Assessment of technical condition and lifetime of existing and future transmission and distribution components

The purpose of the project is to evaluate new models, methodes and tools for assessment of technical condition and corresponding lifetime of components in transmission and distribution networks, in order to reduce uncertainty and risk related to design, i nvestment and maintenance. Much of the equipment of the present electricity network troughout Europe was installed with an expected design life of 40 years. Increasingly much of this equipment is reaching that design life. Conciderably reinvestments will be required in the years to come, independent of future network structure and demand side technology. In fact, the life time of components vary a lot depending on many different factors. This fact calls for probalistic methodes in determining the optima l time for corrective actions. However, failure statistics available have shortcomings in this respect and is usually unsuited as bases for estimation of residual life time. The ambition is to provide the network companies with cost effective means to es timate residual lifetime of network components which are independent on failure statistics. This will require systematization of recommended condition monitoring techniques and even development of such for those critical types of components where such tec hniques are unavailable. The benefits will be reduced costs in asset management, increased quality of supply and even reduced vulnerability in power supply. The project will also act as a driving force for development and improvements in network component s and monitoring and control equipment to mutual interest for the prower supply industry and its suppliers. The most important elements of innovation are new knowledge on failure mechanisms for power lines and development of condition monitoring techniqu es for modern cables. In addition development of models and methodes for estimation of residual lifetime suitable for network asset management will be highly innovative.