Methodology for Overhead Line Conductor Remaining Life Aging infrastructure and asset management

Abstract

Many overhead lines in South America are in the limit of degradation of their expected design life. It is therefore of interest to estimate the conditions and remaining lives of conductors in order to facilitate maintenance and replacement planning. In the coast of Perú, the humidity, sea winds, weather conditions caused by Southern pacific anticyclone are factors for the fast degradation of the overhead lines conductors by corrosion effects, due to it, the replacement of many kilometers of electric conductors requires a deep analysis, it starts with the determining condition or health, because, it requires considerable investments. This research has obtained the main characteristics for determinate the electrical and special tests needed, for a diagnosis and remaining life of these kind of assets with Health index process. The effectiveness of the assessment is measured by comparing it to a condition evaluation that is based on detailed, quantitative laboratory testing. The use of life curves for different geographical regions facilitates the process of determining remaining life. Estimated lives based on the simple and more comprehensive assessments, as well as based on chronological age, they have been compared for different geographical regions and overhead lines conductors.