Blackout In 14 Southern Thai Provinces Caused By Lightning At Transmission Tower: E G A T

[webfact]

EGAT: "Blackout in 14 southern provinces caused by lightning at transmission tower"

PHETCHABURI, 26 May 2013 (NNT) – The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has come out to assure the public that last week’s blackout that hit 14 southern provinces was caused by lightning accident at a transmission tower.

Deputy EGAT Governor Thana Putarungsi, on Sunday, led a group of news reporters to inspect the damages at a transmission tower in Phetchaburi Province, which was caused by lightning earlier this week.

Mr. Thana stated that the damages at the tower led to the widespread blackout in 14 southern provinces as they hampered the transmission of electricity from the central region to the South.

He added that EGAT will add more power cables to help with the electricity transmission in order to cope with rising power demand in the southern region, which is estimated to grow 6 percent per year.

In addition, EGAT is planning to proceed with the construction of new power plants, as stated in the country’s Power Development Plan 2010.

When asked about the cost of damage from the blackout, Mr. Thana said Deputy Permanent Secretary for Energy Kurujit Nakornthap will hold a meeting of the investigation committee on Monday to look into the issues while the Energy Regulatory Commission will meet with representatives from all 3 major power producers to lay down preventive measures and discuss the compensation for those affected by last week’s blackout.


-- NNT 2013-05-27

[MaxLee]

So now it's Mother Nature's fault... Hm, YEEEAHHH.....

But you know most blackouts happens almost every time on super heavy rains, everywhere accross the country. The century old power generators that haven't been maintained or enhanced for many centuries, aren't "super-heavy-rain-proof"

[LuckyLew]

If one lightning strile on a tower can cause such a large black out

it would appear there is a serious lack of back up system on the Thai grid.

But watching the way the wire things in Bangkok I am not surprised

[OzMick]

So now it's Mother Nature's fault... Hm, YEEEAHHH.....

But you know most blackouts happens almost every time on super heavy rains, everywhere accross the country. The century old power generators that haven't been maintained or enhanced for many centuries, aren't "super-heavy-rain-proof"

Generation and transmission are separate parts of the electricity supply industry, and generation is far the most reliable. Please do not attribute transmission failures to the wrong party.

BTW it is estimated that there are 100 lightning strikes PER SECOND planet wide, or more than a million during the period of the blackout. If a single strike is capable of causing such mayhem, one has to assume there is something seriously wrong with the system.

Edited May 27, 2013 by OzMick

[NongKhaiKid]

How many reasons / excuses are we up to now ?

[Bellweather]

How many reasons / excuses are we up to now ?

One thing for sure NKK the Thai authorities will never run out of excuses for anything.

[Mosha]

How many reasons / excuses are we up to now ?

One thing for sure NKK the Thai authorities will never run out of excuses for anything.

It's a hub

[chainarong]

Lightning conductor rods, are they in place or is the system like China's HSR system and has none, so every-time there's lightning, out go's the system, easy fixed.

[OzMick]

Lightning conductor rods, are they in place or is the system like China's HSR system and has none, so every-time there's lightning, out go's the system, easy fixed.

Not rods, cables strung above the transmission cables. The pylons are well earthed as well.

[webfact]

Govt agencies to provide measures to avoid blackouts, brownouts
By English News



BANGKOK, May 27 – Measures to prevent power blackouts and compensation to southerners from last Tuesday’s outage in 14 provinces in Thailand’s South will be discussed by concerned agencies today.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will hold a meeting with three state electricity generating organisations to discuss prevention of power blackouts and brownouts.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) yesterday led a press tour to Ban Tan sub-district, Ban Lad district of Petchaburi province, about 140 km southwest of Bangkok, to inspect the high-power transmission line which was struck by lightning on Tuesday evening, disrupting power supply to the southern region.

EGAT deputy governor Thana Putarungsi told reporters that the 230 kilovolt transmission line will be expanded to 500 kilovolts from Bang Sapan in Prachuab Khiri Kan to Hat Yai in Songkhla and from Khanom in Nakhon Si Thammarat to Phuket in parallel with development of power plants in the South.

