1

2006 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition Latin America, Venezuela

Operational Availability Study in Transmission

Lines. Case: PDVSA 115kV System
Anny Mago1, Pedro Jiménez2, and Ezomar Uzcátegui3

In a same way through the operational context can be

estimated the Mean Time to Failure pondered (MTTFpond) of
the causes that produces programmed interruptions (failures),
as well as the Service Time Outage Mean pondered
(SOMTpond) for causes of events so much programmed as
not programmed, also specifying which it is the cause that
prevails. The study embraces the system 115kV of PDVSA of
the Oriental region of Venezuela, in its three areas:
Anzoátegui, Monagas and Morichal.

III. OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY

The operational availability of a transmission system is the
half probability that said system is under conditions of
transmitting the energy until its consumption place. The
methodology for their study (it figures 1), it involves analysis
of the historical data of events and the models of reliability
and maintainability.
Index Terms—Availability, Electromagnetic analysis,
Maintainability, Reliability.
Operational Availability

I. NOMENCLATURE
Reliability Maintainability Aalysis of the historical Disponibilidad del sistema
GRP: Generalized Renewal Process data
WGRP: Weibull GRP
MTTF: Mean Time To Failure
TTF: Time To Failure Design Operational Context Operational Context
(Characteristic curve
SOT: Service Outage Time of the línea)
SOMT: Service Outage Mean Time
Fig. 1. Operational availability
A: Availability
IV. RELIABILITY
II. INTRODUCTION
The reliability is the instantaneous probability that the
T HE traditional methods of calculation of the availability
are based on probability distributions that don't consider
the magnitude and order of occurrence of the failure
system doesn't fail (associated to no-programmed events) for a
certain time. The reliability (Fig. 1) will be studied from two
points to view: from the design and the other one is from the
events neither of the events that originate interruptions in the
operational context.
systems, that which is considered by the model used in this
work denominated General Renewal Process, in a same way
A. Reliability from the design of the line
neither is considered what is called reliability from the design
The methodology for the design of the transmission lines, is
of the lines, which depends highly on the study of the rate of
based on the calculation of the lightning outage rated, which is
lightning outages direct if it is a system of transmission of 115
the result of the summation of the Shielding Failure
kV. On the other hand it is important to delimit that with the
Flash_Over Rate (SFFOR) and the backflashover rate (BFR),
historical data and the characteristic curve of lightning outage
both they are calculated under that contemplated in the EPRI.
of the line can be estimated the resistance of grounded real.
The use of the ATPDRAW is an alternative form of
evaluating the phenomenon of retroactive discharges.
1
Electrical Engineer Currently work in PDVSA Oil Company, Venezuela,
since 2005. E-mail: magoar@pdvsa.com
2
Electrical Engineer MSc Maintenance Management Currently work in
A.1. Shielding failures Flashover Rate (SFFOR)
PDVSA Oil Company, Venezuela, and professor since 1996. E-mail: The shielding failures happen when a ray avoids guard's
jimenezps@pdvsa.com cable or the structure and it finishes directly in the phase
3
Electrical Engineer Currently work in PDVSA Oil Company, Venezuela, driver, this behavior originates high voltages in the impact
since 2003. E-mail: uzcateguiee@pdvsa.com
1-4244-0288-3/06/$20.00 ©2006 IEEE
 2

