Teleoperated Robots Deployed for Live-Line Maintenance at State Grid Shangqiao Power Supply Company

This article is reprinted from: Shangqiu Daily

Reporter Lu Chao

　　On November 3, the live-line operation robot of State Grid Shangqiu Power Supply Company performed operations at Pole No. 2 of the Nancheng West Branch and Pole No. 26 of the Nancheng East Branch of the 10 kV line (as shown in the image on the right, photographed by Zhao Chong). Relying on automated processes such as autonomous wire stripping, precise positioning, and bolt tightening, it successfully completed the fixing and installation of grounding rings. With the new model of “machines replacing people, intelligent operations,” it effectively avoided the risks of high-altitude live-line operations and protected the stable operation of the urban power grid.

　　In the past, during live maintenance of high-voltage lines in urban areas, power workers had to wear heavy insulating equipment to perform high-altitude operations, which involved high labor intensity and existing safety hazards. Nowadays, live-line operation robots are routinely deployed, and workers can operate remote control systems from the ground to command robotic arms to complete delicate operations such as line insulation shielding, defect removal, and equipment maintenance. Workers do not need to approach high-voltage live areas, and the safety factor is significantly improved. Li Xinshuo from the Live-line Operation Team of the Distribution Operation and Inspection Center of State Grid Shangqiu Power Supply Company introduced that during manual live maintenance, operations inside the bucket truck were affected by weather conditions such as high temperatures, making the difficulty high and the risks great. After the robots were deployed, the entire process was operated from the ground, the process was simplified, and the operation efficiency was also significantly improved.

　　Intelligent equipment has opened a new path for distribution network defect elimination. The method of non-power-off operation maximizes the protection of normal power usage for surrounding users and reduces the impact of maintenance on the production and daily life of the masses. It is understood that since State Grid Shangqiu Power Supply Company first used robots to carry out live installation of grounding rings in February of this year, it has successively expanded to operation projects such as live installation of bird scarers and fault indicators. Currently, 50 robot live-line operations have been completed, using intelligent equipment to reduce personnel safety risks and alleviate the labor intensity of frontline workers.

　　Wang Jingli, the on-site person in charge of the Live-line Operation Team of the Distribution Operation and Inspection Center of State Grid Shangqiu Power Supply Company, stated that they will continue to increase the promotion and application of intelligent live-line operation equipment, continuously enrich robot operation scenarios, and routinely promote smart maintenance of distribution networks without power outages. They will continue to optimize the operation and maintenance mode of urban power grids, compress the frequency of power outages, and shorten maintenance duration, providing intelligent and refined power services to ensure stable and reliable power usage for enterprises and residents throughout the city, empowering high-quality urban development.