News article

Taking an innovative approach to overhead conductor management

13/04/2018
Back to all news

An article by Frazer-Nash's Kieran Chalk features in the latest issue of Energy Source & Distribution magazine.

A leading Australian network operator, supported by Frazer-Nash Consultancy, recently undertook a novel initiative to increase its understanding of the condition, ageing and degradation of its distribution overhead conductor fleet. In his article, Kieran Chalk examines the challenges that it faced, in gathering failure data, undertaking inspections and identifying assets nearing the end of their life - and how this new initiative helped address these issues through innovative sampling methods, grass roots interviews with personnel, modelling and analysis.

Commenting on Frazer-Nash's work, Kieran said:

"Overhead conductors are used to carry electrical energy across large distances in both rural and urban areas, and are critical to the performance of electricity distribution networks: if they fail, the consequences can be catastrophic. Managing these geographically-distributed assets can be difficult at the best of times, but with thousands of kilometres of overhead conductors in diverse environments across Australia, network operators face a massive challenge.

You can read the magazine's latest issue here. Kieran's article can be found on page 48.

Published since 1997, Energy Source & Distribution focuses on the needs of senior executives and managers of utilities and companies involved in power generation, transmission, supply and distribution throughout Australia. Energy Source & Distribution offers a comprehensive look at the latest news and views, industry power players and new/ upcoming energy projects.