a survey will be conducted to collect load flow patterns of transmission lines from various power companies. This information, along with the weather data for the location of that transmission line, is used to determine the temperature cycles for that particular line. These data will allow typical temperature cycles to be selected for the evaluation of the effect of thermal cycling on conductor and conductor accessories. Determination of these thermal cycles might require statistical analysis of data in calculating the conductor temperature. Evaluate Effects of Thermal Cycling on Conductor and Conductor Accessories: The effects that contribute to the premature failure of conductor and conductor accessories will be evaluated. Some of these effects are reduction in strength and life expectancy of these components. Information on the reduction in strength might be available from manufacturers or literature. Otherwise, tests must be performed in the laboratory to determine these values for a given temperature. The temperature range for the study will be from those temperatures as determined from the survey. Determine Life Expectancy of Conductor and Conductor Accessories: Once the effects of high conductor temperatures are determined for a certain temperature, the cumulative effects can be estimated using typical thermal cycles. The life expectancy or reduction in life expectancy can then be estimated. The calculation can be performed for typical components under typical thermal cycles. This project will evaluate the effect from thermal cycling only. Effects resulting from other environmental exposures such as corrosion or resulting from poor installation must be considered to be over and above this effect. A Tailored Collaboration project can be carried out to develop a computer program to simulate operating conditions and allow a transmission line operator or designer to observe the effect of different thermal cycles for a given component. Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report(s) will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com.


Completion Criteria and Duration: The task force reviewing the preliminary results of this project will determine the requirements for the final report on each topic. The completion dates for the project deliverables are the dates shown below. Deliverables

Investigate and Collect Transmission Line Operating Conditions: • Determination of Thermal Cycles for Assessments of Conductor and Conductor Accessories Aging


• Guide for Selecting Thermal Cycles for Evaluation • Technical Report (1008732), 12/31/04

Evaluate Effects of Thermal Cycling on Conductor and Conductor Accessories: • Determination of Thermal Cycling Effects Using Information from Manufacturers and Literature



• 2005—Determination of Thermal Cycling Effects on Components by Laboratory Testing Technical Update

• 2006—Evaluation of Cumulative Thermal Cycling Effects and Determination of Life Expectancy Technical Report

• 2006—Software for Assessment of Conductor and Conductor Accessories Aging from High Operating Temperature Cycling.

PROJECT SET: PS35B Improve Transmission Line Lightning Performance (056061) Project Set Overview This ongoing project set will continue to advance the state-of-the-art in lightning protection/control for overhead transmission lines by addressing a range of issues related to lightning and grounding and transmission line surge arrestors. Specific research topics will be added and removed under the direction of the Lightning and Grounding Task Force. Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P35.005 Lightning Performance of Transmission Lines and Transmission Line Surge Arresters

051989 2004-2006

The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research.


P35.005 Lightning Performance of Transmission Lines and Transmission Line Surge Arresters (051989) Benefits: Increase reliability of new and existing overhead transmission lines with new engineering tools that address the leading causes of transmission problems—lightning and grounding issues. Description: With customers demanding improved transmission system reliability and performance and with competition increasing the pressure to comply, electricity companies must focus on mitigating the effects of lightning. Lightning is considered to be one of the most frequent causes of transmission line operations today. In the past the main focus of this multi-year project has been developing the transmission line lightning performance prediction software, TFlash 4.0. TFlash 4.0 aids energy company engineers in the evaluation of the lightning performance of overhead transmission lines and may be utilized to optimize new designs and improve the performance of new transmission lines. In 2002, TFlash 4.0 was delivered and no further development is planned. From 2003 and beyond, this ongoing project has continued to advance the state-of-the-art in lightning protection/control for overhead transmission lines by addressing a range of issues related to lightning and grounding and transmission line surge arrestors. Specific research topics will be added and removed under the direction of the Lightning and Grounding Working Group. The following topics are under investigation at present: Design & Maintenance Guide for the Cost-Effective Optimization of the Lightning Performance of New & Existing Transmission Lines: This task will develop guidelines to help energy company engineers optimize the lightning performance of transmission lines from both a design and maintenance perspective. Effective methods will be set forth for use of lightning reliability analysis tools, including TFlash, the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), and Fault Analysis and Lightning Locating System (FALLS), in conjunction with one another. The advantages, tradeoffs, and cost justification of applying various structure, conductor, arrester, and grounding techniques to improve lightning reliability will be investigated and guidelines developed. An outline and draft version of the guide are being published in 2003. The first version will be published in 2004. A course on the subject matter is proposed for 2005. Guide to Grounding of Transmission Line Structures: This task will develop guidelines for the effective grounding of transmission line structures. These guidelines will address design and construction issues for new lines as well as inspection and maintenance issues for existing lines. Methods for improving the reliability of existing transmission lines by improving the grounding will also be detailed. The guidelines will be developed based on input from a team of experts in the field; an outline for the report is being published in 2003. In 2004, experts will be contracted to write the appropriate sections, and the first version will be published. Areas where further research is necessary will be identified. A course on the subject matter is proposed for 2005. Technique to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounding: Currently available ground electrode measurement techniques do not provide results that can be directly related to the lightning performance of transmission lines because they measure steady-state, rather than transient, responses. Since the main function of a transmission line grounding system is to provide protection under lightning conditions, it is important to obtain more relevant measurements in a cost-effective manner. This task will investigate the development of a technique that will provide more relevant values for the ground impedance of transmission line towers. The technique will be applicable to multi-grounded structures (e.g., lattice towers), and will be cost effective to implement. Airborne Techniques to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounding Systems: Active techniques have recently been developed to determine the resistivity of the layers of soil on transmission line rights of way. Considerable savings are expected as grounding specifications can be applied to individual towers based on the local soil resistivity.


A modification of this airborne technique shows promise to evaluate the condition of existing tower grounds. This task will focus on the modification of the airborne technique to evaluate existing transmission line grounds. Delivery Approach: The report outline and drafts will be prepared for review and comment by project advisors. The outline will be revised based on feedback and the reports completed. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution to customers via EPRI’s publication center. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from EPRI’s web site (www.epri.com). Completion Criteria and Duration: This project is an ongoing effort that addresses a range of issues related to lightning and grounding, and transmission line surge arrestors. Topics will be added and removed under the direction of the Lightning and Grounding Working Group. The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the deliverables will determine the requirements for the final technical reports. The completion dates for the tasks currently planned are shown below. Deliverables

Design & Maintenance Guide for the Cost-Effective Optimization of the Lightning Performance of New & Existing Transmission Lines: • Design & Maintenance Guide for the Cost-Effective Optimization of the Lightning Performance of

New & Existing Transmission Lines • Technical Report (1002019), 12/31/04

Guide to Grounding of Transmission Line Structures: • Practical Guide to Grounding of Transmission Line Structures


Technique to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounding: • Technique to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounds


Airborne Techniques to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounding Systems: • Airborne Techniques to Evaluate Transmission Line Ground

• Technical Update (1008736), 12/31/04 Future Year Deliverables

Design & Maintenance Guide for the Cost-Effective Optimization of the Lightning Performance of New & Existing Transmission Lines: • 2005—Workshop on the Design & Maintenance Guide for the Cost-Effective Optimization of the

Lightning Performance of New & Existing Transmission Lines.

Guide to Grounding of Transmission Line Structures: • 2005—Workshop on the Practical Guide to Grounding of Transmission Line Structures.

Technique to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounding: • 2005—Technique to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounding Technical Report

Development of Airborne Techniques to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounding Systems:

• 2005—Airborne Techniques to Evaluate Transmission Line Grounds Technical Update


PROJECT SET: PS35C Reduce Overhead Transmission Design & Construction Costs

(056062) Project Set Overview This project set provides EPRI members with the tools to make informed decisions when designing and constructing new transmission lines or when upgrading existing transmission lines. These tools will assist members to make cost-effective decisions while maintaining a high level of reliability and a known life expectancy. Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P35.006 Enhanced Polymer Insulator (Non-Ceramic Insulator, NCI) Performance 051993 Ongoing

P35.007 Overhead Transmission Line Reference Manuals 052003 2004 - 2006

P35.008 Engineering the Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way 058549 2004-2006 The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research. P35.006 Enhanced Polymer Insulator (Non-Ceramic Insulator, NCI) Performance (051993) Benefits: Extend polymer insulator life expectancy and avoid outages due to premature failure through improved selection, application, and inspection. (Polymer insulators are alternatively called composite or non-ceramic insulators [NCI]).

Description: Polymer insulators are proliferating on the electricity system because of a lack of availability of porcelain insulators, ease of handling, and resistance to vandalism. Polymer insulators also have certain disadvantages and uncertainties. This ongoing multi-year project will continue to address a range of polymer insulator (NCI) concerns including selection, application, and inspection, in order to increase energy company confidence and reliability when using polymer insulators. Specific topics and tasks will be added and removed under the direction of the Insulator Working Group. The following topics are planned for 2004 based on priorities determined by the Working Group: 230-kV Aging Test: Polymer insulators are a relatively new technology that utilizes organic polymer materials in their construction. The materials, design, and manufacturing procedures for the insulators that may be purchased today have only been finalized in the last decade, and hence the industry has but limited long-term field experience with them. Testing was initiated in 2001, and initial results were published at the end of 2002. In 2004, the project will continue to investigate the long-term performance of more than 40 polymer insulators in the 230-kV accelerated aging test. Insulators are being evaluated from five manufacturers in five configurations (I-string, Vee-string, dead end, post and braced post). It is expected that testing will run until the end of 2004, and the results will be published in 2005. Development of Inspection Technologies: The inspection and evaluation of in-service polymer insulators remain important issues. Traditional techniques used to identify defective cap and pin porcelain insulators in-service have been shown to be ineffective. The identification of units prior to failure and a consequential outage is a priority. As the population of in-service polymer insulators increases and ages, inspection will only increase in importance. In 2002, a survey was launched of promising inspection technologies by engaging experts from a range of industries (from aerospace to material science), and the results are being published in 2003. Based on the results of this survey, two promising technologies are being identified, and development of these technologies will be completed in 2004. TC funds will be sought for refinement.


Failure Database: Since 1997, EPRI has been maintaining a database of polymer insulators that have failed in-service. In the past this database has provided numerous electricity companies with valuable information when deciding to apply polymer insulators or remove existing units from service. The database will continue to be maintained and the results published in the form of a technical brief. The latest results of the database are being published in 2003. EPRI will continue to publish the results every other year. Updated Guide to Visual Inspection of NCI and Corona Ring Installation Guide An updated version of the EPRI Guide to Visual Inspection of NCI will be published, together with a pictorial identification field guide for each of the different manufacturer designs. This will allow energy companies to identify units in-service that are considered high risk based on the results of the database. This guide will be published, together with the Corona Ring Installation Guide discussed below. Application Issues: The correct application of corona (grading) rings is important to ensure good long-term performance of NCI. A pictorial field installation guide will be published for each of the main manufacturers and will be included with the identification field guide mentioned above. Most failures of NCI can be attributed to the end-fitting seal being compromised. The range of end-fitting seals and manufacturing technologies being incorporated into the products currently available complicates the issue. Methods of evaluating the integrity of end-fitting seals of units removed from service will be developed as well as methods of evaluating the performance of new end-fitting seal designs. Energy companies will be able to use the techniques to evaluate the performance of different designs as well as evaluate the condition of sample units that they have removed. In 2005 and 2006, the effect of high-temperature conductors and high-temperature ambient conditions will be looked at in more detail. Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions are updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution to customers via EPRI’s publication center. The report(s) will also be electronically downloadable from EPRI’s web site (www.epri.com). Completion Criteria and Duration: This is an ongoing project that will address a range of issues related to polymer insulators (NCIs). Topics will be added and removed from the project under the direction of the Insulators Working Group. The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the deliverables will determine the requirements for the final technical reports. The completion dates for these tasks currently planned are shown below. Deliverables

230-kV Aging Test: • Update of Results of 230-kV Aging Test

• Technical Update (1008737), 06/30/04 Development of Inspection Technologies: • Development Plan for Identified Inspection Technology

• Technical Update (1002026), 04/30/04 Updated Guide to Visual Inspection of NCI and Corona Ring Installation Guide: • Guide to Visual Inspection of NCI: 2nd Edition

• Technical Report (1008739), 03/31/04 • Corona Ring Installation and Insulator Identification Guide

• Technical Report (1008741), 06/31/04 Future Year Deliverables

• 2005—Results of 230-kV Aging Test Technical Report


• 2005—Failure Experience with Polymer Insulators Technical Update

• 2005—Inspection Technology to Identify High Risk Polymer Insulators: Prototype demonstration Technical Update

• 2005—Evaluation of End Fitting Seals of Polymer Insulators Technical Update

• 2006—Inspection Technology to Identify High Risk Polymer Insulators: Prototype demonstration Technical Update

