Switchgear Off-Line PD Testing

An Off-Line Partial Discharge test is becoming increasingly popular with Australian Utilities and Industrial Customers during the commissioning of switchgear.

Partial Discharge may be present in new equipment due to the manufacturing process or as a result of the installation. If Partial Discharge can be eliminated prior to energising then greater service life can be expected. PD testing will often identify issues that traditional Megger and Hi-pot testing may miss.

LIVE HV was requested to provide Off-Line PD testing to commission medium voltage switchgear at the Chevron Barrow Island Gas Plant.

The actual testing was no different to what LIVE HV provides for many utilities however there were some unique challenges involved with the site.

Getting Equipment to the Island.

Due to Barrow Island being an A Class nature there is an extensive quarantine process to go through to get equipment on the island. To assist here LIVE HV dedicated a set of test equipment solely for this job. The equipment remained on the island even when it was not in use.

With many contractors and a large amount of equipment all utilising a tight space moving the test equipment between substations was a challenge in itself. A mixture of moving equipment was utilised.

By working with the contractor LIVE HV was able to overcome obstacles and provide Off-Line PD testing at this site. This has ensured the integrity of the switchgear insulation.