The design and application of automated switchgear for urban and rural MV systems

On rural overhead line networks, new equipment is now available to extend the automatic capability of pole mounted auto-reclosers, and further maximise supply continuity to consumers. The authors describe two developments which take standard forms of switchgear, which when fitted with additional equipment, enable the switchgear to be used on parts of an automated system as fully type tested units. On cable fed ring main units, the addition of electromechanical actuators and signalling and transmitting equipment, allows not only fault identification, but rapid system reconfiguration to be achieved automatically. A further development shows how a standard pole mounted recloser can have its capabilities extended by fitting sensing and control apparatus, to improve supply continuity on dual feed overhead line systems