Power transfer capacity improvements of existing overhead line systems

The increased demand for power transfer in combination with environmental and economic issues which set constraints to building new lines, force the implementation of new technologies into the existing system in order to improve its power capability. Such methods involve re-tensioning, re-conductoring, or modifying the tower design to utilize composite cross-arms. It is hypothesized that a composite cross-arm and a novel conductor together provide an insulating significant opportunity to increase the overhead line voltage. The paper explores the range of options that could be implemented on an L3 overhead line tower typically used at 275kV in the United Kingdom, and demonstrates clear improvement in power capacity through the implementation of new technologies.