About the project
The rating of a transmission line is determined by the upper limit of current that can safely pass through the conductors. Any high current runs the risk of expansion, resulting in substandard ground clearances. Traditionally, transmission companies have used static ratings, which are inherently conservative but allow for safe operation. As we have a lot of older lines, we had to find a way to release extra thermal capacity without compromising public safety.
By using data inputs from weather stations and tension monitors, we devised a dynamic rating system which determines the capacity of a line in real time.
The benefits
The dynamic rating system means the line can be operated to its full capacity while ensuring we stay within safe operating limits. This has been extremely useful to NEMMCO, which relies on the ratings in order to dispatch generation in a way which ensures that line ratings are not exceeded.
Completion date
The project was completed in 2007.