Measurement of Energy Capability of Distribution Surge Arrester after Operations with Impulse Currents

Abstract

Recently, distribution surge arresters have been installed on Japanese distribution lines in high density for reducing lightning-related overvoltages. However, surge arresters are sometimes damaged by direct lightning strokes to the distribution lines, especially in winter. In order to prevent the damages of surge arresters, it is necessary to find out lightning protection performances of surge arresters sufficiently.

In Hokuriku Electric Power Company, the values of energy capability of surge arresters have been measured by experiments or observations. However, energy capability of a surge arrester after operations with lightning currents has not been measured in detail. In this paper, we present the values of energy capability of surge arresters after operations under several conditions of impulse currents.