Our Innovation Projects Portfolio

ANNEX 5.
3
Our innovation projects portfolio
March 2014
Annex 5.3: Our innovation project portfolio March 2014
Guidance for the reader
The purpose of this annex
This annex lists all the innovation projects that we have been operating since 2006. For a number of
these projects, we describe how we have implemented the learning and made changes to our
operations as a result of the learning in the projects.
Our target audience for this annex
This annex is primarily aimed at stakeholders with an interest in our innovation projects, and an
expertise in the research and development activities that the networks are likely to have to
undertake in the 2015-23 period.
While we have sought to limit the use of technical language, in order to provide full information for
interested stakeholders we have inevitably included some concepts and terminology that may not
be familiar to the general reader. This annex assumes a level of prior familiarity with the regulatory
context in which we undertake innovation and research projects.
Mapping this annex to the core narrative
The relevant sections in the core narrative that relate to this annex are:
 Section 5: Innovation strategy, and in particular section 5.9 in which we discuss the
innovation funding for the 2015-23 period.
 Section 1.4: Facilitating the low-carbon economy through a smarter powergrid.
Document history
This document is substantially the same as the version that we published in June 2013 as part of our
well-justified business plan. It has been updated to reflect minor corrections to spelling, grammar or
formatting or to relevant statistics or position updates.
* We have included at annex GL.1 a glossary that explains the key technical terms and abbreviations
used in our business plan.
* For more detail on how this plan differs from our June 2013 plan, please refer to annex G.12.
Northern Powergrid: Our business plan for 2015-23 Page 2 of 21

Contents
Guidance for the reader ........................................................................................................ 2

1 Our innovation track record .............................................................................................. 4
2 Implementing innovation .................................................................................................. 5
3 Case studies ....................................................................................................................... 7
4 Projects portfolio ............................................................................................................. 20

1 Our innovation track record

We have an extensive history of successful investment in innovative activities. Our approach has
always been one of spending customers’ money wisely, in pursuit of specific objectives, and ensuring
that we extract the full value out of the activities undertaken. We intend to continue to build our
innovation strategy for the next regulatory period on these principles.
Our spending on innovation has increased during the DPCR5 period as we have sought to use the
opportunity provided to us by the Low Carbon Networks (LCN) Fund, both tier one and tier two, to
prepare for the changes required by the low-carbon future. Our business plan builds on both this
and innovation investment made using the Innovation Funding Incentive (IFI) allowance.
Figure 1: Innovation investment

Our complete portfolio of activities, both completed and still in progress, from 2006-07 to date is
extensive and is shown in section 4 at the end of this document.
Full details of all of these projects can be found in our annual IFI report.
The total spending on the entire portfolio over this period has been £5.8m.
Through tier one of the LCN Fund we have invested an additional £3.1m on our 33kV
superconducting fault current limiting device. The original development work for this was supported
by IFI.
The total number of individual projects is larger than shown in section 4 of this document.
Programmes, such as Supergen Flexnet, or the Strategic Technology Programmes (STP), are
programmes which cover a large number of smaller projects. STP, for example, has conducted over
300 projects, in which we have participated during the same period.
The outputs of our innovation activities are used in a variety of different ways in improving our
business for the benefit of the customer. New operational processes, new planning and design tools,
new network devices and new knowledge to build on for the future are all potentially useful returns
on the investment made.

2 Implementing innovation
The table below sets out a brief description of some of the key innovations that we have
implemented. It demonstrates that we have delivered real value across a range of types of
innovation. This demonstrates that we are capable of delivering benefits for stakeholders, and that
we are properly set up to continue to meet the innovation challenge in 2015-23.
Project Innovation type Description

Asset health Business process Allowed pro-active, condition-based monitoring and network
indices risk-management. Many of these methods now form the
standard way of managing distribution assets and have since
become mandated by our regulator.
Network Sector-specific New equipment that releases network capacity to reduce or

capacity technology delays the need for more expensive investment – this includes
enhancement generation management schemes, voltage controlled
connections and real time thermal ratings. The learning that
has been delivered through these innovations is now factored
into our forecasts as part of our standard approach.
Network Sector-specific The use of remote control and monitoring and its integration
automation and technology into our control system allowed us to improve the reliability
monitoring and availability of the network. High voltage restoration times
have been considerably reduced.
Protective Sector-specific Providing better fire-proof protective clothing for our

