Lightning performance improvement of the Swaziland electricity board transmission system (66kV & 132kV lines) - results of the pilot project

Author

Mswane, L.M. ; Gaunt, C.T.

Author_Institution

Swaziland Electr. Board, Mbabane

fYear

2005

fDate

11-15 July 2005

Firstpage

364

Lastpage

370

Abstract

The prevalence of high lightning activity in Swaziland negatively affects the quality and reliability of power supply to the SEB Customers. More than 50% of power outages on transmission overhead lines are attributed to lightning. Owing to the good operating characteristics of metal oxide varistors lightning related power outages have been effectively optimized in many parts of the world utilizing zinc oxide transmission line surge arresters. A pilot project was undertaken to install transmission zinc oxide (ZnO) surge arresters in one of the most affected 66 kV lines in the country. Implementation took place in August 2003 (Spring) at the beginning of the lightning season. This paper presents an out line of how the project was conducted and its outcome

Keywords

arresters; lightning protection; power supply quality; power transmission lines; power transmission protection; power transmission reliability; zinc compounds; 132 kV; 66 kV; SEB Customers; Swaziland Electricity Board transmission system; lightning performance; metal oxide varistors; power outages; power supply quality; power supply reliability; transmission overhead lines; zinc oxide transmission line surge arresters; Arresters; Cities and towns; Costs; Insulation; Lightning; Power supplies; Power transmission lines; Surges; Varistors; Zinc oxide;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Power Engineering Society Inaugural Conference and Exposition in Africa, 2005 IEEE

Conference_Location

Durban

Print_ISBN

0-7803-9326-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PESAFR.2005.1611846

Filename

1611846