place that possibly one will reach or more insolator string 1

f
dF(t) (2)
O , MTTF ³J tf (t )dt , f(t) R(t) 1 - F(t)
causing flashover. The calculations of forced exits before MTTF dt
shielding failures were carried out through the methodology Where: "O" it is the failure rate, "MTTF" it is the Mean Time
proposed by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) to Failure, "J" it is the location parameter, "f(t) it is the
A.2. Backflashover rate (BFOR) distribution function of probability of time of failure, "F(t) it is
The retroactive discharges or backflashover happen when the distribution function of cumulative probability of the time
the ray directly either impacts in guard's cables or in the of failure and "R(t) it is the function of Reliability. The MTTF
structure, this produces an overvoltage that could overcome that depends on the component failure rates, it figures 3
the dielectric strength of the isolation producing obtained through the historical data of events not programmed
backflashover. For the calculation of the value of produced probabilístics and independent; in other words, events that
overvoltage the model is used shown in the figure 2, which is happen among a certain line with a cause specify as for
based on a line three-phase double terna with two shield wire. example atmospheric discharges, fallen of lines, driver
The line is represented through the model Jmarti, the current rupture, among others.
of the ray is represented by means of a current source in form The Mean Time to Failure pondered (MTTFpond), is
of double ramp. calculated through of the sumatoria of each one of the causes
To obtain the value of the critical current (Ic) that causes obtained multiplied by the percentage that represents each
rupture of the insolator string, the value of the magnitude of one; in a same way it should be made with the deviation, since
the current injected in guard's cable is increased progressively, each estimate of times probabilistics should go accompanied
until the tension between the terminals of the top of the tower by the obtained range for the same one.
and the crossbeam overcomes the critical value of isolation, This way it is obtained that:
the failure rate it is calculated with the equations of the
methodology proposed in the EPRI.
TMPF Pond ¦ TMPF * P i i (3)

And finally the Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) under the

minimum range of design is:
Desviation Pond ¦ Desviation * P i i (4)

MTTF
24 ˜ 365 ˜ 100 (hrs) (1) Where, MTTFi: it is the MTTF of each one of the obtained
SFFOR  SBF  * L
Where, "L" it is the longitude average of the line (Km)
Fig. 2. Model in ATPDRAW
A.3. Characteristic curve of the MTTF of the tower
The characteristic curve of the MTTF of the tower, is
obtained through an analysis of sensibility in the different
areas, which goes changing with regard to the time and with
regard to the external conditions that are presented along the
lines.
B. Operational reliability from the point of view of the
operational context
The study of reliability from the point of view of the
operational context, refers to the calculation of the failure rate,
by means of the historical information of not programmed
events that impede that the transmission system doesn't
complete its function, the failure rate it is denoted
mathematically by the following equation:
causes; Pi: it is the percentage of occurrence of this non
programmed event; Deviationi: it is the deviation associated to
each one of the obtained causes; Pi: it is the percentage of
occurrence of the non programmed event associated to each
deviation.
V. MAINTAINABILITY
The maintainability is the instantaneous probability that a
equipment or system is restored (associated to programmed
and no-programmed events) at the same time. It is denoted by
M(t) and it is modeled similar that the F(t). This
maintainability is function of the Service outage Mean Time
(SOMT), which is the mean time expected of an equipment or
system to be put again in service.
f
dM(t) (4)
r SOMT , SOMT ³J
tm(t )dt , m(t)
dt
Where: "r" it is the restoration rate "J" it is the location
parameter, "SOMT" it is the Service outage Mean Time, "m(t)
it is the distribution function of maintainability probabilities
and "M(t) it is the distribution function of cumulative
probability associated to the maintenance. The SOMT is
obtained through the time it was service (TFS), which are
events that produce desenergization in a programmed or not
programmed way to see figure 3, through the obtained data by
means of the historical information of events.
The Service outage Mean Time pondered (SOMTpond), is
calculated through of the summation of each one of the causes
obtained multiplied by the percentage that represents each
one; in a same way it should be made with the deviation, just
as it is shown respectively in the equations 5 and 6.
TMPF Pond ¦ TMPF i * Pi (5)
 3