• 2006—Evaluation of End Fitting Seals of Polymer Insulators Technical Update P35.007 Overhead Transmission Line Reference Manuals (052003) Benefits: Lower capital and O&M costs for overhead lines through the application of the latest technology and O&M practices documented in reference manual format. The reference books will form a valuable basis for courses in line design and will serve to grow the base of skills for the industry. The lower O&M costs will be achieved through new chapters dealing with designing for inspection and maintenance. Description: The EPRI series of transmission handbooks are considered an industry standard and are valued by many transmission company owners and engineers. However, these reference handbooks have not kept pace with the latest knowledge, operating experience, and technologies and products available. For example, EPRI’s Transmission Line Reference Book: 345 kV and Above, commonly known as the “Red Book,” was last revised in 1987. The purpose of this ongoing project is to update these valuable handbooks to incorporate the latest operating experiences and technologies. In addition, EPRI will ensure that the updated handbooks reflect both domestic and international operating practices and work environments. This project will revise the reference handbooks and, as appropriate, add new chapters and/or new volumes to the series. It should be noted that one of the decisions to be made by the advisors of this project is whether to reduce the lower voltage limit covered in this Red Book from the present “345 kV and Above” to “200 kV and Above.” Revised EPRI Overhead Transmission Red Book: In 2001, technical experts identified the required revisions to the Red Book. The table of contents page was finalized: two chapters of the original book were identified for deletion and four new chapters were identified for addition. Per Task Force input, in 2002, the first chapters were rewritten with plans to draft the remaining chapters in 2003 and 2004. A new addition to the handbook will be the inclusion of software applets (small software routines that can be exercised while studying the handbook). The software applets will help the reader and designer better understand the theory. In 2003, attention is being directed at editorial issues, such as packaging and inclusion of companion software. Further, Tailored Collaboration and co-funding is being sought for the development of companion tutorial material. In 2004, the focus will be on taking the written chapters and compiling in a formal hardbound handbook and adding the associated supporting software applets. Attention in 2004 will also be directed towards the development of associated training and tutorial material to help educators teach the theory of line design. The inclusion of a large number of software applets (over 50 applets being developed) will cause the completion of the new edition of the Red Book to move to the end of 2004. Looking to the Future: The EPRI-developed TL Workstation is a companion to the existing edition of the Red Book. With changes to the Red Book, plus the inclusion of applets, a review and possible revision of TL Workstation may be required. In 2005, it is proposed to continue the momentum behind the revision of the Red Book by completing a review of TL Workstation. This study should point to which parts of TL Workstation should be preserved, which parts are now obsolete, and which parts have been replaced by the applets that accompany the new edition of the Red Book. Study results will guide the process of updating TL Workstation. Revision of Other Handbooks: With the rewriting of the Red Bookunder way, a second handbook will be selected for updating. Candidate handbooks will be debated by advisors and one selected. Candidate handbooks include the Blue Compaction Handbook and the Green HVDC Handbook. Note that the Orange Vibration Handbook update is planned under the proposed Vibration project described above and started in 2003. The re-write of these handbooks will start in 2005 and may or may not be standalone projects.


Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from EPRI’s web site (www.epri.com). Completion Criteria and Duration: This project continues until advisors agree that no further handbooks need to be updated. The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the deliverables will determine the requirements for the final report. Deliverables

• EPRI Overhead Transmission Line Reference Book: 200 kV and Above (Red Book) • Technical Report (1008742), 12/31/04

Future Year Deliverables • 2005—Specification for a Revised TL Workstation Technical Update

• 2006—TLWorkstation Revision Software P35.008 Engineering the Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way (058549) Benefits: Improve safety and reliability of all the users of the right-of-way and the associated systems. Description: Transmission line owners are under increasing pressure to allow other systems and structures to utilize the right-of-way. These systems include pipelines, cell phone repeater stations, fiber-optic repeaters, parking lots, distribution systems, etc. The effect of the transmission lines on the safety and performance of these systems and associated components is a concern, as well as the effect of these systems on the transmission line. The objective of this project is to develop guidelines to help utility engineers make decisions on whether to allow this cohabitation, and to provide guidance on design and maintenance rules for these systems to ensure their safe and reliable operation. The project will investigate the issue from a range of perspectives, including the influence of steady-state conditions, transient conditions, fault conditions, installation, and the influence of maintenance operations on both the transmission line and the cohabiting systems. Issues such as vegetation management, inspection and assessment, and electromagnetic fields will be addressed where appropriate. Survey of Current Issues and Knowledge Base: This task will set the stage for the future of the project. A survey will be conducted identifying the current range of concerns that are being faced. Solutions that have been implemented and issues that have arisen will be documented. A thorough literature survey on publications available in this area will be developed. A workshop will be held on the topic in order provide information to funders as well as to collect a wide range of information on the topic for inclusion in the survey results and forthcoming guide. The workshop will provide a forum for members to share information and learn from others’ experiences, and to guide the project. Guide to Engineering Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way: A guide addressing the issues and providing guidance on the topic will be developed. Based on the results of the survey and workshop, an outline for the document will be developed. Areas of research that have not previously been addressed will be identified and investigated. Experts will be contracted to develop sections of the guide and include results from the research performed. A workshop will be held upon completion of the first version of the guide.


Delivery Approach: The report outline and drafts will be prepared for review and comment by project advisors. The outline will be revised based on feedback and the reports completed. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution to customers via EPRI’s publication center. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from EPRI’s web site (www.epri.com). Completion Criteria and Duration: This project is an ongoing effort that addresses a range of issues. Topics will be added and removed under the direction of the appropriate task force. The task force reviewing the preliminary versions of the deliverables will determine the requirements for the final technical reports. The completion dates for this tasks currently planned are shown below. Deliverables

Survey of Current Issues and Knowledge Base: • Results of Survey into Current Issues and Knowledge on Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way


• Workshop on Current Issues and Knowledge on Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way



• 2005—Guide to Engineering Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way Technical Update (outline of document)

• 2006—Guide to Engineering Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way Technical Report

• 2006—Workshop on Engineering Multiple Use of the Right-of-Way PROJECT SET: PS35D Improve Safe Live-Line Maintenance Work Practices (056063) Project Set Overview The need to provide knowledge about live working practices has increased alongside the drive to increase network reliability and stability. EPRI has responded by developing a live working handbook and training course that capture best practices. This project set is currently looking at tools and techniques that will lead to greater live worker safety and allow more assets to be maintained live. Training material continues to be developed that can be used to either train workers or refresh seasoned workers, ensuring that the best of breed in terms of process and procedure is documented and shared. Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P35.009 Live Working Research for Transmission Equipment 051995 2004-2006 The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research. P35.009 Live Working Research for Transmission Equipment (051995) Benefits: Increase transmission circuit reliability/stability/availability, decrease maintenance costs, and reduce worker risk by developing and improving methods for live work. Description: Deregulation is forcing utilities to ensure that transmission lines remain in service every day of the year. Performance-based incentives force asset owners to respond to identified line maintenance within a well-defined time period. Consequently, transmission owners are increasingly turning to live-line working techniques.


Once considered the exception, these days, live working is becoming standard practice and the only option available to keep lines up and running. Over the last decade, EPRI has helped many transmission companies achieve significant savings in this area by developing and implementing new technologies for the maintenance and refurbishment of energized transmission lines. To help transmission owners achieve further improvements in reliability, cost reduction, work efficiency and safety, this project consolidated the available results and best practices for live working into a practical, comprehensive Live Working Application Guide and Live Working Field Guide. The first editions of these guides, along with associated training material, were published as part of the 2001 project. It is proposed that all work under this project will ultimately flow into these guidelines. For this reason, it is proposed to bring the Guides back into the research project periodically for updating. While this is a single project, it is broken down into three broad themes, which in turn are broken down into a number of related tasks. The three themes deal with

• Engineering – providing the technical guidance that underpins the technique of live working

• Tools – developing or evaluating tools required to ensure safe live work practices

• Safety –reducing the hazards of the task of live work and de-energized work. Building on the guides and the associated application services, the focus in 2004 will tackle the following specific Live Working issues:

• Tools—Live Line Working of Polymer (Non-Ceramic) Insulators: An essential requirement for minimizing flashover hazards when working with polymer insulators is to confirm the short-term (for the duration of the work) electrical and mechanical integrity of the polymer insulator that is to be replaced (and, of course, the integrity of the replacement polymer insulator). This task will review the existing integrity evaluation techniques that have been developed based on long-term polymer aging results and will investigate the relation to short-term integrity. The development of field-hardened devices capable of assessing the condition of polymer insulators by live-line workers is being pursued under a TC project.

• Safety—Guidelines for Providing Equipotential Zones for De-Energized Work: A large number of worker fatalities occur when work practices involve contact with so-called “de-energized” equipment. In most cases, workers believe they have established safe conditions (equipotential zones) by grounding the equipment when in reality, because of induced voltages and possible fault currents, the equipment is still at potentially lethal voltages, or may acquire lethal voltages. Also, significant currents often flow through the temporary personal protective vehicle grounds, and their inadvertent interruption may create hazardous conditions. Technical aspects of grounding and principles of best grounding practices are well understood, and are not at issue. Rather, the problem is one of worker training. This task will analyze incident reports and generate a report and training video aimed at helping field workers understand the influence of induced voltages, along with step, touch and transfer voltages. In 2003, the structure and text of the training video are being developed. In 2004, the actual compilation of the video will be undertaken along with the associated written training material.

• Tools—Nonconductive Rope Standards: Present industry standards are such that no rope presently on the market passes the new more strict ASTM test for use in live work environments. Nevertheless, ropes designed to previous standards are still in use in the field. Some electricity companies are purchasing new ropes that met the previous less strict standard and authorizing them for use in the field. This practice of working around the prevailing standards is not seen as serving the interests of either the electricity companies or the manufacturers, and may lead to costly litigation in case of an incident. In 2003, work is being undertaken by both EPRI and the IEC to revisit the standards and to understand the underlying issues. EPRI will collect data from tests conducted at various laboratories worldwide and will conduct additional needed tests to help validate the requirements contained both within existing standards and in proposed modified standards. The sole objective of this task is to provide technical information and test data to guide the drafting of appropriate standards. EPRI will not draft standards; this is best left to other organizations.


• Engineering—Live Work Within Substations: Increasingly, live-line crews are being asked to undertake live work within the substation setting. Substations pose additional safety concerns and require specialized work procedures because of the close proximity of equipment. This task will look to develop guidelines for transmission asset owners wishing to pursue live working within substations. It will focus on issues such as how to assess the work environment, what tools and techniques to use, protection and safety. The output of this task should be written guidelines and associated course material to help train workers. Once complete, the material should form part of the EPRI Live Working Application Guide and Live Working Field Guide.

• Engineering—Update Live Work Application and Field Guides: The guides were published in 2001. Since then EPRI has completed additional work that needs to be included in the guides. The industry has also suggested changes to the guides. It is proposed to update the guides in 2004 and again in 2007.

Proposed live-working research topics for 2005 and beyond include

• Live Work on Fiber Optic ADSS (All Dielectric Self Supporting)—should the ADSS cable be considered an insulator or a conductor for live working purposes

• OPGW (Optical Ground Wire)—grounding issues

• Live Work on Compact and Upgraded Lines—control of overvoltages and applicability of commercially available tools that may be too long for available reduced distances.

A Project Opportunity dealing with the application of portable protective air gaps is being proposed. A large Project Opportunity dealing with the live work on polymer insulators is also under way. Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report(s) will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: This is a continuing project. As an existing issue is researched and completed, new issues will be added to the project. The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the deliverables will determine the requirements for the final technical reports. Deliverables

• Polymer Insulator Field Inspection Techniques • Technical Report (1002030), 9/30/04

• Training Video and Associated Training Material • Service (E215357), 10/31/04

• Technical Information Supporting Standards for Non-Conductive Ropes for Use in Live Work Applications • Technical Report (1008745), 10/31/04

• Literature Review of Practices, Processes and Standards • Technical Update, (1008746), 8/31/04

• Updated Live Work Application Guide • Technical Report (1008747), 11/30/04

• Updated Live Work Field Guide • Technical Report (1008748), 11/30/04


• 2005—Technical Report on Live Work Within Substations • 2006—Training Material and Course on Live Work Within Substations


Project Opportunities Related to this program are the following existing or proposed project opportunities that are open for participation. As described in further detail in EPRI’s policies, the results from these projects may be available only to the participants of those projects. Tailored Collaboration (TC) funds from project participants are matched by EPRI dollars, as described in further detail in EPRI’s policies. Marketing Number

Project Title

S35.001 Overhead Lines Conductor Deterioration Assessment, Mitigation, and Life Extension

S35.002 Best Practices Guide for LiDAR Surveying

S35.003 Optimization of Insulator Washing Cycles Based on Daytime Discharge (Corona) Inspection

S35.004 Development of Inspection Tool to Identify High Risk NCI and Composite Components In-Service

Esol Service AIS/APS Implementation and Customization Esol Service Transmission Line O&M Benchmarking Esol Service Transmission Line Maintenance Optimization Esol Service Transmission Line Life Estimation & Extension Service Esol Service Implementation and Customization of the Transmission Inspection and Maintenance System (TIMS) Esol Service State-of-the-Art Structural / Mechanical Testing Services Esol Service Ground Line Corrosion Assessment Esol Service High-Voltage Testing Esol Service Live Working Services

S35.001 Overhead Lines Conductor Deterioration Assessment, Mitigation, and Life Extension Benefits: Reduce maintenance costs and improve reliability by avoiding transmission conductor failures and premature aging. Description: The degradation and subsequent failures of overhead transmission conductors and ground-wires pose a significant threat to grid reliability and public safety. The electricity industry faces the challenge of addressing an aging population of conductors that is being stressed at levels far higher than in the past due to today’s requirements for increased power flow. At the same time a higher level of reliability is required from these conductors. Broken strands, reduction of internal galvanization, and degradation of the internal steel core are all concerns with aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR) cables. Similar concerns (although to a lesser degree) exist with other conductor types such as AAC (All Aluminum Conductor) and ACSS (Aluminum Conductor Steel Supported) cables. Concerns are not isolated to exposed sections of conductors, but also to sections of conductors that are hidden from view (e.g., inner core strands, conductors underneath armor rod, and conductors inside compression fittings). This research project will address conductor deterioration, assessment, and mitigation from the following perspectives:

• Investigation into parameters that influence the aging and degradation of overhead conductors • Development of transport devices to deploy existing conductor inspection technologies

• Investigation of new tools for conductor evaluation by assessing and adapting other promising technologies from unrelated industries.