clothing technology operational staff is a good example of taking a well
understood technology from a completely different industry,
in this case motor-sport, and successfully developing and
introducing it for our own needs to place ourselves in an
industry-leading safety position.
Call centre staff Technology Using voice-over-internet telephony to enabling any staff
flexibility member anywhere on our network to instantly become an
integral part of our call centre. This has drastically cut call
waiting times at busy periods.
Low carbon Commercial Changes in commercial arrangements for connections that get
generation our customers faster connections for their low carbon
connections generation.
Providing better Business process Exploitation of web-based technology to provide greatly

information to enhanced information to customers in respect of things like
power cuts, confirmation of supplier details at a given

Project Innovation type Description

customers property, ‘heat maps’.
Web-based Business process Introducing internet based systems to allow customers to

services & Technology book shrouding and order minor alteration works, with
further services soon to move online.
Hard technology Sector-specific Fault passage monitoring (improving network availability),

development technology reducing fault currents to improve network headroom
(facilitating faster, cheaper connections) and a replacement
system for the Woodhouse mast overhead line support
(reducing cost and minimising environmental impact).
Table 1: Key innovations that we have implemented

3 Case studies
Project Title Woodhouse mast replacement
Project aims & approach
The Woodhouse mast was a steel structure designed to support particularly long spans of up to
220m at 11, 33 and 66kV. These had been installed a considerable time ago and now needed
replacing. This legacy design no longer complied with the general specifications for new overhead
line structures. The long span, gave a very particular engineering footprint, and legal position with
respect to wayleaves, and meant that an equivalent design to act as a direct replacement for the
existing structures was needed. We also wanted to support heavier lines at 132kV. Alongside the
mast requirement the project also need to develop ancillary equipment to allow easy, safe climbing
and maintenance.
Outcome
The project delivered a new wood pole based specification for long span sections. This is capable of
replacing the legacy system, without significant impact on wayleaves, and it can also be used at
higher voltages and/or higher loads required. This provides an option not previously available.
The necessary installation and working equipment was also developed in parallel to provide a total
system for field use.
This new specification represents a considerable full life cycle cost saving, both over the previous
masts where used for replacement, and where substituting for other overhead assets at higher
voltages.
Impact
The new overhead line specification provides an alternative option to conventional specifications in
our capital replacement programme. It also provides an opportunity for increased network security
at lower cost and with lower visual impact.
Key partners Project value
PB Power £500,000
Table 2: Woodhouse mast replacement

Project Title Loss of mains suite

A programme of projects, championed, funded and led by Northern Powergrid, but incorporating
technical input from other DNOs via the ENA.
There was a lack of confidence in using rate of change of frequency (ROCOF) relays for loss of mains
protection for generation connections due to mal-operations. For this reason the standard
connection arrangement was to use a more expensive and complex inter-tripping scheme. We
needed to address this lack of confidence through a thorough technical assessment of the
implications of using ROCOF & Vector Shift (VS) protection relays.
This project was built on work carried out at Strathclyde University to understand the behaviour of
the ROCOF/VS relays under various simulated fault conditions for different generic types of
generator.
Outcome
The project delivered several key outputs:
The establishment of typical settings for the main generic types of generators and control systems
for each type of relay.
The development of a risk based assessment to determine which generator interface protection
option to use for a particular generator size and type.
The production of an ENA technical standard on testing procedures for loss of mains relays. This
provided a list of network configuration and fault types appropriate for relays and a benchmark
standard for manufacturers to pursue for future development.
Impact
This project outcome gave us the confidence and justification to change policy to specify ROCOF
protection for customer’s generation connections under a wide range of conditions. The conditions
of use were informed by the technical analysis of their limitations and the circumstances under
which they could, and could not, be used. We now routinely offer new generation customers faster
and cheaper connections through the specification use of loss of mains relays. The financial impact
of this policy change is a 75% reduction in protection costs when comparing these two technologies.
Strathclyde University £75,000
Table 3: Loss of mains suite

