Aspects about the monitoring and diagnosis of high voltage circuit breakers

High voltage circuit breakers are essential elements in the power system. This is due to their capability to make, carry and break both normal operating currents and also overload and short circuit currents. Failure of this component of the power system can cause undesirable consequences, both technical and economic. Introduction of monitoring and diagnosis of high voltage circuit breakers is intended to reduce the failure risk of equipment, respective to prevent unwanted interruptions and their negative effects through the knowledge of the actual technical condition, in real-time. The paper intends to present the importance of high voltage circuit breaker in the power system, its components and also the concept of circuit breaker monitoring and diagnosis.