Assessing optimal conductor utilization under N-1 overload security studies

Elevated temperature operation (ETO) is as an attractive way of enabling better utilization of existing transmission conductor assets especially during power system contingencies. However, due to the lack of Overhead Line conductor (OHLC) condition data, the present ETO ratings, short-term emergency (STE) and long-term emergency (LTE) ratings, are extremely conservative and inflexible. Furthermore, due to lack of sufficient historical operational data and algorithms, planners are unable to develop tools that enable increased and smarter utilization of the OHLC. The proliferation of modern real-time rating and other smart grid instrumentation allows for the use of historical data for planning purposes. On this basis, this paper presents how, in combination with OHL planning information, historical data can be utilized to develop improved operation guidance that accounts for the actual condition (ageing) of the OHLC. Therefore, it can be asserted that by knowing the OHLC condition, operators can flexibly make reliable cost effective decisions and thus be able to manage their OHL assets. Results are presented on a modified IEEE 24-bus RTS, implementing OHL properties into the analysis.