The condition assessment of high-voltage electrical equipment has become increasingly important as electric utilities face increasing pressure from market and regulatory forces to meet performance or risk targets. This pressure has been further amplified by demands for improved reliability and decreases in financial expenditures despite the aging population of electrical equipment. A significant portion of the asset base (e.g. transformers, tap changers and circuit breakers) used in generation, transmission and distribution systems are oil filled, The most easily accessible and efficient way to determine asset condition is to use the insulating oil as the diagnostic medium. By incorporating oil-based diagnostics into a conditioned-based maintenance program, electrical equipment in greatest need of maintenance attention can be identified.

Dave Hanson is the C.E.O. and President of TJ/H2b Analytical Services and is responsible for the oversight of TJ|H2b’s seven laboratories worldwide. He will be co-presenting this topic with Steve Wolter P.E., consulting engineer substation maintenance, at Ameren. Wolter has years of “hands on” experience with transformers and circuit breakers, and will utilize actual case studies to illustrate appropriate response to lab findings.