Project Title Condition based risk management

To serve our customers at the lowest possible costs requires a robust investment plan, based on a
sound understanding of our assets, their current and future condition, and an assessment of future
condition, performance and risk.
Our CBRM project has enabled the creation of an optimum replacement/refurbishment programme,
based on minimising cost and maintaining a defined level of performance.
Outcome
This has been a multi-phase activity, gathering and analysing the asset information, condition
assessments, and producing degradation models needed to predict the behaviour and risk
associated with each of our different network asset types. This has included overhead lines, cables,
switchgear and transformers.
Impact
We have used the information and models developed to produce a decision support tool that allows
us to predict health indices into the future allowing us to better manage investment, replacement,
network reliability and environmental impact.
Compared with the previous asset replacement assessment, based on age, we estimate that the
impact of the change to CBRM is at least around £10m per annum saving.
EA Technology £359,000
Table 4: Condition based risk management

Project Title Climate risk

In this cross-industry project the collaborating DNOs have considered how the frequency of weather-
related faults on the UK transmission and distribution electricity networks may change in the future
as a result of climate change.
Outcome
Insight has been gained by using climate projections, combined with the expert industry
understanding of the relevant thresholds, procedures and actions involved in managing the impact
of weather and climate on the electricity network.
The result was an assessment of projected future risk based on a variety of climate change scenarios.
This, in turn, has allowed us to develop climate adaptation strategies for the future to help mitigate
possible impact.
Impact
The impact of this work will be on-going. It has allowed us to examine the range of possible adverse
impacts on our network and act to reduce risk.
For example, the study highlighted the increasing likelihood of lightning storms as a result of rising
temperatures and humidity. This has been taken into consideration in Northern Powergrid’s design
policy, indicating the need for additional surge suppression. This has, in turn, informed our business
plan.
We were also able to demonstrate that the current specifications for some of our assets are
currently adequately capable in the event of temperatures, and solar heating, reaching the predicted
maximum.
Other DNOs Total project value £121,000
UK Meteorological Office Northern Powergrid £27,000
Table 5: Climate risk

Project Title Network risk

The original project aimed to create a methodology to quantify network risk and produce a network
risk modelling assessment tool. This has proved very useful and we have invested considerable
resource in ensuring that the project outcomes are embedded within our business.
The philosophy underpinning distribution networks design in the UK has evolved over a period of
many years. Little work had been undertaken to review whether these fundamental principles are
appropriate to produce the cost effective level of reliability that customers now require.
Outcome
The project allowed Northern Powergrid to quantify network risks associated with increased
utilisation, increased automation and asset replacement by the use of case studies.
Further work then investigated the combined effect of these changes, again by the use of case
studies. A large number of potential uses for the project output, in planning, design, connections and
options development were identified.
A further project, now almost complete, was designed to further develop the research outputs into
usable tools to support the on-going organisational and technical requirements of the business and
to ensure that the knowledge created in the project was permanently embedded in the normal
working of the business.
Impact
The applicability of this work has been very broad and impacted many parts of our planning process.
 Our generation connection policy on teed circuits was altered following the use of this
methodology producing a cost saving on these types of connections.
 A tool used for evaluating alternative EHV scheme design options is being used on general
reinforcement and new connection schemes.
 First pass risk analysis of EHV network completed to identify opportunities for low cost n-2
risk reduction.
 Methodology used to assess benefits of real time thermal ratings and energy storage devices
on the HV network.
Key partners Project Value

Durham University £300,000
Table 6: Network risk

Project Title Superconducting fault current limiter

Fault level is either a barrier to connections customers or an expense necessitated by the
replacement of assets to overcome fault level restrictions.
This project aimed to design, develop and trial three 11kV Superconducting Fault Current Limiting
(SFCL) devices on three UK networks. These devices are designed to suppress the flow of current
under fault conditions, protecting network assets, and permitting additional connections to be
made, beyond that which would be usual under more typical network operation. Two different
technology approaches were trialled; resistive and saturated core.
Outcome
As a solid-state device, the resistive SFCL was shown to operate on fault in a few milliseconds, after
which the device keeps circuit impedance high, suppressing the fault current, until the fault is
cleared by conventional means. The resistive SFCL’s operation was sufficiently fast to ensure that
the first peak of the fault current is limited. The subsequent limited current can be set to suit a
specific application.
The second type of device employs a pre-saturated core reactor design. A superconducting winding
carries a DC current that drives the core into saturation under normal operation. The AC current is
unimpeded under normal operation: however, in the event of a fault, the magnetic field opposes the
DC field with sufficient magnitude to drive the core out of saturation, thus effectively inserting an
inductance into the AC circuit, reducing the peak fault current to approximately 40% of its
uncontrolled value. Again the device reaction time is extremely fast.
The approach was sufficiently effective that this work was used as the basis of further development
for a device for 33kV.
Impact
The fault current limiting device permits connections where, otherwise, the fault current limit would
be breached. The device can provide a permanent increase of capacity. Alternatively the device can
be used to provide temporary capacity ahead of conventional reinforcement. This reduction in the
time to connect can be attractive to connecting customers. This solution will form part of our
standard offering when there is a cost effective and commercial off-shelf product available.
Key partners Project Value
Scottish Power Total project value £3,000,000
Electricity North West Northern Powergrid £1,200,000
Applied Superconductor Ltd.
Table 7: Superconducting fault current limiter

