Cost-Benefit Analysis of Remote Securing of High Voltage Lines Through Systems Consisting of Disconnector Blocking Devices (DBS)

Power systems are subject every year to tens of thousands of failures which can cause transient, short or long unavailability of its components with possible interruptions in the electricity supply of customers. In emergency situations, caused for example by extreme weather phenomena that impact large areas, service recovery times can take a long time, also due to the difficulties in reaching the lifts due to simultaneous services repercussions on the road and telecommunications infrastructure, as well as the onset of multiple simultaneous disruptions in the affected geographical area. The implementation and use of systems consisting of line disconnector, disconnector earth and disconnector blocking device (DBS) for carrying out the operational procedures for the remote security of high and very high voltage lines satisfies cost-effectiveness requirements and safety, both in emergency conditions and in cases of scheduled maintenance work. In this paper, the state of the art, the functioning and future perspectives are presented, with a relevant case study on a portion the Italian High Voltage grid showing the benefit and the potentiality of such devices.