Field and laboratory performance evaluation of SiR insulators in the eastern coastal area of Saudi Arabia

Majority of the high voltage transmission lines in Saudi Electricity Company-Eastern Region Branch (SEC-ERB) were constructed near coastal areas. The environmental conditions are unique due to combined desert and marine pollution with high ambient temperatures. Such conditions make insulator contamination flashovers the main concern to the electric utility. The insulators in this area are washed regularly to reduce their contamination flashovers even though the washing is very expensive. Therefore, it deemed necessary to search for an insulator of better pollution performance at low life cycle cost (LCC). As a part of comprehensive study, silicone rubber (SiR) insulators were installed in May 1996 on a 230 kV transmission line for trial of their performance in coastal area. Field and laboratory investigations were performed on SiR insulators. The test results provided better understanding of the SiR insulators aging phenomenon and confirmed their cost-effectiveness in polluted area.