Project Title Remote indicating fault passage indicators

This project was the trial installation of remote indicating fault passage indicators to allow us to
identify fault locations on overhead lines at high voltage. These trials included the trialling of
alternative products, the assessment of communications reliability and the integration of these
products into our control systems, through the development of an interface between the
management software and the main network control software.
Outcome
We were able to fully prove the operation of a new type of fault passage indicator that could reliably
signal the presence of overhead line faults to a central control location via commercial GSM/GPRS
cellular communications. The interface between the receiving software and the main network
control system was developed, taking regard of human factors, to ensure key control personnel
were presented with all available fault information in a coherent way and immediately usable way.
The trial gave us sufficient confidence in the system we had develop for us to be able to take it
forward into normal operation.
Impact
The fault passage indicators have been rolled out across our high voltage network as standard and
there are now over 3,000 devices in use. These have contributed to the reduction in high voltage
restorations time we have experienced on our overhead line network.
Nortech Management Ltd. £186,000
Table 8: Remote indicating fault passage indicators

Project Title Long underground EHV cables

We received an increasing number of requests to connect windfarms, in areas which were a

considerable distance from our EHV network, and where overhead lines were not viable due to land
access and visual impact problems. Therefore we had a requirement to investigate the barriers to
this type of arrangement and propose a set of solutions that would allow the use of extra-long
underground cables at EHV as an alternative way of meeting our customers’ needs.
Outcome
The project was able to establish both the technical and economic feasibility of long EHV cable
connections. Many different aspects were investigated – operational switching, protection,
communications, fault location plus others were considered. Solutions to potential problems were
identified.
Impact
The project successfully identified the issues and generic solutions required to implement the long
underground cables. These have been translated into our design policy for generation connections
that need to be fed in this way and help to provide connections options for our customers that
otherwise would not be available.
SKM £18,000
Table 9: Long underground EHV cables

Project Title ACTIV – enhanced voltage control

This project investigated how active voltage control might increase the efficiency and reliability of
the network when facilitating the connection of distributed generation at 11kV and 33kV. This
included field trials of the ‘Fundamentals SuperTAPP n+’ automatic voltage control relay and the
development of associated modelling for network planners.
Outcome
This work improved our capability to enabling the connection of distributed generation using a
simple solution requiring minimal network modification.
Additionally benefits include an improvement in voltage profile of supply from generators with a
reduced risk of voltage being outside statutory limits potentially damaging equipment or injuring
personnel.
Impact
The learning from this project is now having wider deployment as part of our Customer Led Network
Revolution project to enhance voltage control on primary transformers which supply networks with
connected generation. This solution is now available for designers for use on new generation
connections.
EA Technology £75,000
Fundamentals
Table 10: ACTIV – enhanced voltage control