S35.002 Best Practices Guide for LiDAR Surveying Benefits: Reduce survey costs on existing transmission lines for upgrades and survey costs for construction of new transmission lines; reduce data collection costs for maintenance and asset management. Description: Airborne laser mapping has been used for military purposes for at least 25 years. The initial commercial application of this technology is for topographical mapping. It is able to collect elevation data with high-accuracy quickly and cost-effectively. It has since been expanded to mapping of forestry, coastal engineering, flood plain and other mapping requirements and more recently to the electric power industry. A laser range finder, LiDAR (light detection and ranging), is used in performing the survey for transmission lines. This technology can be applied to new construction, refurbishment projects and maintenance. The nonintrusiveness of LiDAR technology allows surveys to be performed before receipt of the license for construction of a transmission line, thus shortening the project schedule. This method also allows data on existing transmission lines to be collected rapidly and inexpensively for refurbishment projects such as upgrading of conductor temperature or for maintenance and asset management purposes. In this project, best practices and guidance on the preparation of specifications for a LiDAR survey will be developed. They will be based on surveys previously specified by participants and other entities, information from vendors and contracted expertise. A workshop will follow. S35.003 Optimization of Insulator Washing Cycles Based on Daytime Discharge (Corona) Inspection Benefits: Optimize washing cycles to prevent unnecessary washing or unexpected outages. Description: Estimation of when transmission line and substation insulation requires washing is a challenge. Currently many organizations wash insulation at regular intervals regardless of the level of contamination that has accumulated. Other approaches involve consideration of the degree of natural washing that has occurred or measurement of the buildup of contaminants on unenergized bells or in dust deposit gauges. As the level of contamination on insulation increases, the level of discharge activity under light wetting conditions will increase. It is possible that a measurement/observation of this discharge activity will provide an indication of whether the insulation has a risk of flashover higher than acceptable and needs to be washed. Obtaining an indication of the contamination levels of the insulation may allow the duration between washing to be extended or reduced. In turn, this may result in maintenance cost reduction or avoided outages. With the advent of the EPRI-developed daytime corona camera, Daycor, the feasibility exists for utilizing the observation of discharge activity to estimate whether insulation requires washing. This project is a feasibility study to determine whether this technique has promise, as well as to develop inspection and decision-making processes for performing the technique. If the technique is determined to be feasible, field observations will not only provide information on whether the insulation requires washing, but inspection of the entire structure may reveal other defects—hence increasing the return on investment for the inspection as well as increasing reliability. This project is a scientific study utilizing both laboratory and field-testing to start the development of this technique and support its growth into an accurate prediction tool.


S35.004 Development of Inspection Tool to Identify High Risk NCI and Composite Components In-Service Benefits: Optimize the maintenance activities on Substation Equipment. Description: Effective methods to identify high-risk non-ceramic insulators (NCI) prior to failure are unavailable. A recent EPRI survey indicates that there have been a significant amount of failures of overhead transmission-class NCI insulators in-service in the United States (approximately 1 in every 65,000 units sold) and worldwide. These failures, both electrical and mechanical, have resulted in costly outages and numerous safety concerns. As the population of installed NCI, and other composite components, ages, and as the use becomes more widespread, the need for an efficient and effective inspection method grows. If no inspection technologies are developed to assess the condition of NCI, the future of these lightweight and cost-effective insulators may be limited to only applications where their traditional ancestors, ceramic insulators, have significant disadvantages. In order to make NCI a truly feasible option, an effective and efficient inspection technique must be developed that can be performed from a remote location and have a high success rate. This project will investigate and develop the dynamic mechanical response inspection method to evaluate the mechanical condition of NCI and other composite components in in-service. The end goals of this project are to: 1. Develop a method by which the dynamic response of composite components may be measured in-service. 2. Develop algorithms that may be used to make a decision on the condition of units in-service. 3. Develop a prototype unit that may be used in the field. The prototype unit will require contact with the

component being evaluated. 4. Perform a field evaluation of the unit. 5. Determine the feasibility of performing the technique from a remote location (e.g., from the ground or from an

airborne platform). The deliverables of this project would be a prototype device that has been tested in both the laboratory and the field, as well as a document outlining the feasibility of developing the technique further to allow for remote inspection. AIS/APS Implementation & Customization (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: The Airborne Inspection System (AIS) system constitutes a comprehensive multimedia-based Geographic Information System (GIS) inspection and condition collection, management, and reporting tool that significantly reduces the cost associated with the management of distributed assets such as overhead and underground power lines, substations, and Rights-of-Ways while supporting the implementation of state-of-the-art asset management and maintenance practices. Description: EPRIsolutions assists energy companies in the implementation of EPRI’s state-of-the-art multimedia-based GIS enterprise resource inspection and condition collection, management, and reporting tool, the AIS system. Services provided range from the preparation of the AIS system’s database to the integration of the tool with existing legacy databases to the customization of the tool’s capabilities to meet the client’s objectives and to support existing work processes and reporting requirements. Past efforts and services have provided individualized data acquisition and implementation support, engineering and inspection services, and/or addition of custom features to the AIS system. AIS implementation support may include, but is not limited to, multimedia GIS-indexed data collection, preparation, and interpretation, software installation, hardware configuration, training, and creation of energy company-specific AIS/Airbone Patrol System (APS) features and data either manually or by migrating appropriate data from other energy company data sources. Individualized enhancements and services are typically in the areas of multimedia-based GIS ready data collection, interpretation, and reporting, creation of custom reports, custom queries, and interfacing with external software systems.


Transmission Line O&M Benchmarking (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: Benchmarking results provide energy companies direct feedback as to the technical, operational, and financial execution and performance of their O&M organization relative to a representative sample of the industry; and help identify opportunities and create an organizational focus and alignment to meet the increasingly difficult challenges of the continuously changing industry. Description: For years, EPRIsolutions has assisted energy companies in the assessment and benchmarking of their respective maintenance operations, collecting an ever-increasing number of performance indices above and beyond traditional energy company measures such as System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI), and Momentary Average Interruption Frequency Index (MAIFI). In today’s competitive environment, these standard metrics that have traditionally been used in the evaluation of the performance of vertically integrated utility organizations are no longer sufficient to identify gaps and opportunities that allow efficiency to be driven into the asset management and maintenance organization. Benchmarking data provided by EPRIsolutions in parallel with a comprehensive review of current technologies, processes, and efficiencies develops a common platform suitable for comparison to industry averages. As an added value, EPRIsolutions staff will assist energy companies in the interpretation of the benchmarking results, identification of opportunities, and the development of suitable action plans. Transmission Line Maintenance Optimization (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: A comprehensive assessment of all aspects of maintenance in an organization, including, maintenance processes, management and work culture, personnel skills and qualifications, human performance factors, and evaluation and implementation of the latest technologies and process methodologies permits a utility to identify opportunities to reduce the cost of maintenance while creating an organizational focus and alignment. One of EPRIsolutions’ clients saved $10M over three years—following the application of this program (cost for this client was $500k). Description: With more than twenty years of experience, EPRIsolutions assists energy companies in a process that reviews all aspects of maintenance, including business processes, management and work culture, personnel skills and qualifications, human performance factors, and evaluation and implementation of the latest technologies and process methodologies to identify opportunities to reduce the cost of maintenance while creating an organizational focus and alignment. As part of the highly interactive process, EPRIsolutions staff supports the energy company’s asset management and maintenance organization in the conduct of strategic planning and review sessions that raise the organization’s awareness on current industry “best practices” with regard to the business of maintenance; in the mapping of current maintenance processes, technologies, and philosophies with respect to “best in class,” in the identification of opportunities in process improvement and maintenance goal achievement, in the development of an improvement plan outlining key asset management and maintenance issues, and in providing assistance in developing a step-by-step approach leading to the optimization of the maintenance business in the organization. Transmission Line Life Estimation and Extension Service (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: Extend the life of existing transmission assets at minimum cost. The results of the Life Estimation and Extension service assist energy companies in coping with increasingly demanding requirements to minimize operating cost, reduce capital spending, and maximize the use of existing infrastructure and rights-of-ways. Description: Based on more than twenty (20) years of experience and performance data, EPRIsolutions combines test data, performance indices, and the latest inspection, analysis, and interpretation and assessment technologies to provide energy companies a clear indication of the remaining service life of their most critical power lines. The results provide a comprehensive assessment of the critical infrastructure, the expected service life remaining, and


the tangible and intangible risk associated with the continuing operation of each critical component in addition to highlighting any “hidden” or “reserve” capacity that may lead to increasing utilization of existing assets. In previous applications, this technology has saved more than $14M in finance charges via the deferral of anticipated capital expenses at a cost of less than $500,000 while also providing an average increase of nearly 5% in the utilization of the existing facilities. Implementation and Customization of the Transmission Inspection & Maintenance System (TIMS) (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: Properly applied and integrated with energy company inspection practices and data management systems, the TIMS system constitutes a comprehensive inspection and condition collection, management, and reporting tool that significantly reduces the cost associated with the management of overhead lines and directly supports the implementation of state-of-the-art asset management and maintenance practices. Energy companies using TIMS report a doubling of line inspection crew efficiency. Description: EPRIsolutions assists energy companies in the implementation of EPRI’s state-of-the-art inspection and condition collection, management, and reporting tool, the TIMS system. Services provided include the preparation of the system’s database, the integration of the tool with existing legacy databases, and the customization of the tool’s capabilities to meet the client’s objectives and to support existing work processes and reporting requirements. Past efforts have provided individualized implementation support and/or addition of custom features to the TIM system. TIM implementation support may include but is not limited to software installation, hardware configuration, training, and creation of utility specific TIM databases either manually or by migrating appropriate data from other utility data sources. Individualized enhancements are typically in the areas of custom reports, custom queries, and interfacing with external software systems. State-of-the-Art Structural / Mechanical Testing Services (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: Increase the reliability of the delivery system, save cost, and increase revenues by testing structures, components, and systems in preparation for upgrading and new construction or the management of existing assets. Verify analysis results, structure and component designs, system performance, and expected remaining service life under normal and extreme load conditions. Description: EPRIsolutions operates EPRI's Engineering and Test Center in Haslet, TX. The Center provides state-of-the-art structural and mechanical testing equipment suitable for the static, dynamic, and fatigue testing of steel, concrete, wood, and fiberglass towers, poles, frames, and other assemblies and components. This facility is available for commercial use and offers full-scale static and dynamic testing of large towers (250 feet +), static / dynamic / fatigue testing of components, and 345-kV, 230-kV and 115-kV test lines. Real-time data acquisition and high-speed imaging systems are available to collect test results. EPRIsolutions’ staff of structural and mechanical experts work with energy companies to design and execute testing and to help energy company personnel understand the results of these tests. Ground Line Corrosion Assessment (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: The Corrosion Meter inspection tool accurately predicts the level of corrosion on direct embedded steel components such as anchors, angles, and poles permitting utilities to confidently and efficiently maintain their assets without requiring costly excavation. The cost of ground inspections can be typically reduced by 25% to 50% (compared to traditional methods of inspection). EPRIsolutions provides a customized service – bundled with the meter -- which can include training, an assessment of current ground conditions across the transmission system and coaching in the correct use of the meter.


Description: The currently used labor-intensive practice of ground line inspection of embedded steel components to identify corrosion activity involves excavating a hole wide enough to work around the buried component. The Corrosion Meter greatly reduces and frequently eliminates the number of excavations required to properly identify corrosion activity and allows energy companies to prioritize the work on future maintenance of these components. Previous applications of this technology at energy companies have shown that the financial benefits of this technology can be accurately defined and that the cost of inspection is reduced by 25% to 50% in comparison to the method of excavation. The application of this technology has consistently indicated payback periods ranging from less than a year to no more than 3 years. High-Voltage Testing (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: Reduce costs substantially by verifying new line designs, live working procedures, insulation systems, and surge protection systems prior to construction. Test and verify new concepts for lightning shielding. Verify performance of insulating systems. Test new transmission and distribution communication technologies. Use accelerated-aging tests to determine the effects of aging on NCI and other insulators. EPRIsolutions’ high-voltage experts will work with energy companies to design, execute, and interpret test results. Description: EPRIsolutions, which operates the EPRI high-voltage test lab in Lenox, MA, offers high-voltage AC testing up to 1500 kV three-phase, DC bipolar testing to 1500 kV, lightning/switching impulse testing to 5600 kV, high-voltage environmental testing (contamination/fog/rain, mist, UV, salt spray), and other large-scale tests. Corona cages and full-scale overhead transmission lines are available for corona performance and E&M field effects testing. A full-scale distribution network “mock-up” is available for testing distribution equipment, which may include spread-spectrum and other communication systems that are attached to the distribution network. A wide variety of transmission structures, including compact structures, are also available for testing maintenance and/or construction practices. These structures can also be used to “mock-up” new transmission / distribution lines for testing. Live Working Services (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: EPRIsolutions’ Live Working services prepare energy companies to implement safe and cost-effective live working practices that are tailored to their particular needs. Workers can use these practices to perform a wide range of proactive maintenance tasks without de-energizing lines that generate revenue. Customers will also benefit from enhanced reliability. Description: EPRIsolutions live working services, which are customized to meet specific company needs, encompass training and workshops, development of company-specific guidelines, and custom testing and implementation. Services are provided through the EPRI Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, where live working development and testing activities are conducted. The facility includes transmission and distribution structure mockups for training and evaluation of live line maintenance procedures and equipment.


