Cable Fault Location

Rapid detection, location and clearance of faults are essential factors of satisfactory operation of power supply networks. When a fault occurs on the transmission line of an electric power system, it is very important to find the exact location of the fault. This can result in reducing the time required for repairing the damage caused by the fault and consequently improving reliability and continuity of energy supply. Fault location of transmission lines has always been a very well-known subject, being studied for a long time. However, this problem has nowadays been of more importance, due to deregulation and required quality of supply. Cables have always been subject to faults, which can be either transient or permanent and can be caused by various reasons. In case of permanent faults, locating the fault point allows one to go to the exact location and to take appropriate actions to restore the power. In the case of transient faults – which are usually cleared by automatic reclosing systems – locating the fault permits identifying critical points in the system and taking the necessary preventative maintenance steps. These critical points may be caused by several reasons as pollution, insufficient insulation level, bird interference rats, etc.