Project Title Oil degradation and power transformer end-of-

life assessment
This series of activities examined the degradation of insulating oil in power transformers and
distribution switchgear. The rate of oil degradation is an important factor in establishing
maintenance intervals and the triggering of asset refurbishment/replacement.
Ultimately the build-up of contaminants in the oil leads to accelerated corrosion in a power
transformer and arcing in distribution switchgear. The management is therefore important in
monitoring asset health and in maintaining asset reliability and network integrity.
Several investigations looking at the degradation of oil were undertaken through the Strategic
Technology Programme’s (STP) substation and plant module, managed on behalf of all distribution
network operators by EA Technology. We conducted an additional project of our own to critically
and comprehensively review all available studies, both from STP and elsewhere, to determine how
to convert this knowledge into better asset management and operation.
Outcome
A fuller understanding of the interaction of oil quality and various degradation modes was obtained,
which led to the following:
A change to our optimised maintenance intervals for plant and the introduction of a backstop
interval at which point an operational restriction on the plant is imposed.
Only a very small proportion of our transformers showed high levels of corrosive acid and moisture
in the oil and we were able to understand the rate at which the oil degraded and how this reflected
various underlying asset ageing processes.
Once degradation is advanced it is not necessary to change the oil. Reclamation (acidity treatment)
and/or reconditioning (moisture treatment) of the transformer insulating oil can be carried out
online with only brief outages for connection and disconnection, or in the case of cable connected
transformers, without an outage.
Online oil treatment has several advantages over an oil change, and if carried out with the
transformer live, can be achieved even more effectively with the additional benefit of reduced risk of
interruption.
Impact
This project has led to an increased confidence in our ability to optimise maintenance intervals and
improved safety performance through the use of an addition control measure.
Our thorough understanding of the complex oil and asset interaction has enabled us to develop a low
cost, low intervention management process for transformer oil as part of our refurbishment policy.
Other DNOs Project value £5,700
EA Technology STP, substations & plant £50,000
Table 11: Oil degradation and power transformer end-of-life assessment

Project Title Partial discharge research

Partial discharge is a minor electrical discharge, generally caused by discontinuities and flaws in the
epoxy-resin insulation in transformers, circuit breakers or other network components. If these
partial discharges are sustained over time a major failure of the insulation may occur resulting in
disruptive failure of the circuit breaker and potential damage to adjacent assets.
The initial minor discharge, if detected, can act as advanced warning that a problem is beginning to
develop and intervention to repair at this stage can avert a more catastrophic failure
Several activities have been undertaken to assist in early detection of partial discharge and the
creation of management procedures to prevent failure.
Activities in the Strategic Technology Programme, shared learning from the Partial Discharge Users
Group, as well as specific Northern Powergrid projects have come together in our current approach.
Outcome
Our activities, over a considerable period of time, have allowed us to introduce and then further improve
a management process for partial discharge.
We have field tested and introduced a hand held device, the Ultratev, capable of detecting the radio
noise produced by the electrical discharge. Use of this is now included in our inspection policy for
substations. We have also trailed a permanent monitoring system using similar technology that can be
installed on switchboards to provide continuous monitoring and remote indication of potential future
failures.
With this we have conducted partial discharge surveys to identify particular types of component that are
most prone to this failure mode and ranked them for their need for attention.
Our maintenance and repair processes have been influenced by this work. Detected discharge is not
necessary directly associated with a particular faulty component. Where an intervention is performed we
have learnt that partial discharge testing needs to be carried out both before and after any repair or
replacement to ensure the root cause of the problem has been eradicated.
Impact
Additional monitoring activity during routine inspections to assess asset condition.

Proactive risk control measure for suspect switchboards through the use of permanent installations
which has been rolled out across a handful of sites. In the past we would have reacted by erring on the
side of caution and replacing the switchboard.
The ability to detect and prioritise emerging problems has allowed us to proactively manage our assets to
avoid unscheduled interruptions.
Other DNOs Project value £5,700

EA Technology STP substations & plant £50,000
Partial Discharge User Group £7,000
Table 12: Partial discharge research

Project Title Protective coatings research

Many of our assets have long service lives exposed to the elements. We use a variety of paints and
protective coatings to protect the assets. The Protective Coatings Forum acts as an information and
best practice exchange point for the use and specification of these coatings.
The forum also looks forward at potential changes in technology or legislation that may require
changes in our ways of working and provides advanced warning of these.
Outcome
Our coating systems are quite complex, typically two-coat paint systems based on urethane alkyd or
modified vinyl resins. The coatings forum requested the creation of a manufacturers’ testing and
certification system for these which has virtually eliminated in-service batch failures.
Noting a need to meet changing environmental legislation requirements with regard to solvents has
led to the forum instigating work to create, test and approve new coating systems. These are
effective, contain much lower levels of volatile organic carbon based solvents, meet new legislation
and are kinder to the environment.
Impact
The present regulatory period has seen an increase in our tower line refurbishment programme and
this activity has impacted the specification and evaluation of the paint systems we used.
Other DNOs Protective coatings forum £7,000
EA Technology
Table 13: Protective coatings research

