JINCHANG, China, July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — When the characters "No fluctuation in telemetry data, zero abnormal alarm signals" appeared on the background monitoring screen of the Longkou Substation control room, the tense atmosphere at the scene finally relaxed. Recently, Jinchang Power Grid completed an unprecedented "live-line operation" on a 10 kV line, achieving the first "zero-power-outage" replacement of protection devices. This silent technological revolution has set a new benchmark for intelligent distribution network transformation.
Traditional protection device replacement is like a heart surgery, requiring a two-day power outage, which would halt production in enterprises and daily life of residents along the line. The breakthrough of Jinchang Power Grid this time lies in two core innovations: "full-process imperceptibility" and "full-protection parallel operation". Zhao Jixian, the person in charge of the relevant work, defined it precisely: "This is a key leap from ‘power-outage transformation’ to ‘live-line operation’."
To achieve this leap, the Secondary Maintenance Team (Substation Secondary Team) of the Substation Operation and Inspection Center of State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company traveled to Qitai in Xinjiang and Ordos in Inner Mongolia to "learn from experience". They drew on local experience in non-power-outage protection transformation and combined it with local actual working conditions to develop the "sand table rehearsal + platform transfer" plan. They rehearsed key actions such as device configuration and channel switching during short power outage maintenance intervals, and conducted three rounds of sand table drills for risks of protection refusal and misoperation—each simulation added a layer of security for actual operations.
The team surveyed and formulated the plan, locking details such as "devices placed 0.5 meters away from old cabinets" and "cables avoiding fire-fighting passages". Facing the challenge of parallel compatibility between old and new devices, the team modified communication protocols and isolated control circuits to enable "seamless dialogue" between the two generations of equipment.
Before the transformation, a "1:1" operation simulation and 12 special briefings on risk points covered every link, and "measure one core and cover one core when removing wires" became an iron rule. Zhang Wenfei, deputy monitor of the Substation Operation Team (Substation Secondary Team) of Jinchang Power Supply Company, rechecked the wiring of the temporary protection platform one by one, and the "zero error" of 16 secondary circuits provided a "double insurance" for the operation.
Through this project, Jinchang Power Supply Company has also mastered cutting-edge skills such as "hot swapping" of protection devices and imperceptible channel switching, forming mature and promotable experience. As a key step towards a "high-reliability distribution network", the Longkou Substation transformation technology will be promoted to old lines across the city, and is expected to reduce power outages by more than 500 hours annually.
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