What Triggers the Need to Carry Out an Electrical Failure Investigation?


In a recent meetup with a utility company, I was asked a question related to failure investigations and what triggers the need to carry out such investigations. In this short write-up, I dive into some of the factors worth mentioning. Please note that this list should not be considered comprehensive and merely offers a general idea of the topic.

An electrical failure investigation is typically carried out when there is an unexpected interruption or disruption in electrical power supply that affects service reliability, safety, or operational continuity. These investigations are also carried out (independently) to address various stakeholders’ interests.

Some situations where an electrical failure investigation is warranted include the following –

1. Safety incidents:

If a power failure leads to safety incidents, such as loss of life, injuries or fires. It becomes imperative to carry out a failure investigation to ensure such incidents do not repeat. When an electrical accident occurs at work, it becomes a legal requirement by the occupational safety and health department for an investigation into the cause of the failure is carried out. These types of investigations involve reviews of safe work procedure, use of personal protective equipment and proper isolation of live parts. At times, a technical failure investigation may also be carried out to identify the technical root cause of a failure.

2. Large-scale outages:

A widespread power outage (commonly referred to as a blackout) on a grid or distribution network level affecting a significant number of users or critical infrastructures creates an array of problems ranging from public safety concerns, to disruption of services, it also impacts manufacturing processes and economic activities. The result is often loss of confidence in the grid and energy supply infrastructure. Under such circumstances, it may be an obligation that a detailed investigation into the root cause of the event be carried out and presented to the stakeholders, including the energy governing authorities on a national level.

3. Premature failures of newly installed equipment or components

Premature failures of newly installed equipment or components may indicate system/ connection incompatibility related to specifications fit for purpose, installation errors, rough handling during transport, manufacturing errors, deficiencies in materials used during manufacturing and a range of other issues. If not tackled early, asset owners risk having the problem appear in similar installations in turn reducing the reliability of operation. Aside from for the purpose of mitigating similar recurrences, issues such as warranty extensions and spare parts management also create a need for better understanding of the failure mode and effects.

4. Nuisance trippings / Unexplained interruptions: When power supply is interrupted without an apparent (known) cause or during normal operating conditions. These events can be tricky as nuisance trippings are at times intermittent in nature. Such situations are often best addressed by an experienced investigator with good protection systems and electrical insulation properties knowledge.

5. Warranty and insurance claims.

6. Abnormal equipment / component behaviour during service: An abnormal behaviour or operation during service such as vibration, noises, temperature rise or fluctuations in voltage or current could indicate a potential impending failure. Alarms triggered by continuous monitoring systems give an indication of the potential problem developing. An early investigation into the cause of the current developing state and could prevent unwanted failures or incidents. This also provides valuable insights into the condition and remaining useful life of sister units installed in the system 7. Findings from routine inspections: Routine visual inspections frequently uncover issues such as corrosion / insulation degradation resulting from corona (localized ionization of air). An investigation into the incipient stages of formation gives valuable information into the effects of conductor or insulation design in relation to environmental factors such as humidity or chemical contamination In summary, an electrical failure investigation can be triggered by different factors but the underlying drive is to be able to determine the root cause of a failure, and where possible to implement corrective actions in order prevent future occurrences.

7. Findings from routine inspections:

Routine visual inspections frequently uncover issues such as corrosion / insulation degradation resulting from corona (localized ionization of air). An investigation into the incipient stages of formation gives valuable information into the effects of conductor or insulation design in relation to environmental factors such as humidity or chemical contamination

In summary, an electrical failure investigation can be triggered by different factors but the underlying drive is to be able to determine the root cause of a failure, and where possible to implement corrective actions in order prevent future occurrences.

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