Desviation Pond ¦ Desviation * P i i (6) 9 0 < q <1. better than like it was, but worse than when it
was new.
Where, SOMTi: it is the SOMT of each one of the obtained 9 q = 1 as bad as it was
causes; Pi: it is the percentage of occurrence of this event, 9 q > 1 worse than like it was
either programmed or not programmed; Deviationi: it is the
deviation associated to each one of the obtained causes; Pi: it The model solution is for Maximum Likelihood Estimation
is the percentage of occurrence of the non programmed event (MLE).
associated to each deviation. VII. AVAILABILITY
TTF3 = TO1 + TO2
Failure 1 Failure 2 Failure 3 The values of availability of the system are obtained through
TTF1 TTF2 TO1 TO2
a denominated software RAPTOR®, which is based on the
traditional probabilistic distribution models, given to this is
SOT 1 Corrective SOT2 SOT 3 Preventive
TTF1
necessary to adjust the model GRP to one of the traditional
TTF2 Reliability
f
dF(t) Availability A(t) models, applying the Least Square Estimation (LSE). For
TTF3 R(t)=1-F(t)
TMPF ³J tf (t )dt , f(t) dt
previous experiences the models more precise is through of
TMPF
A
TMPF TMFS the Weibull distribution.
SOT1 E
f § t J ·
SOT 2 dM(t) ¨¨ ¸¸
Maintainability TMFS ³J tm(t )dt , m(t)
© K ¹
SOT 3 M(t)
dt
The Weibull - GRP model F(t) 1  e (WGRP) is
SOT=Service Out time MTTF= Mean Time To Failure obtained applying LSE adjusted to GRP MLE model.
TOi=Time of Operation before anothe failure SOMT=Service Outage Mean time
TTF=Time to failure
Conservative criterions.
x If the data have reliability philosophy (is less probable
Fig. 3. Outline of the operational context long times) then the parameter J should be d 0 (if J > 0,
should be re-calculated for J=0).
VI. MODEL GRP FOR THE OPERATIONAL CONTEXT x For maintainability philosophy (is more probable long
times) the parameter J should be t 0.
To estimate the reliability and the maintainability from the x If the GRP MLE model doesn't have solution or many
operational context the model GRP it is used, which is a data, the Weibull MLE model (2-parameters) is
widespread version to the traditional Weibull, with the assumed as solution.
difference that their application extends to repairable
equipments. This new method of estimate probabilistic whose
patent belongs to the University of Maryland, is based in the VIII. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
philosophy of neural networks, in other words, this model A. Reliability from the design:
adapts. Their model of function cumulative probabilistic is:
For shielding failure it was obtained:
ª § i 1 ·
E º Imin(kA) P(Imin) Rcmax Imax(kA) P(Imax)
« E ¨ ti  q
»
«§ i 1 · ¨ ¦ t j ¸¸ » 4,706 0,9926 54,74 13,78 0,89
«¨ q t j ¸ ¨
j 1
«¨ K ¦ ¸ ¨ K
¸
¸
»
» (4)
«© j 1 ¹ ¨ ¸ » The results for backflashover p.e. for ANZ they are: of the
« ¨ ¸ »
© ¹ low realized simulation ATPDRAW, was obtained that for a
F ( t i , E , q ,K ) 1  e¬ ¼
current of 57 kA (fig. 5) the rupture of the rigidity of the
isolation doesn't still take place, which is similar to 1233kV,
and for the current of 58 kA already takes place the flame, for
Where: what the critical current is similar to 58kA, for the other areas
9 K = scale parameter (scale). was carried out in a same way, like it is shown in the table I.
9 E = form parameter (shape)
9 q = parameter of effectiveness of the repair Backflashover zona ANZ
I=57 kA

CFO=1230 kV Aislador Fase C Aislador Fase C' Aislador Fase A

With regard to b, the following cases are had: 1500

Aislador Fase A' Aislador Fase B Aislador Fase B'

9 E < 1. it is failure rate falling. Period of early failure

(infant mortality). 1000

9 E = 1. it is failure rate constant. Period of useful life. Call

Voltaje (kV)

500
"model exponential."
9 1 < E < 2. it is failure rate growing. Wear away light. 0

9 E > 2. it Wears away quick.

With regard to q, which measures the effectiveness of the -500
0 1 2 3 4 5
maintenance corrective, the following cases of restoration Time (us)

condition are had:

Fig. 5a. Simulation in ATPDRAW. I=57kA and I=58kA
9 q < 0. better than new
9 q = 0. As good as new
 4

