Lightning performance on overhead distribution lines: field observation at West Java - Indonesia

After the completion of lightning study on Perusahaan Listrik Negara's (PLN-States Electricity Company of Indonesia) overhead distribution lines at city Depok in West Java by Laboratory of High Voltage and High Current Engineering of Institute of Technology in Bandung (ITB) in 2002, PLN has done several improvement by installing the overhead ground wire, improvement of grounding system and relocation of lightning arrester on the lines. Although the installation was concentrated only at main distribution lines of several existing feeders, better lightning performances of the lines are achieved and significant outages reduces were reported. And now since the end of year 2004 the lightning performance observation of the overhead distribution lines is still being done up till now by ITB in corporation with PLN. This observation is willing to study that the reduced outages was gained by improving the main distribution line compare to the lightning performance of other lines, in the nearby area. The purpose of the study is to get the lightning data from the improved distribution lines that the improvement has made significant results to the lightning performance in the area with very high lightning density. The study is carried out by field observation of lightning on improved distribution lines by using video camera installed at the top of 20 kV pole connected to the control room nearby. For measurement of lightning strikes at the other distribution lines the lightning counters and magnetic tapes for peak lightning current measurement were installed and measured