Updates & Events

Task: Understanding the root cause of corrosion in an energized substation
Task Description: This task is to understand the factors causing structural degradation, to quantify the severity and then determine what may be implemented to arrest the corrosion effects.

Update:

• Theory and practical experience in understanding corrosion and how to control the severity through lectures, lab experiments and hands on experience in the field (Corrosion and Corrosion Control Workshop).
• This task is an overview of all the new learning in the form of a guidelines for Ground grid corrosion.
• Corrosion is not limited to ground grids but also tank bottoms, foundations, underground piping, pipe-type cable and communications.
• The objective of this task is to develop a suite of inspection tools or technologies and best in class methods to mitigate or arrest corrosion on these assets.

Task: Inspection and assessment of assets within a substation Task Description: The key to identifying “at-risk” structures for severe corrosion is an effective and efficient inspection and assessment program The last part is to quantify the damage so that it may be understood if the structure is serviceable, may be remediated or scheduled for replacement.

Update:

• Stray and circulating current corrosion is difficult to identify and eliminate. This task identifies metrics to identify, methods to quantify and corrosion control techniques to mitigate this type of corrosion.
• Environments can vary within a substation due to energized equipment, proximity to a generation plant and topography at the site. This makes forecasting for maintenance operations due to atmospheric corrosion within a substation a challenge
• Monitoring a ground grid performance requires special equipment and an understanding of where the corrosion may occur. This sensor discriminates between corrosion types and monitors the performance of the ground grid and its corrosion control measures.
• Inspection and assessment of substation ground grids can be costly and overwhelming when there is a large population of substations to maintain. This project helps a utility to screen a population of substations for “at risk” structures and be proactive in the maintenance operations

Task: Methods to arrest corrosion Task Description: This task is to study methods, techniques, and materials to reduce the effects of corrosion and align those findings with the environment.

Update:

• Mapping circulating currents allows grounding engineers to understand where problematic location exist within the substation ground grid. This makes the design of a corrosion control system much more effective an cost efficient.
• Corrosion control on ground grids using cathodic protection, isolation surge protectors, counterpoise, and deep ground beds for stray current mitigation.

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2023 Deliverables

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