Backflashover zona ANZ TABLE II

I=58 kA

CFO=1230 Kv Aislador Fase C Aislador Fase C' Aislador Fase A

AREA INFLUENCES OF THE DISCHARGE
Aislador Fase A' Aislador Fase B Aislador Fase B'
1500
Area Influences of the Discharge
Zona
MTTF O/100Km/año Rg
1000
Anzoátegui a0:
Monagas 6030.3r130% 4.8 13.9 :
Voltaje (kV)

500
Morichal a0:
0

C. Reliability from the operational context

-500
0 1 2 3 4 5
The study was divided in 3 areas (fig. 7), as they are it:
Time (us)

Fig. 5b. Simulation in ATPDRAW. I=57kA and I=58kA Monagas (MAT) with longitude average of 20,251 Km;
Anzoátegui (ANZ), with longitude average of 30,063 Km and
Morichal (MOR) with longitude average of 35,811 Km. The
events happened in the lines that conformed each one of the
TABLE I areas before mentioned have been selected for this study.
OBTAINED RESULTS FOR DESIGN
ANZ MOR MAT
SFFOR (failure/100Km/año) 0,3339 0,4451 0,3339
SBF (salidas/100Km/año) 11,18 19,553 13,027
BFR+SFFOR
(failure/100Km/año) 11,514 19,998 13,547

B. Characteristic curve of the MTTF of the tower

In the figure 6 the results corresponding to the analysis of
sensibility are shown, where one can observe that the MTTF
diminishes when increases the resistance of grounded, what
implies that the rate of failures increases when increases the
resistance of grounded (Rg).

Anzoátegui
Fig. 7. Transmission system 115kV of PDVSA located by areas
TMPF (hrs)
7000 TMPF contexto
6000
The obtained data for each case were ordered in upward
Rg< 0,01
5000 order of occurrence, just as it is shown in the fig. 8. for the
4000
3000 area of Anzoátegui.
2000
1000
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Rg (ohm) Anzoátegui
TTF
TMPF (hrs) Monagas 30000

8000 25000
TMPF contexto
6000
Rg= 14,5
20000

4000 15000

2000 10000

0 5000
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Rg (ohm) 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

TMPF (hrs) Morichal

7000
Fig. 8. Time to Failure for the area of Anzoátegui
TMPFcontexto
6000 Rg <0,01
5000
4000 In the table III the different obtained parameters of model
3000
2000
reliability for each case in study with their respective Mean
1000 50 time resulting are shown, these parameters was obtained of the
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 coded model in MAPLE based on GRP.
Rg (ohm)
In the table IV the adapted parameters of reliability to the
model Weibull 3 parameters are shown, necessary step for the
Fig. 6. Characteristic curves of the MTTF of the tower
calculation of the availability, in a same way the obtained
The results obtained by the influence of the discharge are parameters of the maintainability model are shown, but given
used for the calculation of the real resistance, by means of the to the number of events is elevated have been carried out
characteristic curve of the feigned tower of the system, this through the model of Weibull 2 parameters for MLE.
way the table is obtained shown next.
 5

TABLE III TABLE VI

PARAMETERS OF THE BASED MODEL OF RELIABILITY IN GRP FOR THE PARAMETERS OF THE MODEL OF RELIABILITY AND ADJUSTED
DIFFERENT AREAS IN STUDY MAINTAINABILITY WITH GRP

