Analysis of Existing Methods for Leakage Current Measurement

Contamination accumulation on the insulator surface is the reason for overhead transmission lines (OHTL) accidents. The contamination accumulates and washes during operation depending on climatic and other factors. A leakage current (LC) is one of the parameters of the insulator state which correlate with contamination severity and can be measured and compared to decide on the replacement or cleaning of the insulator. The LC dramatically depends on external factors, and it differs in different stages of the flashover process. This paper highlights the methods of analysis for forecasting the LC as correlating factor with the insulator condition.