Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company Ltd (MPPTCL) successfully conducted emergency live-line maintenance to replace a faulty 33kV insulator.
The development assumes significance as this emergency restoration forestalled power disruption at the “Regional Industry Conclave” – an important event that leading industrialists from India and abroad, along with VIPs, attended.
The breakdown took place on the eve of the conclave held on July 20, 2024.
According to a release by MPPTCL, a major fault occurred at the state utility’s 132kV Vinoba Bhave substation on July 19, 2024, which was the result of heavy rains. In normal circumstances, the repair work would have been carried out in the daytime and in total shutdown mode.
However, had the shutdown been effected, there would be no power supply to Jabalpur where the conclave was scheduled to be held the next day.
Considering the criticality of the situation, MPPTCL Managing Director Sunil Tiwari directed to carry out the repair with “hot-line” maintenance technique, which is to say that repairs were to be carried out in “live” conditions, without shutting down power supply.
Shutting down power supply during such an important event would have sent adverse signals to the Indian and foreign investor community, the MPPTCL top official felt.
At 11pm on July 19, 2024, work to replace the damaged 33kV insulator connected to the main 33kV bus, which was then charged, began. This continued in the wee hours of July 20, 2024, till about 3am. Not only was the insulator replaced in live-line conditions, the repair work was carried out in darkness and rain. There was only one foot of space available for working, leaving no margin for error.
The work was carried out under the guidance of Praveen Gargava, Chief Engineer, MPPTCL, supported by other senior officials and a very competent maintenance team.
Normally hotline maintenance work is done at 132kV or above voltage but considering the urgency in this case, such maintenance was done this time at 33kV level. Speaking to T&D India by phone, Praveen Gargava said that in case of 132kV infrastructure, there is enough clearance (space) available for carrying out hot-line maintenance. However, in 33kV lines, the space available for working is very limited making it extremely precarious for live-line repairs to be undertaken. It is on very few occasions that MPPTCL has carried out live-line repairs on 33kV lines and this was perhaps the most important of such instances.
Personnel honoured
During a very important event in Jabalpur, all the maintenance personnel engaged in this hot line emergency maintenance work were honored in a special ceremony by Sunil Tiwari, Managing Director, MPPTCL. Speaking on the occasion, the MD paid tribute to the talent, capability and dedication of the maintenance personnel, thanks to whom the transmission utility could present a unique example of hot-line maintenance work.
Also read: MPPTCL Conducts Emergency Restoration Of Transmission Tower
(Featured collage shows progress on the 33kV insulator replacement. Pictures sourced from MPPTCL)
