Switching Surge Tests on Peace River Transmission-Line Insulation

In this paper, the authors detail the outdoor switching surge tests performed at Project EHV, Lenox, Mass., to determine the insulation requirements of the Peace River 500-kV transmission system. Because of the relatively low cost of right-of-way, the use of V strings was not economical; hence, the tests were performed with free-swinging suspension strings. All tests were made on a center phase configuration, since this has proved to be of lower strength in comparison with the outside phases. The investigations included several rates of precipitation and variations in insulator swing angle. Comparative tests were carried out for rigid and guyed-V type towers.