The state of the art for increased overhead line ampacity utilizing new technologies and statistical criteria

This work covers the main research, results and conclusions achieved by CEMIG over the past 15 years on ampacity of overhead transmission lines. The main focus of the research was to assist designers in searching answers regarding the technical knowledge related to the major questions involving ampacity, such as: validation of the method for calculation of ampacity, application of real-time line monitoring technology, studies on aging of CAA cables in addition to other ampacity correlated topics. Currently, Cemig continues to invest on improvement of the technical knowledge about ampacity in a comprehensive form by means of regionalized measurement of wind speed and ambient temperature, real-time monitoring of lines, setting up of a weather network, computational simulations validated with experiment field data, development of new cable alloys and geometry and, later, the development of studies of the atmospheric wind boundary layer.