Enhancing Overhead Transmission Line Resilience to Climate Change Impacts: Analysis and Adaptation

One of the major challenges associated with climate change is the gradual increase in the Earth’s surface temperature. Identifying the effects and consequences of these changes can support the selection of effective strategies for risk mitigation, resilience enhancement, and the adaptation of energy infrastructures. In this paper, the impacts of global warming on the power transfer capability of overhead transmission lines are evaluated, with a particular emphasis on accurate thermal modelling of conductors. By analyzing the sensitivity of conductor ampacity to variations in ambient temperature, the concepts of latent capacity and thermal risk region are quantitatively identified. Furthermore, using the standard IEEE ۲۴-bus power system, the sensitivity of key network performance indicators to changes in environmental conditions (ambient temperature and wind speed) was investigated under different scenarios. Simulation results indicate a direct relationship between power losses, generation cost, and ambient temperature. Conversely, generation cost decreases with increasing wind speed, while power losses exhibit an inverse relationship with wind speed. Based on the proposed approach, thermally critical and temperature-sensitive transmission lines were identified as suitable candidates for the deployment of Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) systems. The conducted assessments indicate that the use of conventional ACSR conductors, with a maximum allowable operating temperature of approximately ۹۰ °C, is associated with operational limitations in warmer regions and therefore requires reconsideration. Specifically, it is recommended that, in such regions, either conductors with higher thermal tolerance be employed or DLR-based solutions be adopted to enhance network flexibility.

کلیدواژه ها:

Climate Adaptation ، climate change ، Dynamic line rating ، Overhead transmission lines ، Thermal capacity