Maintaining and operating transmission infra-structure in a rural environment

The author highlights the main problems associated with operating and maintaining transmission infrastructure in a mainly rural environment, as found in South Africa. Such problems are decreased reliability with subsequent decrease in availability and performance, a higher maintenance burden because of increased travel time in rural areas, difficulty in obtaining skilled technicians in rural areas, and an increased logistics support requirement. Three possible solutions for solving these problems are discussed, including the introduction of a protection network, the introduction of a network management facility, and using computer-based knowledge tools for skills development