Iceland-based Laki Power, a maker of power line monitoring solutions, launched the LKX MULTI monitoring station, which is a compact line monitoring unit with optical cameras, a meteorological station and line sensors.
LKX MULTI will assist utility companies in protecting their power lines amidst ever-changing extreme weather conditions and help them optimize capacity as renewables become ever more integrated into the grid.
Features of the system include a pair of 4K Mobotix bidirectional optical cameras, a meteorological sensor, an ultrasonic wind sensor, an accelerometer, a salinity sensor, a current sensor and AI and on-board applications with enhanced computing power.
Between 2011 and 2021, the average annual number of weather-related power outages increased by roughly 78% compared to 2000-2010. With utility companies in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world experiencing the dire consequences of climate change, notably heavier storms, and more extreme temperatures, there is an increased need for utilities to protect and monitor their power lines.
Laki Power serves utility companies in several countries, among them are Stattnet (Norway), TEIAS (Turkey), IPTO (Greece), and Landsnet (Iceland).
Utility companies do not only find themselves confronted with adverse weather events, but also growing demand for more power, which leads to grid congestion as renewables grow. Upgrading or constructing new lines is an expensive and lengthy process.
Laki Power's Dynamic Line Rating solution, integrated with the LKX-MULTI, addresses these issues. It can enhance transmission capacity by an average of 40% by leveraging accurate wind measurements along the power line, ensuring improved performance even during adverse weather conditions.
In total, the monitoring station has been developed to be a reliable grid-enhancing technology that can be used for Dynamic Line Rating, weather change related events (the monitoring for galloping and vibration, ice load monitoring, and smoke and fire detection), and surveillance of critical infrastructure.
