Overhead power lines designed to contain failure

Age related problems in line components such as rot in wood poles, corrosion of conductors, crossarms, stays, fittings and steel towers need to be considered when measuring system reliability to withstand the severe hurricanes and blizzards periodically encountered in the UK. The authors describe such an occurrence in December 1990 within the East Midlands region, where weather conditions of unprecedented severity caused severe damage to the region´s LV-132 kV overhead line network. There will always be problems with inclement weather, especially for a power network. The authors review techniques such as failure containment, improved standards and the advent of optical fibres. Weather conditions such as those described are impossible to cater for in line design but by careful selection of failure containment measures, the disastrous effect on system security can be considerably reduced