The mapping of the risk of wet snow sticking on power lines over a period of 35 years

With the help of climatic records coming from the National Meteorological Center, 20 episodes of wet snow have been reconstructed which have affected the electrical distribution network in the Nimes region (France) over a 35-year period, and the accumulation of snow on the conductors in each of these cases has been modelled taking account of the spatial and temporal climatic variations. By superimposition of the results, a quantitative mapping of the risk of the event in terms of absolute frequency, of maximum overloads and of the number of cases with maximum overloads greater than 1, 3, 5 and 8 kg m^-1, over 10, 20 and 35 years is obtained. This quantitative mapping of the zones at risk may be used for facilitating the application of a policy for the overhaul of electrical distribution networks