Guide for Selection of Weather

Parameters for Bare Overhead

Conductor Ratings

Tapani O. Seppa, The Valley Group, Inc., USA

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Joint Activity between TF B2-12.6 and
IEEE TP&C Subcommittee
TOR:
Identify and describe a logical process whereby suitably
conservative weather conditions can be selected for use in
conventional static thermal line rating methods based on
limited field data collection. The methods may include
probabilistic or those based on engineering judgment.

Deliverable: A brochure that clearly describes a

conservative process whereby weather conditions may be
selected for overhead line rating calculations.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

Transmission Line Capabilities
SAFE = No wind, high ambient temperature, full sun

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

Transmission Line Capabilities
Reasonable engineering assumptions

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Data indicates risks of local temperatures
Summertime Risk of Ratings for Drake Conductor in U.S.
(Assumed max. temperature 100 0C, 105 0F ambient, full sun)

2600

2400

2200

2000
Rating (AMPS)

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000

800
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Probability

AZ CA CO ID IL 1 IL 2 MA PA UT 2 fps 45 degree 2 fps 90 degree 3 fps 90 degree 4.4 fps 90 degree

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Risk of a complete line is higher than that of any
individual line section, thus several sites are needed

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T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Task Force Objective

z There is a general agreement that IEEE-738 and CIGRE

thermal rating standards are accurate calculation methods.
z But there are no instructions for selection of input
parameters!

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters
 CIGRE 1998 Survey Results
71 utilities, 15 countries

-70% assume wind speeds of 0.5-0.61 m/s, 15 % assume 0.9 m/s.

Other assumptions vary between 0 and 1.5 m/s.
- Ambient temperature assumed close to annual or seasonal
maximum. Over 50% use seasonal ratings.
- Solar radiation typically between 1000 and 1150 W/m2.
- Most utilities assume absorptivity of 0.5-0.6. About 30% assume
0.8-0.9.
- 80% of utilities consider safe clearances as the main reason for
ratings. 10% consider loss of strength as the main reason.
- During prior 5 years, over 50% had increased the maximum
allowed conductor temperature.
-During prior 5 years, 30% had increased their ratings by
changing rating assumptions.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Task Force Activity

z 19 experts with wide personal experience in multiple

thermal rating studies.
z Task Force has evaluated large number of technical reports
and created from them a data base consisting of 116
qualified documents.
z Section 4 of the Guide is Condensed Findings Based on
Literature Review, which is the basis of Section 3,
Recommendations.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Recommendations

z Three-tiered process:
z Base ratings which may be applied to any transmission
line.
z Study-based ratings, which can be applied if qualified
weather or rating studies are available.
Variable ratings, which include continually ambient-
adjusted ratings or real-time ratings.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Base ratings
z For sag-limited lines, use effective wind speed of 0.6 m/s,
ambient temperature close to the maximum annual value
along the line route and a solar radiation of 1000 W/m2.
Absorptivity of at least 0.8 and emissivity of 0.1 below
absorptivity.
z When annealing is of primary concern and line corridors
are sheltered, use either a wind speed of 0.4 m/s or assume
a local conductor temperature 10 0C higher than average.
z For seasonal ratings, assume an ambient temperature close
to maximum value of the season.
The base ratings are considered to represent a risk level of
1% and a maximum temperature risk of 10 0C .

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Study-based ratings

z Rating studies must be conducted in actual transmission

line environment and in terrain conditions which represent
the most sheltered sections of the line. National weather
service data is not acceptable.
z Section 5 of the Brochure describes the required minimum
level of instrumentation, its installation, data collection and
data analysis.
z Depending of the types of instrumentation used and the
number of data collection sites, the ratings should be set at
a risk level between 5% and 1% of combined rating
statistics.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Continually ambient-adjusted ratings
z For daytime conditions, if ambient temperature adjustment
compared to base rating ambient temperature assumption is
less than 80C, assume 0.5 m/s wind.
z If ambient temperature adjustment compared to base rating
ambient is more than 80C, assume 0.4 m/s wind.
z Continually ambient-adjusted ratings provide technically
justified ampacity increases for lines designed for low
max. conductor temperatures ( below 60-700C) but no
justified benefits for lines designed above 90-1000C
maximum temperatures.
z Nighttime ambient adjustment combined with no solar
radiation assumption can be risky unless wind is assumed
to be zero.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Real-time ratings

z Real-time monitoring can be based on tension, sag,

clearance or conductor temperature.
z Field verification of design clearance requirements is a
prerequisite.
z Monitors must meet the accuracy requirements specified in
the brochure and must be applied in statistically sufficient
quantity.
The operator must have the capability of adjusting line
current to the level of base or study-based ratings.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

Different sites may be critical at different times of day

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T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

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T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Organization of the Guide
z 1. Executive Summary (to be published in CIGRE
ELECTRA in June 2006 and as an IEEE report)
2. Assumptions and Definitions
3. Recommendations
4. Condensed Findings Based on Literature Review
5. Recommendations for Weather and Rating
Measurements
Appendixes A-C
Complete guide to be printed as a 55-page CIGRE
Brochure in June.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 IEEE Tutorial
Tutorial to be held at IEEE-PES meeting in Montreal,
Thursday, June 22, 8-12 am.
Schedule:
Use of IEEE and CIGRE rating methods D. Douglass
Effect of weather parameters on ratings T. Seppa
Effect of other parameters on ratings D. Douglass
Selection of equipment and methods for
line rating studies W. Chisholm
Recommendations on selection of parameters T. Seppa

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 What is the impact on static ratings?
You generally gain, if:
- -Your wind speed is based on 2 fps or less;
- - If rating temperature is over 80oC and your emissivity is
less than .8.
- - If you ambient-adjust using wind speed less than 1.2 fps.
- - If you use full sun combined with high ambient.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 What is the impact on static ratings?
You generally lose, if:
- -Your wind speed is based on 3 fps or more;
- - If rating temperature is less than 60oC and your
absorptivity is less than .6.
- - If you ambient-adjust using wind speed at 2fps or over.
- - If you use full sun combined with high ambient.
- - If you operate large conductors with high current density
and do not take into account magnetic losses and radial
thermal gradient.
- You base your rating assumptions on airport data.

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters

 Members of Joint Task Forces

T. Seppa, USA (Chair) A. Salehian, USA (Secretary)

Kresimir Bakic, Slovenia William Chisholm, Canada
Nicholas DeSantis, USA Svein Fikke, Norway
Dale Douglass, USA Michelle Gaudry, France
Anand Goel, Canada Sven Hoffmann, U.K.
Javier Iglesias, Spain Andrew Maxwell, Sweden
Dennis Mize, USA Ralf Puffer, Germany
Jerry Reding, USA Jimmy Robinson, USA
Rob Stephen, South Africa Woodrow Whitlatch, USA

T.Seppa:Guide for Selection of Weather Parameters