ELECTRIC POWER

RESEARCH INSTITUTE

EPRI High-Voltage Transmission Laboratory

“The Lenox accelerated aging chamber is a unique

facility that has, and continues to, provide members
with crucial information needed to select and apply
composite insulators. Many of the results from the
chamber have been incorporated by vendors and
utilities to improve the reliability of today’s designs
and applications. The accelerated aging chamber
remains vital in our investigation to address many
unresolved issues and other composite products,
e.g., guy strain insulators.”
Donald Ruff, Bonnieville Power Authority

For more than three decades, the Electric Power Research Institute
(EPRI) has played a vital leadership role in the electric utility
industry by conducting experimental and technology application
research in high-voltage transmission.

EPRI’s Lenox 
Contributing a critical element to this research is a world-class
laboratory focuses  research and test laboratory operated by EPRI in Lenox, Massa-
chusetts. The unique facilities, located in a rural setting, features
on electrical 
outdoor test lines available in all four seasons. Originally built by
design, testing,  General Electric in the late 1950s, the lab’s capabilities were
expanded in 1974 with the addition of a three-phase balanced
and research for 
1500-kV ac source, and in 1977 with the installation of a 1500-
transmission lines  kV dc source and an ac-dc converter station. For nearly half a
century, the lab has been the site of landmark research in HVAC
and substations.
and HVDC, including evaluation of overhead line performance,
environmental effects of HVAC and HVDC, and contamination
and icing performance of insulators and bushings.

Capabilities and Services

• Line Design and Performance. Simulation of line voltage,
geometry, phase spacing. Hybrid transmission studies.
Compact line designs.
•  Insulator Performance. Simulation of insulator contamination
and contamination flashover testing.
• Insulator Aging. Accelerated aging of insulators and line
components, including analysis in variety of service environments.

(continued on back)
11194450

“I went to the High Voltage Transmission Line Design
and Operation Seminar specifically because of the
opportunity to perform hands-on work and experi-
ments with different diagnostic tools at the Lenox
facility’s full-scale laboratory. All of the topics
covered in the seminar are pertinent and timely for
electrical engineers working in the industry.”
Wade Eckler, New York Power Authority
• Lightning Performance. Simulation of lightning and switching
overvoltages and impulse surges.
• Corona. Investigation of corona phenomena, including
measurement of corona loss, audible noise, and radio and
television interference. Line compaction studies.
• Manhole Design and Performance. Simulation of manhole
events and testing of mitigation methods.
• Training. Video sagometer. TLWorkstation™. TFlash lightning
performance software. Live line maintenance.
• H.V. Inspections and Failure Analysis. Field inspection of
transmission line and substation components including: infrared,
corona, splice resistance, electric and magnetic fields. Leakage
current and watts loss monitoring. Root cause failure analysis
of arresters.
Drivers and Trends
The laboratory offers the capabilities to conduct projects tailored
to meet the specific needs of individual utilities, to provide appli-
cation support and training for EPRI-developed technologies, and
to perform basic research to address long-term challenges of the
utility industry.
Facilities
• HVAC Power Supplies. Full three-phase source in specific
voltage ranges up to 1500-kV rms phase-to-phase. 500-kV rms
continuously variable. 3000-kV rms single phase. High-current,
low-voltage transformers to 8000 A.
• HVDC Power Supplies. Two 1500-kV dc power supplies,
providing bipolar voltages up to ±1500 kV. 1500-kV dc
symmetrical cascade rectifier set, rated at 250 mA.
• AC-DC Converter. Operating in bipolar mode up to ±-750 kV,
or in monopolar mode up to ±1500 kV. Auxiliary ±375 kV
converter.
• Full-Scale Test Lines. For both ac and dc. Full-scale 340-m
main span line. Capable of being energized at voltages up to
±1500-kV rms phase-to-phase or ±1500-kV dc. For dc,
configurations include monopolar, bipolar horizontal pole
configuration, and bipolar vertical pole configuration.
• Insulator Testing Facilities. Fog chamber (24-m high, 24-m
diameter), available voltage to 866-kV ac, 1100-kV dc or
1200-kV impulse. Nonceramic insulator aging chamber,
for 230- and 500-kV assemblies, with mechanical loading
capabilities, temperature control, UV radiation, clean rain,
and salt spray.
• Corona Test Cage. Inner isolated framework, microphones,
and rain spray.
• Impulse Generator. Outdoor bipolar multistage Marx-circuit
impulse generator, rated at 5600 kV 280 kJ. Compensated
resistive-capacitive impulse voltage divider.
• Manhole Testing Facility. Two full-scale manholes, with
transformer vault and three service boxes interconnected with
an array of conduits.
• Arrester Testing Facility. Full-scale arrester characterizations
up to 765 kV.
For More Information
EPRI High-Voltage Laboratory
115 East New Lenox Road
Lenox, MA 01240
Telephone: 1.413.499.5701, Fax: 1.413.499.5718
Technical Contact: George Gela, ggela@epri.com,
413.499.5710
“As a new engineer into the field, the EPRI High
Voltage Seminar was extremely informative. It was
a great experience for me to see actual full-scale
experiments of such great magnitude being con-
ducted. The value of being able to see, work with,
and learn about full-scale equipment in the field can
not be matched. This facility is pretty spectacular
and something to see.
Amanda DiMaso, Central Hudson Gas & Electric

1014536 October 2006

Electric Power Research Institute

3420 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94304-1338 • PO Box 10412, Palo Alto, California 94303-0813 USA
800.313.3774 • 650.855.2121 • askepri@epri.com • www.epri.com

© 2006 Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Inc. All rights reserved. Electric Power Research Institute and EPRI are
registered service marks of the Electric Power Research Institute.

Printed on recycled paper in the United States of America

11194450