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36 Underground Transmission Systems Program Overview EPRI’s Underground Transmission Systems Program offers the most comprehensive portfolio of technologies and tools for underground transmission systems. Projects in this Program address the leading corporate objectives of today’s performance-driven energy companies: cut costs, improve underground cable reliability while increasing power throughput, and ensure health and safety. Cost control in all areas—underground cable design, construction, and refurbishment as well as operations and maintenance (O&M)—remains a prime concern as industry restructuring continues. Concerns about reliability and throughput have been heightened following the underground cable reliability problems of recent years. Of course, extending underground cable life and ensuring community health and safety continue as important needs. The Program addresses these needs and leads in the exploration of promising new technologies and tools to help underground transmission owners diagnose problems before outages occur and repair them with minimum cost and within time constraints. For those interested in underground distribution cable R&D, the reader is referred to the Underground Distribution Infrastructure Program. For 2004, the major focus of the Underground Transmission Systems Program is development of 1) innovative diagnostic monitoring systems that enable life extension of existing underground cables, 2) operational tools to increase the reliability of underground transmission systems, and 3) user-friendly tools to simplify design and reduce cost of new extruded dielectric cable systems. This focus is a direct result of extensive customer input and prioritization. In the area of diagnostic monitoring, the capabilities of EPRI’s distributed fiber-optic sensor system will be extended. This system already enables power companies to measure temperature in underground cable systems in real-time, thereby providing the ability to quickly locate hot spots and faults along the cable route. In 2004, this innovative technology will be exploited to measure electromagnetic signatures as precursors to potential cable failures and/or outage events. Related projects will demonstrate a simplified leak detection system and develop an optimized pressurization scheme for pipe-type underground cable systems. Recently, failures in pipe-type systems raise the question of a new failure mode due to thermo-mechanical stresses. We will use results of recent finite element studies to determine the severity of these conditions. Corrosion has always been at the forefront of issues in the operation of pipe-type cable systems. A continuation of the ongoing research will further enhance recent research results and commercialize results for utility application. New options for extruded insulations will be explored that should lead to a thin-wall cable and possibly increased operating temperature.Direct current (DC) underground transmission systems with extruded dielectric will be evaluated to provide technical expertise in this new type of energy transmission system. A new project in 2004 will update and enhance the functionality of the Underground Transmission Workstation (UTW) and revise the Underground Transmission Systems Reference Book (“Green Book”). UTW has been a trusted tool for transmission engineers to quickly and accurately perform cable calculations. The workstation will be rebuilt to satisfy all new PC platforms. New modules, such as cross-bonding and hydraulic calculations for HPFF systems, are planned and other modules will be updated to reflect the latest knowledge on Underground Transmission systems. The Underground Transmission System Reference Book (“Green Book”) will be revised with the latest available technologies. The new edition of the Green Book will also be available on a CD, and will include software applets that can be exercised to develop greater understanding of the design theory.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 2 36 Underground Transmission Systems The bottom line for EPRI’s Underground Transmission Systems Program is that funders will be able to take full advantage of environmentally acceptable buried transmission systems that have increased throughput, improved reliability and reduced cost. If an EPRI customer implements the results obtained from this Program this year, the cost-benefit ratio on average will be in the range of 1:3 to 1:5, based on past customer results. This translates into savings of about $1 million or higher. Projects Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P36.001 Future Fiber-Optic-Based Sensor Systems for Underground Cable Diagnostics 051971 2004

P36.002 Pressurization Procedures for Pipe-Type Cable Systems 055899 2004-2006

P36.003 Simplified Leak Detection System for High-Pressure Fluid-Filled (HPFF) Cable Systems

051973 2004-2005

P36.004 Thermo-Mechanical Bending of HPFF Cables in the Pipe 058550 2004-2005

P36.005 Location of Corrosion with HPFF Feeders 058551 2004-2005

P36.006 Highly Reliable Extruded Dielectric Insulation Systems 051979 2004-2006

P36.007 New Underground Transmission Workstation and New Underground Transmission System Reference Book

058552 2004-2006

P36.008 Lower the Cost of Underground Transmission 058553 2004-2006

P36.009 DC Cable Systems with Extruded Dielectric 058554 2004-2006 The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research. P36.001 Future Fiber-Optic-Based Sensor Systems for Underground Cable Diagnostics (051971)

Benefits: Increase power flow and underground cable reliability by using on-line diagnostics; increase reliability by predicting failures and allow repairs to be scheduled to minimize system impact. Description: Now that many utilities are specifying fiber-optic sensor wire to measure temperature in their new cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables, it makes sense to take advantage of the same fiber-optic wires to sense other properties and/or operating conditions associated with underground cables. Current project investigations are assessing the viability of using the fiber to also measure acoustic and vibration signals as precursors to cable failures. This effort will continue, and evaluation of electromagnetic distributed pickup signals will also be initiated. Incipient failures can then be detected and repaired early, thus preventing major cable failures and the resulting network outages. This project will also investigate other advanced instruments and sensors for on-line monitoring and diagnostics. Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After these draft versions have been updated, final reports will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the reports will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the deliverable below.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 3 36 Underground Transmission Systems Deliverables

• Future Fiber-Optic-Based Sensor Systems for Underground Cable Diagnostics: Evaluation and demonstration of new diagnostic electromagnetic techniques.

• Technical Report (1008712), 12/31/04 P36.002 Pressurization Procedures for Pipe-Type Cable Systems (055899) Benefits: Reduce time to place transmission cables in service and restore customer power; reduce equipment damage and improve transmission system reliability. Description: After failures or catastrophic damage to underground cable pipes, paper-oil insulation has to be gradually re-pressurized over many hours before being energized. Operators use different methods based on manufacturer’s recommendations or in-house specifications. Currently, there is no method based on technical data that helps a restoration operator to make the choice between restoring customer power quickly versus doing the pressurization process slowly to reduce the chances of repeated equipment failure. This project will develop an “optimal” procedure addressing the above problem. The project started in 2002 with a review of existing practices. Initial results show that very little hard data has been generated in the past. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2003. Due to the apparent lack of existing data, a continuation of this project was necessary. Delivery Approach: A shortened but reliable pressurization procedure will be developed based on review of industry practices and EPRI research. Draft guidelines will be prepared for review and comment by project advisors. After these draft versions have been updated, a final guideline will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee review of the preliminary version will determine the requirements for the final Guidelines report. This project was started in 2002 based on the request of Underground Transmission Task Force (UTTF) advisors. Deliverables

• Guidelines for the Pressurization of High-Pressure Fluid-Filled and High-Pressure Gas-Filled Transmission Cable Systems. • Technical Report (1002033), 12/31/04


• 2005 — Lab Testing of Pressurization Procedures for Pipe-Type Cable Systems Technical Update P36.003 Simplified Leak Detection System for High-Pressure Fluid-Filled (HPFF) Cable Systems (051973) Benefits: Improve environmental performance and reduce monitoring costs through simplified sensor and computer modeling. Description: High-Pressure Fluid-Filled (HPFF) underground cables develop small leaks on occasion that are very hard to detect. The public views any leak as a significant environmental issue and expects energy companies to respond quickly to fix these leaks. A low-cost system is needed to make monitoring feasible on all transmission cables. This system must be simple to use and reduce the need for long-term monitoring before a small leak is identified. Such a sensor-model leak detection system would use minimum operating parameters to detect leaks as small as 1 gal/hour. The resulting leak detection systems shall be designed to be applicable to both static and force-cooled cable systems.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 4 36 Underground Transmission Systems During the initial phases of the project, response from existing providers of leak detection systems has been disappointing. One option is to adopt a system designed for Self-Contained Liquid-Filled (SCLF) systems to HPFF systems. UTTF advisors asked that in addition to this one option, novel technologies be developed. This will extend the original schedule of the project from 2003 to at least 2005. Delivery Approach: The project report will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft version have been updated, the final report will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary version of the project report will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below. Deliverables

• Simplified Leak Detection System for High-Pressure Fluid-Filled (HPFF) Cable Systems: Prototype System Installed at an utility • Technical Report (1008713), 12/31/04


• 2005 — Field Demonstration, Commercialization by a Vendor Technical Update P36.004 Thermo-Mechanical Bending of HPFF Cables in the Pipe (058550) Benefits: Improve the reliability of aging HPFF cable systems by evaluating a new long-term failure mode and developing mitigation technologies.

Description: Recently some energy companies experienced failures of HPFF cables within the pipe run between manholes. In the past, Thermo-Mechanical Bending (TMB) was associated with failures of Extra High Voltage (EHV) HPFF systems within the joint casing. This new project will investigate whether there is a new systemic failure mode for HPFF cable systems due to its age and operating conditions. If necessary, procedures will be developed on how to mitigate TMB failures in pipes. Because of the high impact on system reliability, all major users have expressed strong support for this project. Delivery Approach: The project report will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft version is updated, the final report will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary version of the project report will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the deliverable below. Deliverables

• Comparison of EPRI Mechanical Stress Model Results with Actual Results of Utility Assessment. • Technical Report (1008714), 12/31/04


• 2005 — Field Demonstration of Stress Mitigation Procedures Technical Update

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 5 36 Underground Transmission Systems P36.005 Location of Corrosion with HPFF Feeders (058551) Benefits: Improve environmental performance and increase asset utilization by detecting corrosion of HPFF pipes and reduce O&M cost for corrosion mitigation. Description: Corrosion of pipes for high-pressure transmission cable systems continues to have a major impact on the reliability and O&M cost. Ongoing research has identified available techniques having the potential to detect and locate damaging corrosion and disbond of coating. Field trials will demonstrate some of these technologies during 2003. The capability of inspecting the casings inside a manhole will be demonstrated. The next step will be to inspect the pipe from manhole wall to approximately 10 feet outside of the manhole. The ultimate objective is to detect and locate corrosion accurately in pipes between manholes. Another topic is to evaluate the possible link between pipe protection systems and corrosion detection systems to improve corrosion mitigation. Delivery Approach: The project report will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft version is updated, the final report will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary version of the project report will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the deliverable below. Deliverables

• Corrosion Detection, Location and Mitigation: Develop system to detect corrosion between manholes • Technical Report (1008715), 12/31/04


• 2005 — Field Demonstration of Inspection by Service Provider Technical Update P36.006 Highly Reliable Extruded Dielectric Insulation Systems (051979) Benefits: Lower costs with reduced wall thickness cables; increase reliability because of fewer splices; improve high-temperature performance and increase reliability of extruded dielectric cables by assessing aging factors and remaining life. In the second phase of the project, the results will provide guidance for the development of new polymers to be used in the next generation of lower-cost, extruded dielectric cables. Description: EPRI R&D has recently improved a dry-aging model for the dielectric of XLPE transmission cables. The first phase of this new project will review and further enhance three major existing dry-aging models, and determine other parameters critical for the reliable performance of extruded dielectric cables. A second phase of this project will develop a new dielectric system with improved defect tolerance and reduced crystallinity, leading to a thin-wall cable and possibly increased operating temperature. Delivery Approach: The reports will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, the technical reports will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the reports will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 6 36 Underground Transmission Systems Deliverables

• Dielectric Materials for High-Stress Transmission Cables • Technical Report (1002038), 12/31/04

Future Year Deliverables • 2005—Experimental Results of Aging Models Technical Update

• 2005—Threshold Stress and Aging Models Technical Update P36.007 New Underground Transmission Workstation and New Underground Transmission System Reference Book (“Green Book”) (058552) Benefits: Increase engineering and planning efficiency, and reduce training cost for new engineers. Description: This new project will greatly improve existing tools and develop new aids for system design. First, a multi-year effort will rebuild the existing Underground Transmission Workstation from the ground up. The software code will be restructured to satisfy all new PC platforms in an efficient way. New modules, such as cross-bonding and hydraulic calculations for HPFF systems, are planned and other modules will be updated to reflect the latest knowledge of underground transmission systems. Second, we will edit the Underground Transmission System Reference Book (“Green Book”). The book will be published as a CD with user-friendly search capabilities and equation applets. Much of the know-how gained with the new “Red Book” will be applied. Third, we will develop a database with failure data of UT systems aimed at providing members with valuable data on failure conditions and how to avoid similar defects. The database will be accessible for members through the internet. Finally, we will develop a Guide for the Selection of Accessories for Transmission Cables. Accessories continue to be system components with higher failure potential. Workmanship and design are closely correlated. Components such as transition and stop joints are very complex designs. The guide will identify critical parameters for selection criteria. Delivery Approach: The software and reference book will first be prepared for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, the software and book will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The software and reference book will be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com and will be available as a CD. Workshops are planned after the release of the updated UTW and Reference Book. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the reports will determine the requirements for the deliverables. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below. Deliverables

• New Underground Transmission Workstation: Reprogram UTW modules (ACE, TOAD, PULLTEN, CABLEREF) from scratch for application on all platforms and without current user limitations.


• Underground Transmission System Reference Book (“Green Book”): Review and plan revision of UTSR book. Determine scope, need of edits and formats.


Future Year Deliverables • 2005—New Underground Transmission Workstation Technical Update: Reprogram UTW models (all

other modules) from scratch for application on all platforms and without current user limitations.

• 2005—Underground Transmission System Reference Book (“Green Book”): Edit and revise Technical Report. Increase functionality and user friendliness. Use applets for equations.

http://www.epri.com/

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 7 36 Underground Transmission Systems

• 2006—New Underground Transmission Workstation Software: Complete Reprogramming of existing and new UTW modules (all other modules) from scratch for application on all platforms and without current user limitations.

