Delivering a safe, resilient and responsive network
Operations Asset Management

NIA SSEN 0032: Phase Identification Unit to Assist in Underground Fault Location

Key activities

This innovation project will issue a number of depot fault location teams with Phase Identification Units. The HAYSYS phase identification unit, is set to reference the phase at the appropriate secondary substation and by approaching the household the unit can identify if power is present and to which phase the house is connected. This functionality is the basis of the trial in assessing whether the unit can reduce fault restoration times. It is recognised that for many faults where the LV fuse is blown this unit will not be of assistance but for other faults and in conjunction with other technologies it will be of assistance to the local fault location teams. The HAYSYS phase identification unit can be used to identify if the power is on and what phase it is on without entering the property which is critical when we cannot get access to the property at night or when people are at work during the day.

Expected outcomes

A number of existing fault location technologies have been developed to substantially improve the re-connection of customers to the network at times of interruption due to faults. However, none are 100% accurate in identifying the preferred location for the primary excavation point.

Funding

NIA £153,000

Start/end date

2018 – 2019

Project Manager

Kevin Dennis