SCOPE
The project involved a client who was looking to select between two different conductor options for their 345 KV line – the first being the TS Chakra conductor, a new conductor in the market, and the second being the Drake to ACSS conductor. The main driving factor for this decision was to reduce the corona losses on the line. The project scope was to determine the best method to calculate the corona losses for both conductor options, based on site-specific weather data, and provide a recommendation to the client based on the results.
OUTCOME
The project team found that calculating the corona losses was challenging due to the many methods available, each with its own formula. However, they were able to identify the best method for the client and provide a table summarizing the corona losses for both conductor options. The team recommended using the double TS Chakra conductor option due to its lower corona losses per meter, even though it is not a common practice to use a single conductor for a 345 KV line.
CHALLENGES
The project faces various challenges, including the size of the project and its complexity, making it time-consuming to open and save, and make changes. Additionally, the project requires extensive field verification, making it a significant effort to secure the more remote areas. The LIDAR has been a challenge, and the fact that they have only done work at the edge of the spider web, securing the more remote areas, has made it more difficult.