High voltage insulation system condition monitoring: Ensuring future smart grids are resilient and reliable

The changes faced by existing traditional electrical power transmission and distribution networks over the next 30 years or more are immense. Technological developments include `Smart´ grid technology, HVDC interconnectors and bootstraps as well as replacement of conventional generation with significant levels of renewable generation. The impact of these changes on existing (and often aged) high voltage plant will be significant and in the UK, potential future areas of research have been identified through a road-mapping exercise. A key area is that of condition monitoring (CM) of high voltage plant. CM strategies need to develop so that they are `real-time´ diagnostic and prognostic in nature. This represents a real challenge for the dielectrics community and this paper discusses the identified potential areas of research as well as summarizing some of the recent developments in this area.