An overview on the current status of partial discharge measurements on AC high voltage cable accessories

High voltage power cables and their accessories are vital components of the electrical power network. Because of this, reliable operation over their lifetime is essential to minimize failures during service. As in-service failures most often incur very high costs, condition monitoring of high voltage cable accessories is becoming increasingly of interest and is being applied. Monitoring of partial discharge (PD) is currently the most common method implemented. This article discusses the fundamental aspects of PD and its measurement on high voltage power cable accessories. The article begins with discussing the various PD measurement techniques, which are explained and compared. Finally, the results of typical measurements on high voltage cable accessories are shown, and their consequences in operation are discussed.