Recent Investigation of Transmission Line Operation

This paper discusses transmission line operating experience on the 140,000-volt isolated neutral system of the Consumers Power Company, Michigan. Careful inspections and tests have been made to determine the conditions existing relative to insulator flashover and the findings and results are shown by tables and curves. Ground resistance or soil conditions appear to have a very decided effect on the number of flashovers on the various lines. The necessity of providing suitable arc protection to the line conductors is shown, as is also the soundness of certain theories and recommendations for increasing the reliability of transmission lines, based upon laboratory experiments.