Project Title Supergen Flexnet research consortium

The Supergen Flexnet programme examined engineering and socio-economic factors shaping the
future form of transmission and distribution networks in Great Britain. Specific technologies, to
adapt networks to new use patterns, were also researched and developed.
The project was delivered by a large consortium of universities working closely with network
operators, both distribution and transmission. The project was divided into several different
workstreams and delivered over five years. Typical of university work, the majority of the outcomes
were at low technology readiness.
A substantial amount of funding for this project was provided by the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council.
Outcome
The Flexnet project addressed technical, economic, market design and public acceptance issues
associated with the delivery of clean, secure and reliable energy.
Planning topics such as the future energy mix, network size and shape, specific technologies, such as
smart, flexible controls and power electronics as well as economic and social factors, such as
customers and markets, were all considered. This has built a large-scale and quite holistic base of
knowledge that the industry will be able to use to inform its decision making and technology
development plans well into the future.
Impact
The programme’s insights and achievements, across the broad range of workstreams have been
influential. These can be clearly seen to be informing the current set of active and proposed low-
carbon network funded projects, including those Northern Powergrid is actively engaged in.
The large university consortium involved, and the scale of the project, have also provided an
academic base that will support the future research requirements of the industry. We continue to
draw on this resource.
The real impact of this project is likely to be felt over the next regulatory period, and beyond, as the
industry begins to integrate the learning generated into the innovative changes needed to meet the
challenges ahead.
Other DNOs and transmission operators Total project value £7,400,000
Consortium of 10 UK universities Northern Powergrid £85,000
Table 14: Supergen Flexnet research consortium

4 Projects portfolio
Our complete portfolio of activities, both completed and still in progress, is shown in Table 15 below.
Full details of all of these projects can be found in our annual IFI report.
Project NPV Project NPV

ACTIV - voltage control system £223,000 Met Office clim ate change m odelling £29,630
ASL Superconducting FCL 11kV £96,746 Low voltage Autom atic Voltage Control feasibility Study £884,780
Cable Core Tem perature Monitoring £145,622 Netw ork risk KTP £9,085,055
Cable Moisture Meter £60,576 Netw ork Risk Modelling £24,000
CBRM for sw itchgear and transform ers £1,015,778 OHL Rem ote FPI trial £288,466
Clim ate Change - im pact on netw ork resilience £19,630 Oil degradation study £91,668
Conditon based risk m anagem ent developm ent £50,000 Oil-filled cable leakage prevention £159,026
Dem and side m anagem ent and risk £736,932 Pole Leakage m itigation ---
Distribution load estim ate m ethodology £2,092 Radom etric Arc fault location £45,787
EATL Partial Discharge user group --- Reference Netw orks £47,002
EATL Protective Coating forum --- Rem ote indicting fault flow indictaors (RIFFI) £432,000
ENFG Sm art Grid study --- Stay rod testing £74,969
Engineers' forum - Cable --- Strategic Technology Program m e 1 (Overhead Netw ork) ---
Engineers' forum - OHL --- Strategic Technology Program m e 3 (Cable Netw orks) ---
Engineers' forum - plant --- Strategic Technology Program m e 4 (Substation & Plant) ---
Engineers' forum - protection --- Strategic Technology Program m e 5 (Distributed Energy) ---
Failure on dem and project £285,029 Substation environm ental m onitoring £45,179
Gendrive phase balancing device £15,618 Substation relay inform ation (Skerneside trial) £9,759
GROND contingency analysis £12,475 Supergen - Am peres (program m e) £41,038
Ground m ounted fault passage indicator £523,655 Supergen - Flexnet (program m e) £2,000,000
Health indices (EHV cable) £476,291 Tree Grow th Regulator study £1,000,000
Health indices (OHL and substations) £1,904,814 Ultrapole £802,753
Live Alert conductor contact alarm £227,017 UltraTev PD alarm trial £191,982
Long underground EHV cables £121,006 UV cam era inspection £488,215
Loss of m ains (stability to transients) £100,000 VTOL Unm anned Aerial Vehicle Inspection £128,729
Loss of m ains protection (generation interface) £109,000 Woodhouse m ast developm ent £329,743
Loss-of-m ains protection (reverse reactive pow er relays) £31,132
Loss-of-m ains protection (RoCoF relays) £22,830