Power consumption in Thailand’s South will possibly increase from the current 2,500 megawatts (MW) to 3,000 MWs in the next five years, compelling the EGAT to urgently expand its 800 MW Chana plant next year and its 900 MW Khanom plant in 2016.

The two other major power agencies are the Metropolitan Electricity of Thailand and Provincial Electricity of Thailand.

Kawin Thangsupanich, ERC secretary general, said the regulatory commission has set up an ad-hoc committee, headed by its board chairman Noppadol Mantachitr, to revise the line of command and decision-making to instantly cope with a blackout and prevent expanded damage.

The new guidelines should be finished in two weeks based on the existing measures already enforced in the three power generating organisations.

Another committee, headed by deputy permanent secretary for energy Kurujit Nakornthap, will meet separately today to assess damage from Tuesday’s power outage in the South. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-05-27

[Rimmer]

Lightning conductor rods, are they in place or is the system like China's HSR system and has none, so every-time there's lightning, out go's the system, easy fixed.

Not rods, cables strung above the transmission cables. The pylons are well earthed as well.

Yes they are called shield wires but the lightning has so many paths it does not always oblige by hitting only the shield wire and sometimes strikes the HT cables as well.

[retell]

hey compensation that's interesting a few months ago had no power for about 8 hours , resulted in 500 cups of freshly made icecreams down the drain

this was in north east Thailand

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

So almost a week after the fact, finally EGAT publicly says what one of the government bigwigs said shortly after the incident -- lightning... They sure took their sweet time in coughing up a public explanation.

Whether the explanation is true or not, the fact that the disabling of a single power line (or a single lightning strike in one location) could cut power to an entire region of the country says a lot about the state of infrastructure things here.

[drdoom6996]

That's their story and they are sticking to it!

[ResX]

Lightning conductor rods, are they in place or is the system like China's HSR system and has none, so every-time there's lightning, out go's the system, easy fixed.

Not rods, cables strung above the transmission cables. The pylons are well earthed as well.

Yes they are called shield wires but the lightning has so many paths it does not always oblige by hitting only the shield wire and sometimes strikes the HT cables as well.

The shield means to prevent direct hit on the line. Induced voltage from lighting that might fail line due to over voltage protection operates.

[ResX]

So almost a week after the fact, finally EGAT publicly says what one of the government bigwigs said shortly after the incident -- lightning... They sure took their sweet time in coughing up a public explanation.

Whether the explanation is true or not, the fact that the disabling of a single power line (or a single lightning strike in one location) could cut power to an entire region of the country says a lot about the state of infrastructure things here.

More than one problem that for sure....

[worgeordie]

Its just got to look like rain and the electric goes off in our Moobahn, when it rains heavy

you can hear the transformers exploding up at the market, most likely more Chinese made

crap,which they will have paid over the top for.

Not looking forward to the rainy season starting,because my Internet goes down too,the

electric still working, TOT must have problem with the wires, They go on about the Modem,

try to explain only goes down when it rains,so must be problem outside.

regards Worgeordie

[retell]

Its just got to look like rain and the electric goes off in our Moobahn, when it rains heavy

you can hear the transformers exploding up at the market, most likely more Chinese made

crap,which they will have paid over the top for.

Not looking forward to the rainy season starting,because my Internet goes down too,the

electric still working, TOT must have problem with the wires, They go on about the Modem,

try to explain only goes down when it rains,so must be problem outside.

regards Worgeordie

seems up here they finally figured out how to install a go no go on the TOT equipment and yes every time i have to call them if the internet (WINET) is not working i have to explain again and again that i do not use a modem , just an

ad-hoc network

power up here is also terrible too many houses on the same main line so i am lucky to get detween 170 and 220 volts , and if anyone on that mains decides to do some electric welding it looks like las vegas so many flashing lights

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Its just got to look like rain and the electric goes off in our Moobahn, when it rains heavy

you can hear the transformers exploding up at the market, most likely more Chinese made

crap,which they will have paid over the top for.

Not looking forward to the rainy season starting,because my Internet goes down too,the

electric still working, TOT must have problem with the wires, They go on about the Modem,

try to explain only goes down when it rains,so must be problem outside.

regards Worgeordie

Have the exact same thing in my central BKK neighborhood. Every time it rains hard, there's an explosion like sound nearby and the power goes out.

