Natural Factors of Accidents at Power Transmission Lines

Abstract

Power lines are energy infrastructure facilities that are most severely affected by the impacts of various natural hazards, especially those of hydrometeorological genesis. Accidents and emergency situations with power outages triggered by natural hazards and adverse phenomena account for more than a half in the total number of natural-technological accidents registered in Russia. The exposure and vulnerability of overhead power transmission networks to natural impacts is caused by their large length and the harsh environment. The paper considers regional differences in the occurrences of accidents triggered by hazardous natural impacts on power transmission lines, identifies natural factors of these accidents, and reveals regions most at risk. The methods used are the geographic and statistical analysis of the information collected by the author in an electronic database of technological and natural-technological accidents and emergency situations. The majority of natural-technological accidents with power disruptions are caused by wind loads, which are especially dangerous in combination with other hydrometeorological factors such as rain, snow, ice and rime deposit, thunderstorm, and hail.