How to maintain live working on a decreasing medium voltage overhead network

Abstract

In a distribution network where medium voltage overhead lines are gradually replaced by underground cables, it becomes important to think about maintaining skills and professionalism of Medium Voltage Live Working activity, as recommended by French LW committee. We have to find a compromise between ensuring regular practice of all authorized persons, keeping enough authorized persons because of flexibility and professionalism, while optimizing costs. A serious monitoring of MV Live Working activity of each authorized persons, associated with a maintenance policy to have a stock of prioritized and hierarchical interventions, and a reasoned diversification of skills would best achieve the objectives. Authorized persons are called to perform additional tasks such as confections of overhead-underground connection on restructuring works, replacement or pose of LV poles, various services, and maintenance de-energized works on MV network and more particularly HV network. The latter are particularly strategic given the financial and technical interest of this network. All these additional tasks take part of the skills of workers and contribute greatly to their professionalism while valuating electrician skills in MV Live Working.