Maybe one of the electrical types here can explain: what are the Thais doing with their electrical transformers that seem to leave them so vulnerable to rain?

[OzMick]

Its just got to look like rain and the electric goes off in our Moobahn, when it rains heavy

you can hear the transformers exploding up at the market, most likely more Chinese made

crap,which they will have paid over the top for.

Not looking forward to the rainy season starting,because my Internet goes down too,the

electric still working, TOT must have problem with the wires, They go on about the Modem,

try to explain only goes down when it rains,so must be problem outside.

regards Worgeordie

Have the exact same thing in my central BKK neighborhood. Every time it rains hard, there's an explosion like sound nearby and the power goes out.

Maybe one of the electrical types here can explain: what are the Thais doing with their electrical transformers that seem to leave them so vulnerable to rain?

Ummm........again, not my field, but I think that might be drop-out protection fuses for the Tx. It is quite common to see some houses blacked out while others have power due to one or 2 phases out, which indicates fuse failure rather the Tx being shot.

[Dap]

That's their story and they are sticking to it!

At least for the time being

[tomross46]

How many reasons / excuses are we up to now ?

Bush did it.

[tomross46]

If it was lightening that caused the blackout, than there should be an investigation of the contractor that built the facilities to determine why the lightening arrest system failed. All transformer facilities are protected from lightening. Or this could have been caused by 6P Prior Planning Prevents Pi_s Poor Performance.

[Mudcrab]

So now it's Mother Nature's fault... Hm, YEEEAHHH.....

But you know most blackouts happens almost every time on super heavy rains, everywhere accross the country. The century old power generators that haven't been maintained or enhanced for many centuries, aren't "super-heavy-rain-proof"

So now it's Mother Nature's fault... Hm, YEEEAHHH.....

But you know most blackouts happens almost every time on super heavy rains, everywhere accross the country. The century old power generators that haven't been maintained or enhanced for many centuries, aren't "super-heavy-rain-proof"

This would have to be most ridiculous post yet. Century old generators not maintained for centuries? Hardly surprising. Google electricity generation and see how long it has been around on a commercial scale. In most places barely a hundred years in terms of large scale distribution networks. In other places a lot less.

As to what can cause these blackouts......North Queensland Australia (I guess somewhere approaching the same land mass as Thailand) was taken out by a bird (an eagle to be precise) a few years ago. Two HV transmission lines...one transmission line out of service for maintenance and a fault detected on the second...protection activates and instant go black. Lack of local power generation in North Queensland is a factor in this as it is in South Thailand apparently.

Edited May 27, 2013 by Mudcrab

[Mudcrab]

Its just got to look like rain and the electric goes off in our Moobahn, when it rains heavy

you can hear the transformers exploding up at the market, most likely more Chinese made

crap,which they will have paid over the top for.

Not looking forward to the rainy season starting,because my Internet goes down too,the

electric still working, TOT must have problem with the wires, They go on about the Modem,

try to explain only goes down when it rains,so must be problem outside.

regards Worgeordie

Have the exact same thing in my central BKK neighborhood. Every time it rains hard, there's an explosion like sound nearby and the power goes out.

Maybe one of the electrical types here can explain: what are the Thais doing with their electrical transformers that seem to leave them so vulnerable to rain?

Its not uncommon for this to occur in monsoonal environments. Happens in northern Australia too - not usually transformers blowing up though.

The more typical fault is caused by a build up of dust/dirt etc during the Dry season on the power line insulators (I'm talking the lower voltages used for distribution around town, not the very high voltages used on transmission lines). When the rain starts the electricity can track across the insulator,developing a high amount of heat rapidly and it can literally explode.

Where wooden poles are used it can also cause a pole fire.

Next time you are out and about in the build up to the Wet season keep your eyes and ears open...you can often hear a humming sound coming from the power line as the moisture in the air starts the current leakage process, sometimes you can even see a glow at night around the insulators. They don't all explode, but you don't want to be near then if they do. Exploding ceramic shrapnel can make a real mess.

