Development and Application of ±500 kV DC Transmission Line Arrester in China Power Grid

In order to solve the frequently occurring lightning flashover problems on +/- 500 kV dc transmission lines in China, the authors have conducted the research on the dc line arrester since 2011. In this paper, the structure and installation, technical parameters, and protection performances, as well as their deterministic processes of the arrester are presented and analyzed in detail. In 2013, the authors successfully developed the arrester products, and the type tests show that they have excellent performance parameters and can act effectively against the lightning impulse and cutoff the dc follow current. By now more than 500 dc line arresters have been installed and used on seven +/- 500 kV dc transmission lines in eight provinces of China. About four years of operating experience shows that the arresters work safely and reliably over a long period of time, and have been effectively reducing the lightning flashover rate of the +/- 500 kV dc lines.