Overhead recloser ratings for strengthening the grid under extreme conditions

Electric system reliability is critical in today’s growing and increasingly challenging world of power distribution. Constant grid changes and adaptations require a novel approach to system components. Modern switchgear, observed through recloser design in this paper, which is designed to operate under heavy and unusual conditions, may be able to address some of these challenges and lower the stress on other system components. To do so, the recloser’s design must be scrutinized in order to achieve the maximum performance out of a given design. Opportunities are omnipresent throughout the development process, starting from early feasibility stages, leading up to validation testing and product launch. This paper will cover some of these opportunit ies with a goal of inducing further thought for such design optimizations.