P36.008 Lower the Cost of Underground Transmission (058553) Benefits: Lower cost of underground transmission will provide EPRI clients with new and cost-effective options to overhead lines. Application of new joint designs will enable users to more efficiently use existing underground infrastructure and maintain high reliability. Description: Past EPRI research focused on cost reduction methods for UT systems. These technologies are advancing. This proposed new project will assess new developments and investigate new ways of cost reduction. Civil work as one of the major cost factors will be main focus of this work. At the same time we will evaluate new joint designs for XLPE high-voltage (HV) cables suitable for installation within the limited dimensions of older manholes. The investigation will determine among others, permissible bending stresses, new stress control materials, and novel accessory designs. Delivery Approach: The reports will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, the technical reports will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the reports will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below. Deliverables

• Determine State-of-the-Art Technologies • Technical Update (1008719), 12/31/04

Future Year Deliverables • 2005—Test Promising Methods and Technology Technical Update: Apply planning methods and

reduction in construction cost to realize an average cost ratio of underground transmission to overhead (UT to OH) of 2:1 in suburban and rural installations.

• 2006—Demonstrate Technologies with a Utility Installation Final Report P36.009 DC Cable Systems with Extruded Dielectric (058554) Benefits: Extruded dielectrics for underground transmission systems are providing users with low-loss alternatives for long-length feeders that are environmentally benign and maintenance free. This project will assist EPRI clients to evaluate these new technologies for their needs and provide a means of collaborative demonstration. Description: DC-insulated HV cable systems are now installed for new transmission lines where charging currents or conditions for system operation dictate DC insulation. Voltages of 150 kV have been realized and manufacturer research for higher voltages is ongoing. DC high-voltage cables previously have only been used for submarine applications. This new technology provides utilities with new options. This project will evaluate the benefits and barriers for DC-insulated, extruded dielectric transmission cables so that transmission companies can assess the true benefit for their system.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 8 36 Underground Transmission Systems Delivery Approach: The reports will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, the technical reports will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the reports will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below. Deliverables

• DC Cable Systems with Extruded Dielectric: Technology review of extruded DC underground transmission systems.



• 2005—DC Cable Systems with Extruded Dielectric Technical Update: Demonstration of a new DC HV system at a client site.

• 2006—DC Cable Systems with Extruded Dielectric Technical Update: Complete field trial tests at customer site.

Project Opportunities Related to this program are the following existing or proposed project opportunities that are open for participation. As described in further detail in EPRI’s policies, the results from these projects may be available to only the participants of those projects. Tailored Collaboration (TC) funds from project participants are matched by EPRI dollars, as described in further detail in EPRI’s policies. Marketing Number

Project Title

S36.001 Demonstration of 345 kV XLPE Cable System

S36.002 Condition and Remaining Life Assessment of Aging HPFF Systems

S36.001 Demonstration of 345 kV XLPE Cable System Benefits: Reduce capital cost and improve reliability by demonstrating the replacement of environmentally sensitive high-pressure fluid-filled (HPFF) cable systems with new Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) cables in existing underground pipes. Description: A 345-kV XLPE system for retrofit inside existing pipes has passed both type testing and a one-year long-term test in the laboratory. A field demonstration of a representative, short-length, three-phase 345-kV oil-free cable system under actual field conditions is planned starting in 2003. Installation of the system will include cable, terminations, straight joints and a circulating water system. The demonstration circuit will be a full-size circuit. The project will provide the experience of establishing correct installation procedures; the one-year field test will provide the basis for assessing the reliability of the system under actual loading conditions. The project is planned to be completed in 2005. The principal funder for this TC project is a large metropolitan U.S. electricity company. Other companies interested in retrofit projects using HPFF cable systems are invited to join this project.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 9 36 Underground Transmission Systems S36.002 Condition and Remaining Life Assessment of Aging HPFF Systems Benefits: Reduce cost by managing performance and remaining life of existing pipe-type cables. Description: High-Pressure Fluid-Filled (HPFF) transmission cable systems that constitute close to 80% of the transmission cables in the U.S. are worth billions of dollars. Many of these systems are reaching, or have exceeded, their design life of 40 years. Evaluating their condition and remaining life is of utmost importance to electricity companies seeking to make full use of their underground transmission assets and to plan their replacement when necessary. This TC opportunity will provide a custom-tailored assessment of HPFF cables based on both invasive and noninvasive techniques developed during an earlier EPRI test program at the Waltz Mill laboratory.


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38 Increased Transmission Capacity Program Overview EPRI’s Increased Transmission Capacity Program offers in one place a unique, integrated portfolio aimed at helping transmission owners and operators get the most power through their existing transmission and substation equipment while keeping grid equipment loading and stability under control. As such, this Program provides customers with a “one-stop” shop for significantly reducing new capital expenditures for both transmission and substation equipment. For those interested in improving the overall management of their transmission assets, please refer to EPRI's Power Delivery Asset Management Program. The most direct way to increase power throughput is simply to operate existing equipment at higher loads, which produce higher equipment temperatures. One key project in the Program helps customers safely operate at higher temperature operational limits by employing new monitoring technologies paired with explicit performance data. The Program also provides methods to mitigate transmission bottlenecks and develop improved methods to determine real-time thermal ratings for transmission and substation equipment. In addition, a best practices guidebook is being developed that delineates present-day tools that have been proven to increase power flow over grids. It delineates best practice knowledge, experience, and lessons learned, thereby helping members make the most cost-effective investments to maximize the utilization of their transmission and substation assets. The Increased Transmission Capacity Program also helps transmission owners and operators develop new technology to accommodate increased power throughput. The Program also offers several new and ongoing developments directly related to resolving throughput bottleneck problems. One project will identify transmission throughput bottlenecks and provide low-cost alternatives to mitigate the bottlenecks through quasi-dynamic ratings. EPRI pioneered and remains the world leader in Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices. This technology maximizes control of power flow over connected lines and enables an increase in power transfer capacity by up to 30% over a specific line. One project will enhance the versatility of FACTS Controllers, expand the functionality, and improve reliability through the introduction of new design concepts for field demonstration. Another project will develop simulation and economic evaluation tools to effectively integrate power electronics-based controllers into the transmission planner’s toolbox. Additionally, an “Operator Training Simulator” will be developed to increase operators’ understanding of the operation of power electronics-based controllers in transmission grids. Associated with this project is an information-sharing and technology update project to provide members with the most up-to-date cost and performance data on FACTS devices in the world. For flexibility and convenience to our clients, the Increased Transmission Capacity Program is categorized into two Project Sets. Each contains an integrated package of projects that directly relate to and complement each other. For 2004, the Program offers the following Project Sets:

PS38A Increase Power Flow Capability in Transmission Systems PS38B Increase Transmission Asset Utilization through Application of Power Electronics-Based Controllers

By increasing the power throughput and return on capital investments, while improving grid reliability and holding the line on costs, EPRI’s Increased Transmission Capacity Program is invaluable to all transmission and substation owners and operators. If an EPRI customer implements even one-fourth of the results obtained from this Program this year, on only one transmission circuit, it is estimated the transmission system reliability will improve up to 10%, and capital cost expenditures will be reduced from 10 to 20%. As a result, past Program customers have estimated they obtain a return on their investment in the range of a factor of 3 to 6 by funding this Program.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 2 38 Increased Transmission Capacity

PROJECT SET: PS38A Increase Power Flow Capability in Transmission Systems (056072)

Project Set Overview The set of projects below will help owners and operators of transmission and substation equipment. The results of the projects will allow existing equipment to operate at higher power flow levels, thus significantly reducing new capital expenditures. This is accomplished by understanding and monitoring the real-time temperature of lines/transformers and line sag, which is then used to accurately determine the true loading limit of a transmission circuit. Past work has determined that existing operational tools, in general, underestimate such thermal limits 90% of the time. This project set started initially looking at hardware, such as the video sagometer for Increased Power Flow (IPF), and has been expanded to focus on both hardware and software to ultimately achieve the increased power levels in the transmission systems in an operating environment. The tools that are developed in this project set will be useful to system planners, designers, and system operators who are in charge of increasing transmission utilization with minimal investments. The technologies that are developed in this project set are nicely documented in the Increased Power Flow (IPF) Guidebook for convenient use by transmission and substation engineers. Projects Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P38.001 Guidebook to Increase Power Flow in Transmission & Substation Circuits 051833 2004-2005

P38.002 Dynamic Thermal Circuit Rating (DTCR) Technology with Low-Cost Sensors in an Operating Environment

051831 2004-2006

P38.003 Identify Transmission Throughput Bottlenecks, Review/Update Static Ratings, and Migrate to Quasi-Dynamic Ratings

051841 2004-2005

P38.004 Performance and Aging Characteristics of Transmission and Substation Equipment at Increased Operating Temperatures

051827 2004-2006

The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research. P38.001 Guidebook to Increase Power Flow In Transmission & Substation Circuits (051833) Benefits: Increased power flow (IPF) resulting from the implementation of best practices on transmission and substation circuit components will generate increased revenues to the owners and operators of these systems. This guidebook will include comparison of economic benefits of each available technology for increased power flow, so that energy companies can make informed decisions when choosing IPF options for their utility applications. By implementing one or more of the IPF technologies, companies can obtain increased asset utilization with a minimal cost. Description: For reasons that are obvious to the industry, energy companies are searching for methods to increase the power flow through existing assets. As part of a larger initiative to increase power flows through transmission circuits, EPRI sponsored the production of this guidebook, which presents different options for increasing power flow capacities of overhead transmission lines, cables, and substation equipment. This comprehensive guidebook documents the state-of-science for increasing power flow capacities of overhead transmission lines, cables, and


substation equipment. It provides an overview of the electrical, mechanical, thermal, and system concerns that are important to increased power flow and reviews the available options for increasing the capacity of overhead lines, cables and substation equipment. Case studies illustrate several options for IPF and compare their potential economic benefits. This guide documents all the other developments both in hardware (e.g., video sagometers) and in software (e.g., the dynamic thermal circuit rating (DTCR) program) that are instrumental for IPF. This guidebook will be an excellent reference document for transmission and substation engineers, since it provides all the possible IPF options in one place for ease of use. The chapters of this guidebook include:

• Introduction

• Fundamentals of Increased Power Flow

• Rating Methodologies

• Transformer Loading at Increased Power (PTLOAD)

• Overhead Lines

• Underground Cables

• Substations & Switchyards

• Improved Grid Operator Tools for IPF

• Conductor Ampacity Tables

• Appendices The guidebook will draw from a combination of other EPRI technology, industry experts, documented case studies and associated engineering and safety guidelines. A course will be developed to directly support the guidebook. The guidebook is designed to be used in a self-study or a classroom setting. Delivery Approach: The products will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After these drafts are updated, the resulting final versions will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports and software will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com . Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing preliminary versions of the reports will determine the requirements for the final reports. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below. Deliverables

• Increasing Power Flow in Transmission & Substation Circuits: Handbook in hardcopy and CD-ROM. • Technical Report (1001819), 12/31/04


• 2005—Increasing Power Flow in Transmission & Substation Circuits: Applications Service P38.002 Dynamic Thermal Circuit Rating (DTCR) Technology with Low-Cost Sensors in an Operating Environment (051831) Benefits: Increased transmission and substation power throughput via real-time changes in the thermal rating for transmission overhead lines, underground cables and substation equipment is an asset to energy companies in the present-day business environment with minimal transmission expansion. DTCR technology will allow increased power flows in the order of 15-20% over the existing static ratings at a modest cost of installing measuring equipment such as weather monitors, sagometers, and temperature sensors. The alternatives to DTCR are reconductoring and increasing maximum operating temperature, both of which are more expensive options.



Improved reliability of conductors, transformers, and cables through low-cost online temperature monitoring could be obtained. The availability of low-cost temperature sensors will enable the industry to move closer to the ideal of a dynamically rated system. Until now, the cost of sensors has placed this idea out of reach of all except very critical situations. Increased dynamic ratings are implemented in a real-time operating environment so that the true benefits of increased power flow are obtained by maximizing the power transfers and thus increasing revenues. Description DTCR Software Development: In the 1990s, EPRI developed DTCR technology for dynamic thermal ratings of substations and transmission circuits, based on real-time monitoring of weather conditions, circuit loads, and other parameters (e.g., line tension, sag and temperature). Version 2.1 of DTCR software was released in 2000. The experience gained from applications of this tool showed great benefits to users, who in turn suggested improvements to make it even more useful. The focus of this part of the project is to upgrade DTCR based on this input, ensuring that it continues to meet the evolving needs of the industry. Improvements planned include easier setup and verification, greater reliability, and better integration with other EPRI software (such as Maintenance Management Workstation [MMW] and PTLOAD). Additions to the tool include a Common Information Model (CIM) for simplifying SCADA data transfer and a separate interface allowing direct access to electricity company databases containing useful equipment parameters. The DTCR V3.0 with major enhancements is being released in 2003, and the DTCR training course, users’ workshops, and application services will be provided in 2004. DTCR software will be ultimately integrated into a control center environment for operators to change the ratings of the transmission circuits dynamically. It will be also useful for system planners to perform load flow, stability and contingency studies for future scenarios using the dynamic ratings of the circuits. Thus DTCR software is the key to achieve the increased power levels on the transmission corridors. DTCR software will provide the results for utility best practices, which will be documented in the IPF guidebook. In this way, there is a close coordination in the developments of both the IPF guidebook and the DTCR software. Although improved thermal models for transformers are being done in the IPF Project Set during 2003, further enhancements to PTLOAD software will be performed in the Transformers Project Set (PS37A) during 2004 and beyond. However, these transformer model enhancements will be included in the DTCR software since the dynamic ratings of the circuits also include transformers. EPRI is also engaged in a Tailored Collaboration project on “Improved Thermal Models for Substation Equipment,” which will provide more enhanced thermal models for substation equipment other than transformers. Low-Cost Sensor Development: Temperature sensors that operate reliably in real time on transmission and substation equipment are key elements in a total diagnostic/monitoring system and for increasing the power flow in the system. Knowing temperature in real time will allow operators to drive equipment closer to its thermal limits. Furthermore, such sensors can determine in real time any problems inside transformers, cables, circuit breakers, and other important transmission and substation equipment. This part of the project began in 2002 with a rigorous analysis of temperature sensors for both point and distributed systems across a conductor/transformer winding/cable. Key requirements that must be met are low-cost, reliable performance, and good aging characteristics (i.e., the sensor systems should not have to be recalibrated too often). Once appropriate approaches are identified, proof-of-concept will be performed at university laboratory test facilities. The fiber-optic sensors will first be tested on conductors, with the objective of measuring the temperature of the conductor at a lower cost. As a next step, these sensors will be applied to transformers to measure the temperature profile from top to bottom in the transformer tank. Finally, the sensors will be investigated for ability to measure cable temperature. After obtaining proof-of-concept in a university setting, the sensor concepts will be tested at the EPRI High Voltage labs in Lenox, MA, with field-scale equipment. Additional sensors will be installed for field trials and demonstrations at customer host sites.


