STATE GRID NINGDONG ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY COMPANY Utilizes Drones to Enhance Substation Acceptance Quality and Efficiency

“Pay close attention to the drone remote control screen and focus on inspecting the 330 kV framework, fittings, clamps, porcelain insulators, and the entire station’s arresters to avoid missing any minor issues,” said the on-site drone operator. On June 20, STATE GRID NINGDONG ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY COMPANY used drones for the first time to inspect high-altitude equipment such as the 330 kV Subujing substation’s gantry framework, suspension insulators, and drain clamps. This approach addresses the problems of blind spots and the time-consuming and labor-intensive nature of high-altitude equipment inspections.

According to the optimization plan for localized operation and maintenance of 330 kV substations by the State Grid Ningxia Electric Power Company and the spirit of the 330 kV Subujing transmission and transformation project acceptance kick-off meeting, STATE GRID NINGDONG ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY COMPANY focused on its primary responsibility of equipment operation and maintenance, optimized the production acceptance model, and conducted drone inspections for the Subujing 330 kV substation for the first time.

In the traditional manual inspection mode, inspectors needed to use auxiliary tools such as binoculars and aerial work vehicles to inspect high-altitude equipment. This method had issues with incomplete observation angles, high safety risks, and inaccurate precision. To address these “blind spots,” STATE GRID NINGDONG ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY COMPANY innovatively used drones for detailed high-altitude inspections of new substations. With the ultra-high-definition shooting capability of drones, they focused on inspecting the main transformer area, equipment clamps, outgoing suspension, and the upper-layer equipment of the entire station’s framework, conducting precise analysis and qualitative recording of equipment status.

Drones, with their small size, high precision, and strong performance, allow inspectors to conduct multi-angle and multi-directional inspections of equipment, achieving “no blind spots, no dead angles.” This greatly enhances inspection visibility, compensates for the shortcomings of traditional inspection methods, reduces the risks associated with high-altitude equipment inspections, and promptly identifies defects. To date, drones have completed the inspection of 330 kV and 110 kV equipment as well as two main transformers, identifying 13 defects that were promptly addressed through closed-loop management, ensuring the safe and efficient completion of inspection work and improving construction quality.

STATE GRID NINGDONG ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY COMPANY will continue to be guided by “intelligence, real-time, and lean” principles, accelerating the transformation of intelligent operation and inspection models. While ensuring intrinsic safety, the company will deeply promote the effective integration of digital technology with power grid equipment management, comprehensively advancing the construction of modern equipment management systems and capabilities. On the basis of fully enhancing equipment status awareness, acceptance quality control, and intelligent operation and maintenance levels, it aims to achieve “burden reduction, efficiency enhancement, and innovation empowerment” at the grassroots level.

Media Details:

Name: Guo Chenchen

Email: gcc2004@126.com

Organization: STATE GRID NINGDONG ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY COMPANY

Address: Yinchuan

Website:http://www.nx.sgcc.com.cn/