Software Tool for the Implementation of the Methodology for Revitalization of High-Voltage Overhead Power Lines

In power systems, a large number of OPLs （overhead power lines） are more than 40 years old and some even exceed 50 years old. The key issue for power systems managers, public utilities companies and electrical engineers today concerns the manner in which available financial resources should be invested in these OPLs to provide the greatest impact on the power system as a whole and to address the OPLs that require urgent revitalization. This paper presents the application of the software tool RevOPL, developed using Microsoft Access utilizing the ＂methodology for revitalization of high-voltage OPLs＂. The aim is to present both the methodology and software to objectively evaluate the condition of an OPL and determine its remaining service life. The application of this software tool provides a proposal for the scheduling and scope of planned revitalization activities, which are obtained through the optimization of the technical characteristics while remaining within the available budget.

Determining of the Real Condition of High-Voltage Overhead Power Lines

Significant investments have been made regarding the construction of a great number of high-voltage overhead power lines of all voltage levels, and now the questions arise on where and how to direct the investments necessary for the maintenance of overhead power lines. To organise the process of maintenance of overhead power lines correctly, it is necessary to have the current information on the condition of particular components of a line. In this paper, special attention has been paid to the real condition of overhead power lines, with the aim of making the decision whether some of the following measures are necessary, and to what extent： the revitalisation for a certain number of years is perceived, the revitalisation up to five years and reconstruction of the overhead power line is performed, its restoration is performed or nothing is done. The approach to the perceiving of real condition of high-voltage overhead power lines is presented on a global block diagram. With the aim of setting out the list of priorities for revitalisation, the criteria have been defined with regards to the real condition of particular components of an overhead power line, as well as pursuant to the role and importance in an electric power system. The correctly defined criteria contribute to the solving of the problem of making a single list of priorities for the revitalisation of high-voltage overhead power lines. In that way, the recommendations are being given to the transmission companies, to achieve a higher reliability of an electric power system, with a minimum number of cancellations and a maximum extension of working life of all the components of overhead power lines. A correct maintenance of overhead power lines brings large financial savings to the owners of transmission companies, and that is the primary goal in a deregulated environment.