Operator Training for IPF Implementation: EPRI developed Increased Power Flow (IPF) tools, such as DTCR technology for dynamic thermal ratings of substations and transmission circuits, based on real-time monitoring of weather conditions, circuit loads, and other parameters (e.g., line tension, sag and temperature). However, the system operator, who is basically trained to use static ratings, needs to be educated in this new area of dynamic ratings and trained on how to implement these ratings in a day-to-day operating environment. The focus of this part of the project is to survey operators on how to effectively utilize dynamic/revised ratings, train them on the proper implementation of IPF tools, and to make the DTCR/IPF information part of the operator screens/display. Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After these drafts are updated, the resulting final versions will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The project documentation and software will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. DTCR V3.0 training material is provided in a hardcopy form, which could be used in a self-study mode. DTCR training will be provided at the users’ workshops. The hardware for low-cost sensors will be developed in three stages. Initial prototypes will be built and tested at university labs. If successful, field-scale systems will be tested at EPRI’s High Voltage laboratory, and/or at laboratory and customer host sites. If positive results are obtained, the technology and systems will be commercialized. A tutorial for operator training will be developed in a hardcopy form, which could be used in a self-study mode. Operator training will be provided at seminars or workshops. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the products will determine the requirements for the final version of the software, hardware and training materials. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below. Deliverables

DTCR V3.0 Software Development • DTCR Training Course: Workshop and course materials.

• Service (E206808), 10/30/04

Low-Cost Temperature Sensor for Conductors • Develop and Implement a Fiber-Optic Monitoring System for Conductors at a Utility Host Site

• Hardware (1002099) and Technical Report (1002100), 12/31/04

Low-Cost Temperature Sensor for Transformers • Develop a Test Bed of a Fiber-Optic System for Transformers at a University Lab Environment

• Hardware (1002101) and Technical Update (1002102), 6/30/04

• Implement a Monitoring System for Transformers at EPRI’s High Voltage Labs in Lenox, MA • Hardware (1002103) and Technical Update (1002104), 12/31/04

Operator Training for IPF Implementation • Tutorial for Operators on IPF Tools

• Technical Report (E215349), 12/31/04



Future Year Deliverables Temperature sensor for Transformers • 2005—Develop and Implement a Monitoring System for Transformers at a Utility Site. Hardware and

Technical Report

Temperature Sensor for Cables • 2005—Develop a Test Bed of a Fiber-Optic System for Cables at a University Lab Environment.

Hardware and Technical Update • 2005—Implement a Fiber-Optic Monitoring System for Cables at EPRI’s High Voltage Labs in

Lenox. Hardware and Technical Update • 2006—Implement a Fiber-Optic Monitoring System for Cables at a Utility Site. Hardware and

Technical Report

Operator Training for IPF Implementation • 2005—Technical Seminars to the Operators based on the IPF Tutorial

P38.003 Identify Transmission Throughput Bottlenecks, Review/Update Static Ratings, and Migrate to Quasi-Dynamic Ratings (051841) Benefits: This project will develop simplified, inexpensive tools to enable electricity companies to get within 80% of full utilization of their equipment at reduced costs compared to ‘optimized’ tools. A well-defined low-cost methodology allowing companies to re-rate circuits with confidence will help increase power flow and extend the life of existing equipment before new capital investments are needed. Description: In most cases, operating limits for overhead lines are currently based on static ratings that are either fixed throughout the year or change seasonally or monthly, but a full dynamic rating system is an expensive option for an electricity company. Consequently, very few lines have an hourly or daily rating, even though experience shows that static ratings can be very conservative. This project will provide practical methodology and guidelines to 1) identify potential transmission bottlenecks and key measurement locations, 2) perform data analysis to determine line performance under adverse conditions, 3) update/revise static ratings, and (if appropriate), 4) implement quasi-dynamic ratings for lines that do not require installation of permanent real-time dynamic thermal circuit rating tools. It is proposed that a line can be surveyed using sag/tension measurements, and the data collected over a time period can be used to develop correlations against power flow and weather parameters in order to define a set of quasi-dynamic rating criteria. Once a quasi-dynamic rating has been completed for specific bottleneck locations, the sag/tension measurement system and related tools can be re-deployed to another line location for a similar re-rating process. The objective of this project is to develop a methodology and the tools by which a re-rating process can be cost-effectively implemented, along with the minimum amount of (permanent) field instrumentation. Delivery Approach: The products will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After these draft versions have been updated, the final report will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. A workshop on the proposed methodology will be developed and presented. Once the project is complete, the quasi-dynamic rating methodology will be converted into an application service. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the products will determine the requirements for the final report. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below.


Deliverables • Workshop On Quasi-Dynamic Ratings: Workshop and workshop materials on the web

• Service (E206812), 9/30/04

Future Year Deliverables • 2005—Quasi-Dynamic Ratings: Host utility applications.

P38.004 Performance and Aging Characteristics of Transmission and Substation Equipment at Increased Operating Temperatures (051827) Benefits: Novel operating paradigms and monitoring technologies, paired with explicit performance data, will provide energy companies with the knowledge to confidently operate equipment at higher-temperature operational limits without adversely affecting equipment performance and the expected service life. Safe and reliable operation at higher temperatures means an increase in the permissible current-carrying capacity of transmission and substation equipment. In many cases, up to 20% increase of transmission throughput could be gained. Description: Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Conductors: The operation of existing facilities near or above traditional operating limits, under emergency or contingency conditions, creates operational and technical issues. These operational and technical issues include, but are not limited to, maintenance of adequate line clearances, prediction of the conductor’s high-temperature sag and tension behavior, and assessment of the effects of operation near or above previous limits on the long-term performance and the expected service life of the conductors and associated line hardware. Also, experience has shown that operational history coupled with the effects of climatic events further add to the difficulty of accurately predicting operational limits and the end of life. In response to this need, the high-temperature operation of conductors is currently being investigated in a series of laboratory tests, field performance, and analytical studies. This work builds on previous research (completed in 2001) that focused on the high-temperature sag and tension prediction of conductors. In 2002 and 2003, the research is focused on the thermal signatures and performance of common conductors and hardware to identify the effects of high-temperature operation at standard equipment attachment and suspension points. Conductors, and associated suspension and peripheral equipment, were evaluated in a laboratory setting at increasing operating temperatures. The tests were designed to simulate highly loaded conductors in a traditional line suspension arrangement (under full tension) and with associated line hardware (i.e., on insulators, dampers, splices, and attachment shoes). It is expected that the data obtained from these tests would be very helpful in evaluating the validity of the currently used specification standards of overhead transmission lines. Conductors that were evaluated include aluminum conductor steel-reinforced (ACSR), all aluminum conductor (AAC), and aluminum conductor steel-supported (ACSS) of varying cross-section and age. The results acquired in this effort will be used to develop

1) A guide addressing the high-temperature operation of transmission lines 2) Improved analytical tools for predicting high-temperature conductor sag, tension, and creep for “new”

conductors as well as “old” conductors. In parallel to this effort, EPRI is currently engaged in a number of comprehensive Tailored Collaboration projects (started in 2002), evaluating the laboratory and field performance of recently developed high-temperature, low-sag conductors. Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Substation Equipment: EPRI is continuing the development of the Dynamic Thermal Circuit Rating (DTCR) technology suitable for the dynamic rating of transmission circuits and substation equipment. The DTCR software provides detailed dynamic rating models for lines, cables, and transformers and ambient adjusted rating models based on IEEE specifications for the transmission circuits and substation equipment.


This part of the project focuses on evaluating the performance and limitations of substation equipment at higher operational temperature. This evaluation will be useful for making cost-effective decisions when dealing with repair, refurbishment, or wholesale replacement of existing substation equipment. The results obtained from this part of the project will be useful in developing reliable thermal models, which will be added to the DTCR program for the dynamic ratings of substation equipment. EPRI is also engaged in a Tailored Collaboration project on “Improved Thermal Models for Substation Equipment,” which will provide more input to this effort. Delivery Approach: The products will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, final reports will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the preliminary versions of the products will determine the requirements for the final products. The completion date for this project is the date shown for the last deliverable below. Deliverables

Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Conductors • Performance Characteristics of Conductor, Connectors, and Hardware in High Temperature

Operation of Conductors • Technical Report (1001812), 12/31/04

Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Substation Equipment • Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Substation Equipment



Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Conductors • 2005 – Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Conductors: Host Utility applications.

• 2006 – Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Conductors: Host Utility applications.

Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Substation Equipment • 2005 – Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Substation Equipment Technical Report • 2006 – Performance of High-Temperature Operation of Substation Equipment: Host Utility

applications. PROJECT SET: PS38B Increase Transmission Asset Utilization through Application of

Power Electronics-Based Controllers (056073) Project Set Overview Power electronics is one of the fastest changing and “enabling infrastructure technologies” in electrical engineering. It has made and continues to make a significant impact on power and energy infrastructures, which constitute one of the pillars of our society and the rest of the world. Power electronics-based transmission controllers are the key elements for transforming the transmission system from being a “passive” to an “active” system (i.e., flexible, controllable and securely utilized up to its thermal capacity). Currently, the power electronics-based transmission controllers are at a technological crossroads toward improving operating reliability, lowering development costs, and introducing innovative technical functionality and controllability. This Project Set aims to address these challenging issues in order to widely use these controllers and hence improve transmission asset utilization.


Power electronics-based transmission controllers are revolutionizing the way power is transmitted, and are taking a giant step toward providing the robust power infrastructure that is now needed. These controllers increase the power transfer capacity of individual transmission lines and improve overall system reliability by reacting, almost instantaneously, to disturbances. Electromechanical controllers are too slow to govern the flow of alternating current in real time, resulting in loop flows and bottlenecks. By acting quickly enough to provide such control, power electronics controllers can increase or decrease power flow on particular lines, alleviating transmission system congestion. In addition, these controllers can enhance system reliability by counteracting transient disturbances almost instantaneously, optimally directing power flow, and providing wide-area voltage support, allowing transmission lines to be loaded closer to their inherent thermal limits. If power electronics controllers are extensively deployed throughout the North American transmission grid, system operators will essentially be able to dispatch transmission capacity across the continent, facilitating open access. In many instances, power electronics controllers can increase power transfer capability by up to 50% and, by eliminating power bottlenecks, extend the market reach of competitive generation. In economic terms, this boost in power supply translates into less construction, reduced capital expenditures, rapid payback of capital, and in many cases, an alternative to the growing difficulty of installing new lines. Following is a summary of potential applications and system benefits of power electronics-based controllers:

• Control power flow over designated routes (to meet contract requirements, load needs, optimization criteria, emergency conditions, etc)

• Increase line loading capability to prevailing thermal capacity (to achieve desired asset utilization and meet short-term emergency conditions)

• Increase system security by providing higher transient stability and oscillation damping without decreasing transmission capacity (by larger steady-state stability margins)

• Reduce reactive power flows and loop power flows (to maintain line capacity for scheduled active power)

• Provide voltage support at strategic transmission buses (to maintain voltage levels and prevent voltage collapse)

• Provide asynchronous/synchronous ties with neighboring systems (to decrease generation reserve requirements)

• Increase flexibility for citing new generators and for facilitating the connection of new energy sources (wind, fuel cell, etc.) and storage devices (battery, flywheel, etc.)

Projects Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P38.005 Power Electronics-Based Controllers: Developments and Field Demonstrations 058555 2004-2006

P38.006 Power Electronics-Based Controllers: Analysis and Utilization Tools 058556 2004-2006

P38.007 Power Electronics-Based Controllers: Information and Knowledge Sharing 058557 2004-2006

The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research.


P38.005 Power Electronics-Based Controllers: Developments and Field Demonstrations (058555) Benefits: Enhanced versatility of FACTS Controllers, expanded functionality, improved reliability, and introduction of new design concepts for field demonstration. Description: There are a number field-demonstrated FACTS controllers (e.g., Sullivan STATCOM, Inez UPFC, Eagle Pass Back-to-Back, and Marcy Convertible Static Compensator or CSC). These controllers, and in particular CSC, provide transmission systems with multiple compensating modes, dynamic reactive power and voltage support, dynamic (series inductive and capacitive) line impedance control, real and reactive power flow control, and power management among transmission corridors. The objectives of this project are aiming at enhancing the versatility of FACTS Controllers, expanding functionality, improving reliability, and introduction of new design concepts for field demonstration. The objectives are described in the following:

1. Expand the functionality of the CSC in the Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC) mode, which enables real power-exchange between two transmission lines. The operation of this mode is currently constrained in a way that one of the converters will be the “master” control and the other converter will be in a “slave” mode. The project will investigate, conduct feasibility studies, and conclude with software control and hardware requirements to overcome this constraint.

2. Provide the building block of the next generation of power electronics-based controllers to meet the need of cost reduction, improvement reliability and functionality. This will include valve design, topology structure, and control.