Edited May 27, 2013 by Mudcrab

[SOTIRIOS]

......here in Rak Si the power has been going out once a night for about 1 week...I know because I wake up with the old air con unit and my laptop with no battery....off...(....any use in complaining in this country.....)

[OzMick]

Its just got to look like rain and the electric goes off in our Moobahn, when it rains heavy

you can hear the transformers exploding up at the market, most likely more Chinese made

crap,which they will have paid over the top for.

Not looking forward to the rainy season starting,because my Internet goes down too,the

electric still working, TOT must have problem with the wires, They go on about the Modem,

try to explain only goes down when it rains,so must be problem outside.

regards Worgeordie

Have the exact same thing in my central BKK neighborhood. Every time it rains hard, there's an explosion like sound nearby and the power goes out.

Maybe one of the electrical types here can explain: what are the Thais doing with their electrical transformers that seem to leave them so vulnerable to rain?

Its not uncommon for this to occur in monsoonal environments. Happens in northern Australia too - not usually transformers blowing up though.

The more typical fault is caused by a build up of dust/dirt etc during the Dry season on the power line insulators (I'm talking the lower voltages used for distribution around town, not the very high voltages used on transmission lines). When the rain starts the electricity can track across the insulator,developing a high amount of heat rapidly and it can literally explode.

Where wooden poles are used it can also cause a pole fire.

Next time you are out and about in the build up to the Wet season keep your eyes and ears open...you can often hear a humming sound coming from the power line as the moisture in the air starts the current leakage process, sometimes you can even see a glow at night around the insulators. They don't all explode, but you don't want to be near then if they do. Exploding ceramic shrapnel can make a real mess.

Dry dust is not conductive, but add a little moisture (not enough to wash it off) from fog/mist/light rain and you will get tracking across insulators. Lightning strikes associated with heavy rain more likely to blow fuses which "drop out" or hang down from Tx to be easily identified and repaired.

Strangely, the biggest danger to HV cables is light breezes - at just the right speed they cause them to "flutter", vibrate, work harden and break. The little cylindrical things hanging from cables a metre or so from each pylon are anti-flutter dampers.

[retell]

Its just got to look like rain and the electric goes off in our Moobahn, when it rains heavy

you can hear the transformers exploding up at the market, most likely more Chinese made

crap,which they will have paid over the top for.

Not looking forward to the rainy season starting,because my Internet goes down too,the

electric still working, TOT must have problem with the wires, They go on about the Modem,

try to explain only goes down when it rains,so must be problem outside.

regards Worgeordie

Have the exact same thing in my central BKK neighborhood. Every time it rains hard, there's an explosion like sound nearby and the power goes out.

Maybe one of the electrical types here can explain: what are the Thais doing with their electrical transformers that seem to leave them so vulnerable to rain?

Its not uncommon for this to occur in monsoonal environments. Happens in northern Australia too - not usually transformers blowing up though.

The more typical fault is caused by a build up of dust/dirt etc during the Dry season on the power line insulators (I'm talking the lower voltages used for distribution around town, not the very high voltages used on transmission lines). When the rain starts the electricity can track across the insulator,developing a high amount of heat rapidly and it can literally explode.

Where wooden poles are used it can also cause a pole fire.

Next time you are out and about in the build up to the Wet season keep your eyes and ears open...you can often hear a humming sound coming from the power line as the moisture in the air starts the current leakage process, sometimes you can even see a glow at night around the insulators. They don't all explode, but you don't want to be near then if they do. Exploding ceramic shrapnel can make a real mess.

Dry dust is not conductive, but add a little moisture (not enough to wash it off) from fog/mist/light rain and you will get tracking across insulators. Lightning strikes associated with heavy rain more likely to blow fuses which "drop out" or hang down from Tx to be easily identified and repaired.

Strangely, the biggest danger to HV cables is light breezes - at just the right speed they cause them to "flutter", vibrate, work harden and break. The little cylindrical things hanging from cables a metre or so from each pylon are anti-flutter dampers.

always wondered what those were , but it's like you damp a guitar string with a finger , although those cables are hanging "loosly" inbetween the posts i know there is alot of tension going round

[noitom]

Lightning is a fact of life. Thailand refuses to step up and accept responsibility or accountability for power grid infrastructure breakdown.