Adaptive reclosure of HV overhead lines

An alternative approach to the present situation for automatic reclosure of HV lines, in particular, problems of repetitive reclosure onto permanent faults and lack of wider system co-ordination, is possible using modern technology. In order to determine the appropriate response to single phase to ground or other types of fault, it is necessary to measure prevailing conditions in the network and adapt the response to correspond to the most favoured outcome. This is achieved in protection relays on a circuit by circuit basis, with the option of end-to-end communications, through the use of neural networks and expert systems. Experience of trial installations on the ESKOM network in South Africa is described and further work defined