3. Complete field demonstrations of a novel controller concept, integrating the functionality of a Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) and a Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR). In the SSSC mode the controller provides power flow control of transmission lines by injecting a controlled voltage component in series with the line, and in the voltage restorer mode the controller provides a compensating voltage component for the voltage sag at the load end.

Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions have been updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report(s) will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: Members of the working group reviewing the preliminary results of this project will determine the requirements for the final product on each topic. The completion dates for the project deliverables are the dates shown below. Deliverables

• Expanded Functionality of the Convertible Static Compensator: Concept development


• Building Block: Technical and economical design optimization • Technical Report (1008726), 12/31/04

• Multimode Static Series Compensator: Concept development

• Technical Report (1008727), 12/31/04 Future Year Deliverables

• 2005—Expanded Functionality of the Convertible Compensator: Hardware design.

• 2006—Expanded Functionality of the Convertible Compensator: Field performance reported.

• 2005—Building Block: Constructed and tested.

• 2006—Complete Design of a New Power Electronics-Based Controller Technical Report

• 2005—Multimode Static Series Compensator: Hardware design and installation at a host utility.

• 2006—Multimode Static Series Compensator: Commissioned at a host utility.


P38.006 Power Electronics-Based Controllers: Analysis and Utilization Tools (058556) Benefits: Effective identification of transmission network need, type, location, size, and use of power electronics-based controllers. Description: Power electronics-based controllers provide transmission grids with powerful tools to increase transmission capacity and unprecedented control capabilities. The objectives of the project are the following:

1. Develop effective analytical, simulation, and economic evaluation tools to determine, based on a defined need and objective functions, the most cost-effective type, size, and the optimum location of the need of power electronics-based controllers.

2. Develop an “Operator Training Simulator,” increasing operators understanding the operation of power electronics-based controllers in transmission grids and how to be best operated.

Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions are updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report(s) will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: Members of the working group reviewing the preliminary results of this project will determine the requirements for the final product on each topic. The completion dates for the project deliverables are the dates shown below. Deliverables

• Analytical, Simulation, and Economical Analysis Tools • Technical Report (1008728), 12/31/04

• Operator Training Simulator Conceptualized • Technical Report (1008729), 12/31/04

Future Year Products

• 2005—Operator Training Simulator Functioning Technical Report P38.007 Power Electronics-Based Controllers: Information and Knowledge Sharing (058557) Benefits: Up-to-date knowledge on understanding power electronics-based controllers, operation experiences and technology research &developments. Description: Power electronics-based controllers are a new transmission technology based on the use of different types of solid-state switches in different structural topologies and serving different transmission compensating functionality. Over the past two decades, unprecedented technological progress has been achieved in the development of these controllers, which enables a degree of precise high-speed control over electricity flow on utility grids that is analogous to that afforded by microelectronics in computers. The project objectives are the following:

1. Coordination of annual meetings/workshops for sharing knowledge and information about the operation field experiences, reliability, availability, lessons learned, and performance. In addition to the annual meeting, a web site will be accessible for on-time information including tutorials, simulation links, and updates.


2. Development of a “Reference Book,” describing historical perspectives, basic design considerations, factory testing, site installations, commissioning, operating performance, operation and maintenance, and future trends.

Delivery Approach: The deliverables will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions are updated, final products will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The report(s) will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: Members of the working group reviewing the preliminary results of this project will determine the requirements for the final product on each topic. The completion dates for the project deliverables are the dates shown below. Deliverables

• Information Meeting: Presented and discussed material will be documented on a CD-ROM


• Power Electronics-Based Controllers’ Web-Site Updated

• Service (E215352), 12/31/04

• Power Electronics-Based Controllers’ Reference Book: An update on development status

• Technical Update (E215353), 12/31/04 Future Year Deliverables

• 2005—Information Meeting: Presented and discussed material will be documented on a CD-ROM

• 2005—Power Electronics-Based Controllers’ Web-Site Updated.

• 2005—Power Electronics-Based Controllers’ Reference Book: An update on development status.

• 2006—Information Meeting: Presented and discussed material will be documented on a CD-ROM

• 2006—Power Electronics-Based Controllers’ Web-Site Updated. • 2006—Power Electronics-Based Controllers’ Reference Book.

Project Opportunities Related to this program are the following existing or proposed project opportunities that are open for participation. As described in further detail in EPRI’s policies, the results from these projects may be available only to the participants of those projects. Tailored Collaboration (TC) funds from project participants are matched by EPRI dollars, as described in further detail in EPRI’s policies. Marketing Number

Project Title

S38.001 Improved Thermal Models for Substation Equipment

S38.002 Evaluation of Increased Risk of Failure due to Increased Power Flow

S38.003 Reactive Power, Fault Current, & Substation Equipment Requirements at the Increased Real Power Levels

S38.004 Sen Transformer

S38.005 Low-Cost Emergency VAR Compensator

S38.006 Integrated Network Controller for Multiple Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) Devices

S38.007 Intelligence-Based Diagnostics Work Station (IBDW) for Power Electronics-Based Controllers (PEBC)

S38.008 Control Voltage Flicker Induced by Electric Arc Furnace Customers

S38.009 Life Extension and Performance Enhancement of “Aging” Power Electronic-based Transmission Controllers


Marketing Number

Project Title

Esol Service Increased Power Flow

Esol Service FACTS Application Studies

S38.001 Improved Thermal Models for Substation Equipment Benefits: Participants will have the benefit of gaining first-hand experience on the operation of substation equipment at higher power levels / higher operating temperatures and thus able to increase the power flow capability all across the transmission system. Increased transmission system capacity will lead to increased revenues. Also energy companies will be able to decide when to replace the substation equipment when operating at higher power levels. Description: Though Dynamic Thermal Circuit Rating (DTCR) can accurately calculate dynamic ratings of lines, cables and transformers, the calculation of dynamic ratings of other substation equipment is presently rather limited. The consequences of high-temperature operation of substation equipment are not clearly understood and suitable thermal parameters for older substation equipment are seldom available. The goal of this project is to study the high-temperature operation of substation equipment other than power transformers and to develop thermal models to represent this equipment in both “free-standing” engineering analysis and “real-time” dynamic rating programs such as DTCR. The project will provide participating energy companies with first-hand information on the operational performance of substation equipment at currents above “nameplate”. Further, the project will compile practical “engineering-type” information to aid energy companies in designing, specifying, installing, inspecting, and maintaining other substation equipment at increased power levels. The results of this project will position participating utilities as informed users of other substation equipment at increased power levels. The project will answer such questions as:

• What is the temperature response of substation equipment at currents above “nameplate”?

• What is the impact of high-temperature operation on substation equipment life?

• What are the risks involved in postponing the replacement of existing substation equipment?

• What types of temperature sensors can be used to measure critical temperatures in such equipment?

• Are special inspection or maintenance methods necessary for substation equipment while running at higher ratings?

S38.002 Evaluation of Increased Risk of Failure Due to Increased Power Flow Benefits: By knowing the risk of failure of equipment due to increased power flow levels, energy companies can make informed decisions according to their risk tolerance. Description: Increased power flows in transmission systems will benefit energy companies by increasing their revenue using the existing assets. However, as the existing system is operated at higher power levels, the risk of failure of equipment will also increase. This project will evaluate the increased risk of failure of equipment at increased power levels in a quantitative manner. A technical report on risk of equipment failure at increased power levels will be developed in this project. Based on this report, several host energy company demonstrations of risk of equipment failure at increased power levels will be conducted.


S38.003 Reactive Power, Fault Current, and Substation Equipment Requirements at the Increased Real Power Levels Benefits: A better understanding of how much reactive power is needed and where it is needed may enable energy companies to run their systems at increased power levels. Description: Most of the Increased Power Flow (IPF) tools talk about increasing the real power through the transmission corridor using the existing equipment. However, as the real power flows are increasing, the need for reactive power support to keep the voltage profile within acceptable limits is also increasing. This project will address the issue of how much more reactive power is needed and where it is needed in order to have smooth transfer of increased real power transfers. In addition, the increased fault currents due to increased power levels will be evaluated along with other substation equipment requirements. A technical report on evaluation of reactive power, fault current levels, and substation equipment requirements at increased real power levels will be developed. Based on this technical report, several host energy company applications of reactive power, fault current levels, and substation equipment requirements at increased real power levels will be conducted. S38.004 Sen Transformer Benefits: Based on proven technology that is inexpensive and reliable, successful field demonstrations of the Sen Transformer will give energy companies vital information on a full-featured power flow controller that independently regulates the active and the reactive power flow in a transmission line. Description: The power industry is in constant search for the most economic way to transfer bulk power along a desired path. This can only be achieved through the independent control of active and reactive power flow in a transmission line. Traditional solutions, such as shunt or series inductor/capacitor and phase angle regulator affect both the active and the reactive power flow in the transmission line simultaneously. With the use of Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC), which is based on Voltage-Sourced Converter (VSC), the active and the reactive power flow in the line can independently be regulated. Major drawbacks of all VSC-based facts controllers are their high installation and operating costs. The Sen Transformer (ST) is a new family of power flow controlling transformers that utilizes established technology of transformers and tap changers, but meets the new requirements of independent active and reactive power flow control in a transmission line. The ST offers the essential power flow requirements at the right price and just at the right time. Using state-of-the-art power flow control concepts, the ST redirects the active and reactive power from an overloaded line and offers effective power flow management. The project will evaluate the performance of the Sen Transformer (ST) on one operating transmission line. The project will provide participating utilities with first-hand information on the operational performance of this new, low-cost power flow controller. The demonstration is designed for operation during one summer season when the redirection of line power is essential. The length of the trial can be extended, if necessary, with the cooperation of the host utility. Further, the project will compile practical “engineering-type” information to aid utilities in specifying, installing, inspecting, and maintaining power flow controllers. The results of this project will position participating utilities as informed buyers and users of this new technology.


S38.005 Low-Cost Emergency VAR Compensator Benefits: Reduce the capital costs for transmission expansion and improve the voltage power quality for the transmission network. Description: A low-cost VAR compensator that provides emergency voltage support will enable companies to reduce capital equipment costs for mitigating voltage dips and voltage instability at the substation level. This project will develop a shunt compensator, called CAPS (CAPacitor bank series group Shorting), that meets emergency needs for reactive power. CAPS consists of a number of series-connected capacitor banks. It mitigates voltage dips and voltage instability by temporarily shorting a portion of these banks. It should be noted that progress on this project critically depends on a host customer deploying this technology. S38.006 Integrated Network Controller for Multiple Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) Devices Benefits: Improve system stability and increase utilization of transmission assets using integrated logic to control multiple FACTS Controllers on “nearby” electric transmission circuits. Description: As FACTS controllers are currently providing unprecedented results by increasing transmission asset utilization, flexibility and controllability, there is a real need for an overarching control strategy/logic to “orchestrate” the functionality and role of these controllers that influence each other on nearby circuits. If such control logic is not developed, individual FACTS controllers will unknowingly compete with each other and cause new types of network instabilities. This project will explore different control philosophies and concepts to develop a viable integrated network controller (i.e., a hierarchical controller) technology for FACTS devices. The control technology developed will provide a reliable tool to determine the right location, type, and specifications needed for FACTS controllers in an integrated transmission network to improve stability and the overall utilization of the transmission network. After the control logic is developed, simulations will verify and upgrade the hierarchical controllers as necessary, and then the new controllers will be tested on candidate FACTS device networks. S38.007 Intelligence-Based Diagnostics Work Station (IBDW) for Power Electronics-Based Controllers (PEBC) Benefits: Increase the availability rate of PEBC. Description: A Power Electronics-Based transmission & distribution Controller (PEBC) is a sophisticated structured system. The PEBC consists of a number of elements: solid-state switching valves, magnetic components, control system, and cooling system. The operation of a PEBC is a series of reliable and controlled interactions between these elements. A malfunction of any of these elements results in unavailability of the controller. The objectives of the project are to develop an intelligence-based diagnostics tool predicting the “proper” state risk degree for a malfunction of any of the PEBC elements, and developing a corrective action plan. This prediction will be based on collected performance data, recorded state data, inspection-based data (visual, acoustics, and other inputs), and integration of these data into an intelligence-based workstation.


S38.008 Control Voltage Flicker Induced by Electric Arc Furnace Customers Benefits: Improve reliability and lower O&M costs. Description: Electric arc furnaces present rapidly varying, largely unbalanced, and low power factor loads to the electric power transmission network. The large and reactive current swings cause large voltage fluctuations and voltage flickers, which degrade the quality of the power delivery of the transmission network. The project will develop a new method that will eliminate the above-mentioned problems at their root cause rather than by compensation. The idea behind the concept is to force the current drawn by the furnace to be in phase with the applied voltage (i.e., improving the power factor of the arc furnace load), and hence causing lower voltage drop on the connected transmission network. S38.009 Life Extension and Performance Enhancement of “Aging” Power Electronic-based Transmission Controllers Benefits: Increase the life and improve the performance of aging power-electronic based transmission controllers— e.g., Static VAR Compensators (SVC) and High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission systems. Description: A great number of power-electronic based transmission controllers (e.g., VCs and HVDC transmission systems) have been in service for decades. These devices are now aging in terms of their components and control systems, which directly impact their performance, reliability, and the quality of their service functionality. This project will first determine the condition assessment of these controllers, and then develop an appropriate and cost-effective refurbishing plan to extend their life and improve their performance. Increased Power Flow (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: This service helps energy companies identify the “hidden” capacity in their transmission lines and thereby enables them to defer investments in system upgrades and better cope with periods of high demand. Description: EPRIsolution’s Video Sagometer, combined with a Dynamic Thermal Circuit Rating software package, enables enegy companies to measure line sag and determine line capacity and temperature in real time. This system provides operators real-time normal and emergency line ratings, which usually reveal additional capacity – both for emergency use and long-term rating. The system is portable and – unlike other line monitors – is installed with the line energized. EPRIsolutions, which helps energy companies install and integrate the system, can also collect and analyze line data to help participants determine new ratings for transmission lines. FACTS Application Studies (EPRIsolutions service) Benefits: Remove system bottlenecks at a fraction of the cost of new construction through the application of FACTS devices. Based on a recent transmission planning study performed for one large energy company, the FACTS option resulted in the cancellation of construction of several 230-kV transmission lines and associated substation facilities. The savings in capital investment were approximately $700 million. Description: In FACTS system studies, EPRIsolutions applies EPRI’s advanced software tools to analyze transmission grid behavior and to identify critical limitations on a system-specific or regional basis. Based on these limitations, opportunities for applying FACTS devices to increase line loading and improve system control are identified. Technical and economic feasibility are also evaluated, and benefits assessments are performed.