Reliability SOM SOMTx

Causas N % Desv Desvx%
Area GRP T %
q E K J P V Unknown 42 10 1.54 150 0.16 15.59
Protections 70 17 2.24 143 0.39 24.78
Anz .379e-4 0.658 5119 0 6919 158
lightning 41 10 0.91 116 0.09 11.77
Mon 22.8 0.642 218.2 0 5475 100 Other Causes 19 5 4.5 114.4 0.21 5.38
Mor .105e-3 0.457 1247 0 3402 237 Unknown Prog 12 3 4.32 68.00 0.13 2.02
Prove of protec 22 5 5.12 56.00 0.28 3.05
Prove y Maint to int 55 14 4.95 59.00 0.67 8.03
TABLE IV Maint resistance of
PARAMETERS OF THE MODEL OF RELIABILITY AND ADJUSTED 22 5 5.70 36.00 0.31 1.96
grounded
MAINTAINABILITY WITH GRP Maint in bar 6 1 6.86 35.00 0.10 0.52
wash by cont 28 7 4.2 17 0.29 1.18
Reliability Maintainability
Change of insolator 19 5 6.1 54 0.29 2.54
Area WGRP LSE Weibull MLE
Hot point 13 3 3.6 64 0.12 2.06
q E K J P V E K P V Maint in line 8 2 3.4 69 0.07 1.37
Anz 0 0.686 5241 0 6770 150 0.969 4.23 4.287 103 Other Causes Prog 47 12 6 72 0.70 8.38
Mon 0 0.999 5464 0 5466 100 1.2 4.88 4.59 83 6 404 3.80 88.63
Mor 0 0.596 1787 0 2713 177 0.81 2.72 3.06 125
SOMTPond 3.8 r 88.63hrs

With the purpose of evaluating the failure times pondered TABLE VII
for causes have been evaluated each estimated time for each AVAILABILITY BY AREA
one of the causes registered in the filtrate of not programmed
Area MTTF O/year SOMT A
events and using the equations 3 and 4 that is obtained shown
in the table V. Anz 6770r150 1.294 4.29r138 99.937
Mon 5466r100 1.603 4.59r94 99.916
TABLE V Mor 2713r177 3.23 3.09r239 99.886
TABLE OF CALCULATION OF THE MTTFPOND
TABLE VIII
Causes N % SOMT Desv SOMTx% Desvx%
OBTAINED GLOBAL AVAILABILITY FOR THE SYSTEM 115 KV PDVSA
lightning 22 24 6426 142 1570.8 34.71
Protections 45 50 3648 201 1824 100.5 Km Failures/ SOMTpon
MTTFpond A
Other Causes 23 26 2020 99 516.22 25.3 average 100Km/year d
6 90 3911.02 160.51
3911r161% 28,7 7.8 3.8r88.63% 99.903%
MTTFPond 3911 r 160.5hrs
Ȝ 2.24Failures/year
For the modeling of the equivalent availability for each
Ȝ 7.8Failures/100Km/year substation the parameters of MTTF and SOMT of the context
will be used the values obtained for each area, using the
For lightning calculations the value to use will be:
program RAPTOR“ 5.0, to see table V.
Ȝ 4.75 Failures/100Km/year
TABLE IX
Through the figure 6 can be observed the values of AVAILABILITY FOR NODE IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS
resistance of grounded real of each area, which were estimated
MOR
through of the graph of sensibility (to see table VI). Palital * 99.983 JoboNorte 99.859
With the purpose of evaluating the times pondered outside Morichal 99.858 Temblador 99.859
of service by causes have been calculated each estimated time
MON
for each one of the causes registered in the filtrate of
Furrial * 99.93 Pirital 99.849
programmed and not programmed events and using the
Amana 99.85 Jusepin2 99.849
equations 5 and 6 that is obtained shown in the table VI.
Tejero 99.845 Jusepin1 99.76
Travieso 99.85 Muscar 99.847
StaBarbara 99.76
ANZ
Jose * 99.983 TAEJ 99.9998 Dobokubi 99.983
Rebomb2 99.982 Bitor 99.98 DaciónEyO 99.981
Rebomb1 99.914 StaRosa 99.98 Bare10 99.916
Canoa * 99.983 Bare 99.916 Arecuna 99.916

