Method of monitoring line faults in a medium voltage network

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of monitoring line faults in a medium voltage network () of the type comprising an electricity generating plant () supplying electricity to a plurality of customers over a network of medium voltage power lines (), a control centre computer () and a plurality of measurement sensors () located remote from the electricity generating plant on the medium voltage power lines, each of the measurement sensors () further comprising three individual measurement units, each measurement unit mounted on a different phase of the medium voltage power line () with respect to the other measurement units of that measurement sensor, and each measurement sensor () having means to communicate with the control centre computer (). The method includes the steps of synchronizing the measurement sensors () and thereafter calculating the out of balance current for the medium voltage line () on a cycle by cycle basis. On the measurement sensor () detecting a fault in the line a line fault measurement report is sent to a control centre computer () for further analysis. The method allows for the determination of the likely cause of a fault as well as the likely location of a fault.