WHITEPAPER: Itaipu GIS PDM system - The need, the choice, implementation & Successful cases prevented

This paper endorses the UHF method to monitor partial discharges (PD) in Gas Insulated Switchgear Systems (GIS). This paper highlights the experiences of Itaipu - the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant in terms of power generation – in detecting and eliminating PD’s considers a risk in its GIS system.  Before deciding to use the UHF method, Itaipu formed a research group to analyze available methods to decide which would best inform the presence of all possible kinds of PD in GIS.  The lead-time of material and also total cost of repairing a GIS is much higher then an AIS, not to mention that repairing GIS takes time and must be carefully inspected and reassembled. Having said that, Itaipu’s goal as described throughout this paper is to reduce the probability of failure through removal of the Partial Discharge source identified by the use of a PDM intelligent monitoring device, with alarms capabilities integrated. This paper is sharing cases of prevention provided by José Guilherme Rodrigues Filho, Electrical Engineer responsible in Itaipu for the GIS equipment, it also inform how Itaipu acted upon the information of the PD signal and how they proceeded to eliminated the dielectric partial breakdown