Compact 35 kV overhead lines with covered conductors

Reported is design of a compact 35 kV overhead line using two- and three-layer covered conductors and 10 kV poles and right-of-ways. Its lightning and conductor-burn protection system is based on application of antenna-type long flashover arresters that use the insulating properties of the line´s covered conductor. A metal-rod antenna mounted on the top conductor assures functioning of the arrester even before the lightning comes in contact with the line. The lightning protection system is fairly simple and inexpensive. A cost-benefit analysis of conventional and compact 35 kV lines shows upgrading of an existing 10 kV line to 35 kV to be less costly than construction of a new conventional line of the same rating. Additional service advantages of a compact 35 kV line are a substantial drop of trip- outs by substation circuit breakers due to line faults, a 20 times lower lightning outage rate, and a higher safety.