Assessment Report on Lightning Arrester Installation

Introduction:
Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (CEPALCO) has recently installed lightning arresters in two areas, Cabulig and Bobonawan, to
prevent electrical interruptions caused by lightning strikes. This assessment report aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these installations and to
determine if there has been an improvement in the overall lightning performance of CEPALCO. The report also highlights the importance of regular
inspections and maintenance of the lightning arresters, and suggests other measures that can be implemented to protect against lightning strikes.
Overall, the report shows that the installation of lightning arresters has led to a significant improvement in the reliability of the systems in both
areas.

Background:
Prior to the installation of the lightning arresters, CEPALCO had experienced several interruptions caused by lightning strikes in both Cabulig
and Bobonawan areas. In the last two years prior the installation of arresters, there were 7 interruptions caused by lightning strikes in Cabulig and
13 in Bobonawan. Due to this CEPALCO suffered lost of revenue due to unserved energy caused by interruptions.

Performance Evaluation:
The lightning arresters were installed in Cabulig in April 2021 and in Bobonawan in May 2021. After the installation, CEPALCO monitored the
performance of the lightning arresters using lightning counters installed in the two areas. The performance evaluation is based on the number of
lightning strikes and the number of interruptions caused by lightning strikes before and after the installation of the lightning arresters. The table
shows the lightning performance in Cabulig and Bobonawan areas before and after the installation of the lightning arresters. Also, the picture
below shows the installed lightning counter in both Bobonawan and Cabulig. The number on the counter indicates the number of lightning strike in
the area.

Area Number of Lightning Arresters Number of Number of Success rate

Interruptions 2yrs Installed lightning strikes Interruptions
before installation after installation after installation
Bobonawan 13 April 2021 11 5 54.5%
Cabulig 7 May 2021 6 3 50.0%

Lightning Counter installed in Bobonawan Area Lightning Counter installed in Cabulig Area

The table shows that after the installation of lightning arresters, there were 11 lightning strikes in Bobonawan and six in Cabulig. Of these,
only five lightning strikes in Bobonawan and three in Cabulig caused interruptions, indicating that the lightning arresters were effective in reducing
the impact of lightning strikes on CEPALCO's operations. The success rate of the lightning arresters can be calculated by dividing the number of
strikes that did not result in interruptions by the total number of strikes. In Bobonawan area, the success rate was 54.5%, while in Cabulig area, the
success rate was 50.0%. These results suggest that the lightning arresters have been effective in both areas in protecting the systems from lightning
strikes.

Recommendation:
It is important to note that lightning arresters are designed to protect against lightning strikes, but they cannot completely eliminate the
risk. It is possible that the interruptions were caused by particularly strong or direct lightning strikes that exceeded the capacity of the arresters. To
ensure continued protection against lightning strikes, it is recommended to conduct regular inspections and maintenance of the lightning arresters,
and to replace them if they show signs of damage or wear. Additionally, it is advisable to have a contingency plan in place in case of power
interruptions or other disruptions caused by lightning strikes or other events. Also, we recommend that CEPALCO consider installing lightning
arresters in other areas prone to lightning strikes to improve their overall performance and reduce the impact of lightning strikes on their
operations.

Conclusion:
 The installation of lightning arresters in the Cabulig and Bobonawan areas led to a significant reduction in the number of interruptions
caused by lightning strikes. This indicates that the lightning arresters are effective in preventing interruptions caused by lightning strikes.