Abstract
Power systems in general supply consumers with electrical energy as economically and reliably as possible. Reliable electric power systems serve customer loads without interruptions in supply voltage. Electric power generation facilities must produce enough power to meet customer demand. Electrical energy produced and delivered to customers through generation, transmission and distribution systems, constitutes one of the largest consumers markets the world over. The benefits of electric power systems are integrated into the much faster modern life in such extent that it is impossible to imagine the society without the electrical energy. The rapid growth of electric power distribution grids over the past few decades has resulted in a large increment in the number of grid lines in operation and their total length. These grid lines are exposed to faults as a result of lightning, short circuits, faulty equipment, mis-operation, human errors, overload, and aging among others. A fault implies any abnormal condition which causes a reduction in the basic insulation strength between phase conductors or phase conductors and earth, or any earthed screens surrounding the conductors. In this paper, different types of faults that affected the electric power distribution grid of selected operational districts of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Western region of Ghana was analyzed and the results presented. Outages due to bad weather and load shedding contributed significantly to the unplanned outages that occurred in the medium voltage (MV) distribution grid. Blown fuse and loose contact faults were the major contributor to unplanned outages in the low voltage (LV) electric power distribution grid.
Highlights
Power systems in general supply consumers with electrical energy as economically and reliably as possible
Outages due to bad weather and load shedding contributed significantly to the unplanned outages that occurred in the medium voltage (MV) distribution grid
Summary of various faults and other factors that contributed to outages in the 33 kV, 11 kV and low voltage (LV) electric power distribution grids are given in Table 6, Table VII and Table VIII respectively
Summary
A power system basically comprises of a generating, a transmission and distribution systems. A fault on an electric power transmission lines implies any abnormal condition which causes a reduction in the basic insulation strength between phase conductors or phase conductors and earth, or any earthed screens surrounding the conductors. Such reduction of the insulation resistance is not considered as a fault until it produces some effect on an electric power grid. The probability of failure or occurrence of abnormal condition is more in an overhead electric power transmission and distribution lines This is due to their greater length, and exposure to the atmosphere without any form of protection [1]-[9]. Godwin Diamenu, University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho, Ghana
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