MULTI-SYSTEM OVERHEAD LINES INSPECTIONS - THE EXPERIENCE OF LABELEC WITH EDP DISTRIBUTION LINES

by Artur Matos André¹, José Matos², João Gomes-Mota³

¹LABELEC SA (EDP Group), ²EDP Distribuição (EDP Group), ³Albatroz Engenharia SA

presented at

CIRED09 - Session 20, paper 0848
Prague, Czech Republic, 8 ^th- 11^thJune 2009

(collaboration with Heliportugal)

Summary

The long experience of LABELEC in airborne infrared (IR)
and visual inspections of EDP Distribution overhead electric
lines (OHL) is now enriched with the possibility of
measuring and localising abnormal clearances between
cables and trees or other obstacles. This was achieved using
a Laser-Global Positioning System (GPS) solution that
started being developed in LABELEC and later on was set
ready for operation by Albatroz Engineering. Previously,
some experimental track clearances measurements were
carried out in distribution OHL, using high-quality but highcost
airborne-topography equipments. Now, the IR detected
hotspots and visible anomalies information can be
complemented with sufficiently accurate track clearances
and its GPS information, using Albatroz system, with only a
small increase in operational costs. The three types of
inspection can be performed with a single flight over the
transmission or distribution lines, using a medium
operational cost helicopter like the Eurocopter Colibri EC
120 B.
The near future may bring the integration of corona effect
detection and visualisation into LABELEC multi-system
OHL inspections, further contributing to a higher level of
efficiency in lines maintenance activities.