94 Energy Storage for Transmission or Distribution Applications Program Overview EPRI’s Energy Storage for Transmission or Distribution Applications Program offers a portfolio of innovative energy storage options to support transmission and distribution owners in their objective to lower capital, maintenance and operating costs of their equipment. This is accomplished by providing customers with credible and timely data on the cost, benefit, performance and technology readiness of energy storage options suitable to peak-shaving applications at the high-voltage transmission level or the low-voltage distribution level. Energy storage devices are available today to reduce peak loading on equipment while increasing their use factor in specialized non-transmission and distribution applications. The principal issue facing transmission and distribution owners is how to specify and deploy the proper energy storage option for the re-regulated, restructured utility T&D industry of today. Moreover, with proper insight, this program will develop and deploy innovative modifications of existing storage options that have the highest value for today’s transmission and distribution systems. This program provides its customers objective, credible assessments of the economic and technical feasibility of existing and emerging energy storage applications that are best suited to today’s re-regulated T&D utility industry. First, a Handbook will be developed that delineates past experience (cost and performance) of key energy storage options best suited for transmission or distribution applications. These technologies include super-capacitors, advanced batteries, flywheels, and superconducting magnetic energy systems. The program will also provide customers with quantified economic benefits (both strategic and operational) of energy storage systems applied to transmission or distribution systems through the Value Proposition and Benefit Tools Development for T&D Applications of Energy Storage Technologies project. The project will perform the necessary R&D to properly identify and exercise existing economic cost/benefit tools appropriate to energy storage devices. It will also develop and use new quantification tools as appropriate. The benefits will include those associated with deferral of new transmission or distribution capital expenditures (by using energy storage devices to shave peak loads) and those associated with the improvement of the reliability for transmission or distribution equipment (by using energy storage devices to absorb system overloads and fault currents). Finally, small-scale laboratory testing of promising new technologies for energy storage that are nearing the commercial prototype stage will help to validate these technologies with respect to their suitability for T&D system application. In a Project Opportunity, field trials will be performed on promising prototype and emerging energy storage options for transmission or distribution applications. In today’s difficult climate for transmission or distribution owners, it is important to look at all available options for maximizing system performance while minimizing cost. For a new technical option to accomplish these goals, look to EPRI’s Energy Storage for Transmission or Distribution Applications Program. If a customer implements even half of the results obtained from this program this year, at only one transmission or distribution site, it is estimated that power throughput will increase up to 5%, reliability will improve by 2 to 5%, and new capital costs will be reduced by 5 to 15%. Based on a recent transmission study, the benefit of implementing a storage technology has been shown to be on the order of $100 million. This Program will provide a customer the information and data necessary to credibly make an informed energy storage decision. It is estimated that the value of this information is 1% of the above $100 million, or $1 million. As a result, the benefit-to-cost ratio for joining this Program is in the range of 3:1 to 30:1, depending on individual customer cost. Note: For those interested in how energy storage technologies can be used to improve power quality at customer sites, please refer to EPRI's Power Quality Mitigative Solutions Program. In general, the amount of storage in these applications is on the order of 2 seconds to 2 minutes, and the power level less than 5 MW, whereas the storage time applicable to transmission or distribution peak shaving is on the order 0.1 to 10 hours at power level greater than 5 MW.

EPRI Destinations 2004 p. 2 94 Energy Storage for Transmission or Distribution Applications

Projects Marketing Number

Project Title

Lifetime Number

Research Date

P94.001 Handbook of Current Energy Storage Options for Improved Reliability and Load Management at the Transmission or Distribution Level

051547 2004-2007

P94.002 Value Proposition and Benefit Tools Development for T&D Applications of Energy Storage Technologies

055994 2004-2006

P94.003 Small Scale Laboratory Tests of Emerging Energy Storage Technologies (NEW) 058558 2004-2007 The projects summarized above describe research results that are planned for delivery between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2007. Delivery of these results is subject to availability of funds and to regulatory and technical uncertainties. Delivery dates and project content may be influenced upon review by customers who have elected to fund the research. P94.001 Handbook of Current Energy Storage Options for Improved Reliability and Load Management at the Transmission or Distribution Level (051547) Benefits: Reduce capital costs and extend life of transmission or distribution equipment through proper assessment and application of energy storage technologies that defer new transmission or distribution capacity and increase reliability and throughput of existing transmission or distribution assets. Description: As a result of a recent increase in interest in and deployment of energy storage options for T&D applications, a large body of information has accumulated, but it is often not readily available to energy company engineers in a single, succinct document. Facts on technology status, cost and performance information, and lessons learned are often dispersed among multiple vendors and users of prototype and developmental hardware. “Apple-to-apple” comparative data is virtually non-existent. This project will develop a handbook of current energy storage options useful for transmission or distribution applications. The types of energy storage options to be considered for coverage in this handbook will include: battery, capacitor, compressed air, flywheel, and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) technology options. The topics covered in this handbook will include technology status, lessons-learned from existing plants, plant design parameters, efficiency, and cost-benefit economics. The size range of the storage plants covered will be 5-MW to 200-MW modules. In 2004, the first in a planned series of annual updates will be undertaken in order to maintain an up-to-date database of information. Delivery Approach: EPRI staff, industry experts and project advisors will first review the current edition of the handbook for potential technology updates and new technology additions. Based on the review recommendations, updates will be incorporated. Throughout, vendors of suitable transmission and/or distribution technologies will be solicited for up-to-date contributions. The deliverable reports will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions are updated, final deliverables will be prepared in hard copy and electronic format (CD-ROM) for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: Because of rapid ongoing developments in this field, it is likely that annual updates to the handbook will be needed. The advisory committee reviewing the handbook will determine the requirements for updates. After the handbook is updated, a final version will be distributed to customers. This will be a multi-year project. Deliverables

• Handbook on Energy Storage Technologies for Application at the T&D Level—2004 Update • Technical Report (1008703), 12/31/04



Future Year Deliverables • 2005—Handbook on Energy Storage Technologies for Application at the T&D Level—2005 Update:

Update incorporating recent developments.

• 2006—Handbook on Energy Storage Technologies for Application at the T&D Level—2006 Update: Update incorporating recent developments.

P94.002 Value Proposition and Benefit Tools Development for T&D Applications of Energy Storage Technologies (055994) Benefits: Reduced capital and maintenance costs of T&D equipment by justifying and applying energy storage technologies to defer new construction resulting from “shaving off” new peak loads and load leveling diurnal load shape patterns at the T&D level; improve system operation, reliability and security by justifying and deploying energy storage technologies to respond to unexpected peak, transient and emergency conditions. Also, extend substation equipment life by reducing the impact of system overloads and faults. Description: This project is a continuation of a project begun in 2003. Transmission or distribution equipment owners have never been able to fully and fairly evaluate the worth of energy storage systems. This is because available cost/benefit models rely on nonchronologically-based load duration curve tools that do not explicitly consider the sequential time needed for storage charge and discharge cycles. This project will perform the necessary R&D to properly identify and exercise existing economic cost/benefit tools appropriate to energy storage devices, and/or develop and use new quantification tools, as appropriate. Value propositions for energy storage devices will cover the strategic well as operational benefits. Strategic storage benefits flow from deferring capital investment, accommodating risk adversity, achieving environmental advantage, reducing uncertainty in load growth, and deploying a technological advantage to respond quickly to changing loads and regulatory rules. Operational benefits include reduced operating costs, increased reliability, and improved system security available through the rapid, dynamic performance characteristics of energy storage devices. Strategic and operational benefits will be analyzed from the perspective of both the T&D operator and the corporate owner perspectives. Results will be presented at a workshop and in a final report. As warranted, EPRI storage software tools will be updated or modified to meet current industry needs; new tools may be developed. Delivery Approach: An advisory committee will be formed to review the progress of this project, and recommend improvements for the tools used to quantify the benefits of energy storage technologies. Major focus will be to learn from at least two case study energy storage value proposition exercises that will be presented and analyzed at a workshop with funders of this project. The deliverable reports will first be prepared in draft form for review and comment by project advisors. After the draft versions are updated, final deliverables will be prepared in electronic format for distribution. The reports and software will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The advisory committee reviewing the progress reports will determine the requirements for the final report. The project is expected to last 24 months from inception. Deliverables

• Case Study Results and Energy Storage Cost/Benefit Tools: Workshop and Workshop Proceedings • Technical Update (1008704), 10/31/04

• Value Proposition for T&D Applications of Energy Storage Technologies: Final Report • Technical Report (1008810), 12/31/04


• 2005—Economic Benefit Analysis Tools: Modification or Development of New Software Tools— Requirements Definition.

• 2006—Economic Benefit Analysis Tools: Modification or Development of New Software Tools— Software Code.


P94.003 Small-Scale Laboratory Tests of Emerging Energy Storage Technologies (058558) Benefits: Reduce capital costs and extend life of transmission or distribution equipment through in-depth testing and assessment of energy storage technologies that may defer new transmission or distribution capacity. Description: As promising new technologies for energy storage near the commercial prototype stage, it is important to quantify performance parameters to determine their suitability for T&D system application. Parameters such as specific power and energy, cycle efficiency, voltage range during charge and discharge, response time and ramp rate are all key to successful application. Prior to the introduction of commercial systems, small-scale module testing at suitable labs (e.g., PEAC) can serve to validate these technologies for T&D application or to steer developers in their design efforts. Such testing can give energy companies considering investment in, or field trials of, a particular technology an advance view of what the technology can or cannot do. Further, developers will better understand the technical and cost drivers for their technology in the T&D market. Delivery Approach: The specific technologies chosen for lab testing and the test plan will be based on advisory member recommendations. The test data will be analyzed to determine performance of the modules and recommendations made to both developers and funders. A final technical report documenting each test and lessons learned will be published for distribution. The reports will also be electronically downloadable from www.epri.com. Completion Criteria and Duration: The project team and energy company advisors will monitor project progress and recommend completion criteria. The project duration is variable, depending on technology and funding, but is expected to last at least 24 months. Deliverables

• Small-Scale Laboratory Tests of Emerging Energy Storage Technologies: Test Plan and Preliminary Results



• 2005—Small-Scale Laboratory Tests of Emerging Energy Storage Technologies: Performance Evaluation – Final Report.

Project Opportunities Related to this program are the following existing or proposed project opportunities that are open for participation. As described in further detail in EPRI’s policies, the results from these projects may be available to only the participants of those projects. Tailored Collaboration (TC) funds from project participants are matched by EPRI dollars, as described in further detail in EPRI’s policies. Marketing Number

Project Title

S94.001 Field Trials of Promising Prototype and/or Emerging Energy Storage Options for T&D Applications

S94.002 Technology Development of Energy Storage Options for Improved T&D Asset Utilization


S94.001 Field Trials of Promising Prototype and/or Emerging Energy Storage Options for T&D Applications Benefits: Reduce capital costs and maximize transmission or distribution equipment use factors by deploying energy storage equipment based on credible cost and performance data obtained from field trial demonstrations of candidate energy storage options. Description: This project is a continuation of a project begun in the Base program in 2002. After many years of research and development, a number of promising new technologies for energy storage are reaching the commercial prototype stage. These include advanced batteries, high-speed flywheels, and superconducting magnets using high-temperature superconductor (HTS) components. The objective of this project is to demonstrate candidate new energy options designed specifically for T&D reliability, peak shaving, and VAR control applications. Each field trial will entail some or all of the following (depending on hosting commitments by customers): documenting final design parameters, performing cost/benefit studies, assisting in building unit(s), installing independent performance monitoring equipment, analysis of operating data, and conducting long-term reliability and operational analyses. In 2004, the field trial of the AEP 100/500 kW NAS Battery will be completed. Additional field trials begun in prior years will be completed or continued, as required. A new field trial on a flow battery may be started. Field trials will be cofunded by energy companies, manufacturers and/or DOE. S94.002 Technology Development of Energy Storage Options for Improved T&D Asset Utilization Benefits: Lower capital and operation costs for energy storage systems used in T&D asset utilization applications. Description: This is a continuation of a Base program project projected to begin in 2003. The design features (e.g., power/energy ratio, duty cycle, and AC connection voltage) of presently available and in-development energy storage systems do not meet the needs of higher voltage T&D asset utilization applications. For example, the present designs of some technologies (e.g., super-capacitors) do not lend themselves easily to the high-voltage requirements needed for integration with a FACTS device. However, it is likely that a properly focused development program will produce devices optimized for T&D applications. This project will perform the R&D to improve the cost and performance of energy storage devices that can be used for T&D asset utilization applications. The development efforts will include improvements in design (e.g., battery chemistry and power conditioning system), key material properties (e.g., anode/cathode of battery/capacitor systems), and the control system. This project depends upon the participation of a technology vendor willing to cofund modifications to its technology for specific application to transmission or distribution systems. Other institutional cofunding (e.g., U.S. DOE) may also be required or invited.

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