State Grid Fuyang ramps up autumn maintenance

State Grid Fuyang Power Supply Company is advancing standardized grid upgrades and autumn maintenance to strengthen reliability ahead of the winter peak.

On Oct 29, work began on the 10-kV Xinxu-06 line, with crews installing hardware and stringing conductors. Before work, supervisor Chang Jian reminded the team to check safety belts and climbing gaffs and to secure secondary safety ropes before pole work.

A staff member from State Grid Fuyang conducts repair and inspection operations at the site.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Xinxu line is a typical old, long, and heavily loaded suburban feeder. Its large supply radius, many connected transformers, and limited interconnection have caused high summer loads and long outages after faults. The retrofit is part of Fuyang's broader efforts to upgrade networks operating at 10 kV and below, covering 86.42 kilometers of power lines and 12 distribution transformers.

Once complete, the line will support interconnection and load transfer, allowing faults to be isolated and unaffected sections to be restored quickly.

To minimize disruptions to end users, State Grid Fuyang is using an erect-before-dismantling approach: new poles, hardware, and conductors are completed first, and old equipment is removed only after the load is transferred. Intelligent distribution terminals will also be installed, enabling automated fault detection, isolation, and transfer, giving the feeder self-healing capabilities.

Staff from State Grid Fuyang conduct repair and inspection operations at the site.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Safety remains a priority. Project manager Wang Peiliang said scattered work fronts and overlapping operations make it essential to put safety ahead of speed.

The company follows a closed-loop process of surveying, briefing, and operation, with managers assigned to specific sections and poles to confirm working conditions and safe clearances.

The Xinxu project is just one part of the company's autumn inspection and winter preparedness program. Teams are using drone inspections, manual patrols, and infrared thermography to inspect lines, substations, transformer districts, and weak equipment, focusing on overheating, tree obstruction, and insulation aging.

The company is also optimizing emergency crew deployment and material to meet winter electricity demand in high-load areas and villages expecting an influx of returning residents.

Next, State Grid Fuyang will focus on load transfer, old-line removal, and automation commissioning to ensure the project is put into operation on schedule. It will also hold drills involving multiple teams under low-temperature, rainy, and snowy conditions to ensure stable grid operations and a reliable power supply during the winter peak demand period.