Project NPV Project NPV

ACTIV - voltage control system £223,000 Met Office climate change modelling £29,630
ASL Superconducting FCL 11kV £96,746 Low voltage Automatic Voltage Control feasibility Study £884,780
CBRM for switchgear and transformers £1,015,778 Network risk KTP £9,085,055
Climate Change - impact on network resilience £19,630 Network Risk Modelling £24,000
Conditon based risk management development £50,000 OHL Remote FPI trial £288,466
Demand side management and risk £736,932 Oil degradation study £91,668
Distribution load estimate methodology £2,092 Oil-filled cable leakage prevention £159,026
EATL Partial Discharge user group --- Pole Leakage mitigation ---
EATL Protective Coating forum --- Radometric Arc fault location £45,787
ENFG Smart Grid study --- Reference Networks £47,002
Engineers' forum - Cable --- Remote indicting fault flow indictaors (RIFFI) £432,000
Engineers' forum - OHL --- Stay rod testing £74,969
Engineers' forum - plant --- Strategic Technology Programme 1 (Overhead Network) ---
Engineers' forum - protection --- Strategic Technology Programme 3 (Cable Networks) ---
Failure on demand project £285,029 Strategic Technology Programme 4 (Substation & Plant) ---
Gendrive phase balancing device £15,618 Strategic Technology Programme 5 (Distributed Energy) ---
GROND contingency analysis £12,475 Substation environmental monitoring £45,179
Ground mounted fault passage indicator £523,655 Substation relay information (Skerneside trial) £9,759
Health indices (EHV cable) £476,291 Supergen - Amperes (programme) £41,038
Health indices (OHL and substations) £1,904,814 Supergen - Flexnet (programme) £2,000,000
Live Alert conductor contact alarm £227,017 Tree Growth Regulator study £1,000,000
Long underground EHV cables £121,006 UltraTev PD alarm trial £191,982
Loss of mains (stability to transients) £100,000 UV camera inspection £488,215
Loss of mains protection (generation interface) £109,000 Woodhouse mast development £329,743
Loss-of-mains protection (reverse reactive power relays) £31,132
Loss-of-mains protection (RoCoF relays) £22,830
Table 15: Portfolio of projects – 2006 to date

Our Innovation Projects Portfolio

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ANNEX 5.

Guidance for the reader

The purpose of this annex

Our target audience for this annex

Mapping this annex to the core narrative

 Section 1.4: Facilitating the low-carbon economy through a smarter powergrid.

Northern Powergrid: Our business plan for 2015-23 Page 2 of 21

Guidance for the reader ........................................................................................................ 2

Northern Powergrid: Our business plan for 2015-23 Page 3 of 21

1 Our innovation track record

Figure 1: Innovation investment

Northern Powergrid: Our business plan for 2015-23 Page 4 of 21

Project Innovation type Description

Network Sector-specific New equipment that releases network capacity to reduce or

Protective Sector-specific Providing better fire-proof protective clothing for our

Providing better Business process Exploitation of web-based technology to provide greatly

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Project Innovation type Description

Web-based Business process Introducing internet based systems to allow customers to

Hard technology Sector-specific Fault passage monitoring (improving network availability),

Table 1: Key innovations that we have implemented

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Table 2: Woodhouse mast replacement

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Project Title Loss of mains suite

Strathclyde University £75,000

Table 3: Loss of mains suite

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Project Title Condition based risk management

Table 4: Condition based risk management

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Project Title Climate risk

Table 5: Climate risk

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Project Title Network risk

Key partners Project Value

Table 6: Network risk

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Project Title Superconducting fault current limiter

Table 7: Superconducting fault current limiter

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Project Title Remote indicating fault passage indicators

Nortech Management Ltd. £186,000

Table 8: Remote indicating fault passage indicators

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Project Title Long underground EHV cables

We received an increasing number of requests to connect windfarms, in areas which were a

Table 9: Long underground EHV cables

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Project Title ACTIV – enhanced voltage control

Table 10: ACTIV – enhanced voltage control

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Project Title Oil degradation and power transformer end-of-

Table 11: Oil degradation and power transformer end-of-life assessment

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Project Title Partial discharge research

Additional monitoring activity during routine inspections to assess asset condition.

Key partners Project value

Other DNOs Project value £5,700

Table 12: Partial discharge research

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Project Title Protective coatings research

Table 13: Protective coatings research

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