P35.015: Advanced Conductors and Connectors

Guidelines for the Installation of Advanced Conductors: Generally, composite core conductors have different handling and installation requirements than traditional steel core conductors. Typical line installation crews are not as familiar with the HTLS installation requirements compared with the traditional ACSR conductors. Most of the premature HTLS failures have occurred because of improper installation practices. This task intends to compile best practice guidelines based on manufacturer recommendations and utility experiences.

Inspection of Advanced Conductors: Composite core conductors generally are more fragile than traditional conductors. There may be a need to evaluate the condition of conductors after installation, impact events, or extreme weather. In addition, as many lines using advanced conductors start to age, there is a need to inspect and assess the core condition. In 2025, this task intends to further evaluate the inspection technologies tested in 2024.

Qualification Testing of Carbon Core Conductors: Because carbon core advanced conductors have only recently been developed, there is a lack of information on how utilities can qualify them for application on their transmission systems. In 2025, this task intends to test and document the results of a TS carbon core conductor. This information can be used by utilities to properly evaluate these advanced conductors.

Identification of Best Practices for the Maintenance of Advanced Conductors: Advanced conductors can operate at temperatures greater than 150°C. These temperatures could pose a risk for utility workers and the tools they use. This task intends to evaluate the effects of high temperature on workers and the tools they use as well as investigate the effects of tools on the conductors.

Environmental Effects Impact on the Performance of Advanced Conductors: This task intends to investigate how exposure to various environmental factors might affect the electrical and mechanical performance of HTLS conductors—specifically, non-steel-core HTLS conductors. The factors intended to be evaluated include fire, tree falls, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Development of a Guide to Safe Design Tension for ACSS Conductor: Determining a safe conductor tension is a multi-faceted problem that requires understanding of the self-damping performance and fretting fatigue endurance of a conductor. This initiative, which is a collaborative effort with P35.007, is focused on helping solve this problem initially for ACSS conductor because its self-damping and fatigue properties vary significantly from those of ACSR conductor. In 2025, full-scale vibration testing of an advanced conductor is planned.

Evaluation of Field-Aged Conductors and Connectors: This task intends to provide an update on the results of evaluations performed on aged HTLS conductors. Through this evaluation, it is envisioned that a better understanding of the aging impact on the electrical and mechanical performance of these conductors may be obtained. In 2025, a report detailing these evaluations is intended to be updated.

Development of Guidelines for the Specification, Selection, and Application of Advanced Conductors: This task develops a guide (which is intended to be updated each year) to assist utilities in the proper selection and application of advanced conductors. The following information is intended to be included:

• Field and test experiences with different advanced conductors

• Application case studies

• Documentation and characterization of various types of conductors

• Review and development of technical specifications of the different advanced conductor types

• Review of the various standards associated with advanced conductors