Note: * These data agree with that indicated in the Contract
EDELCA-PDVSA and they are adjusted to the current
statistic.
D. Analysis of the historical data
The historical data presented observations like: events that
didn't express hour of restoration; report without specifying
the associate electric line and reports that don't discriminate
against if it is programmed or no-programmed. What forced to
discard this it dates for the realization of the calculations.
IX. CONCLUSIONS
- The real resistances estimated are: Anzoátegui Smaller than
0.01 :; Monagas 14.5 : and Morichal Smaller than 0.01 :.
- The cause of more impact on the not programmed
interruptions is electric protection representing a percentage of
50 % of the total of the causes.
- The failure rate pondered obtained from the operational
context of the system PDVSA 115kV is 4.75
failure/100Km/year smaller to the maximum failure
contemplated by EDELCA under design (5
failure/100Km/year).
- The obtained availability of the operational context of the
system PDVSA 115kV PDVSA is 99.903 % | 99.9 %, it
satisfies at recommended practice.
- GRP is a mathematical model that has the property of
adaptability: the parameters depend on the magnitude and
occurrence order of it dates it historical.
- The parameter E is near at 1, which confirms that it is a
relatively new system.
- The standard deviation of the obtained results is a little high.
X. RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended to improve the technique of gathering of
the data that allows to diagnose with smaller uncertainty the
operational context; it is also recommended to pay main
attention in the protection to minimize most of the happened
failures and to improve the grounded of Monagas (14.5 :).
XI. REFERENCES
Books:
[1] Billinton R. And Allan R., “Reliability Evaluation of Power Systems”,
editorial PLENUM PRESS, New York and London, (1994).
[2] EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute), "Transmission Line Reference
Book 345 K and Above", Chapter 12 Lightning Performance of
Transmission Lines, 2nd Edition, Palo Alto, California, (1982).
[3] Endrenyi J., “Reliability Modeling in Electric Power Systems”, editorial
John Wiley & Sons, (1978).
[4] Leuven K., Alternative Transients Program Rule Book, EMTP Center,
Volume N° 2, Belgium, (1987).
[5] Leuven K., Alternative Transients Program Rule Book, EMTP Center,
Volume N° 1, Belgium, (1987).
[6] Jimenez P. Proceso Generalizado De Restauración (PGR) Como
Modelo De Mantenimiento Para La Confiabilidad De Sistemas
Reparables. Bondades Y Limitaciones, work of grade presented as partial
requirement to opt to the title of Magíster Scientiarum, (2006).
6
Standards:
[7] Design of reliable industrial and commercial power system, IEEE Gold
Book, Standard 493.
[8] IEEE Guide for improving the Lightning Performance of Transmission
Lines, IEEE Standard 1243-1997, (1997).
[9] IEEE Guide for improving the Lightning Performance of Electric Power
Overhead Distribution Lines, IEEE Standard 1410-1997, (1997).
[10] Insulation co-ordination Part 2: Application guide, European Standard
IEC 60071-2 (1996).
Papers from Conference Proceedings (Published):
[11] Joglar F., Modarres M. and Yánez M. (2002). Reliability Engineering &
System Safety. Generalized renewal process (GRP) for analysis of
repairable systems with limited failure experience. Approved for
University of Maryland at April 29,2002
XII. BIOGRAPHIES
Anny Mago was born in Cumaná city, Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela, on April 5, 1980. She
graduated from the Electrical Engineering School of
the Universidad de Oriente (UDO) in 2005, Venezuela.
She has 1 year of experiences in PETROLEOS DE
VENEZUELA, S.A (PDVSA), working in engineering
and electrical simulations.
She has published in some national and international
congresses related to power systems analysis. Her
special fields of interest included studies of reliability, maintainability and
availability in power system and Lightning Performance of Distribution
Overhead Lines,
Pedro Jiménez was born in Puerto La Cruz city,
Venezuela country, on February 1, 1973. He graduated
electrical engineer with honors from the UDO
University on 1996 and Maintenance Management
MSc on 2006.
He has 10 years of experiences with Petróleos de
Venezuela, S.A., working engineering and electrical
simulations, and professor UDO University since 1996.
He has published in some national and international congresses related to
power systems analysis.
Ezomar Uzcátegui V was born in Guanare, Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela, on November 10, 1972. He
graduated from the Electrical Engineering School of
the Universidad de Oriente (UDO) in 1996, Venezuela.
He works in the Planning and Management
Department of Electrical Services in PETROLEOS DE
VENEZUELA S. A. (PDVSA) Exploration and
Production Division from 2003. Past experience
included abroad Consultants and Project Engineering Firm. His special fields
of interest included Power Systems Analysis and Studies, and Lightning
Performance of Distribution Overhead Lines.