Conductor Fundamentals

Overhead power line design criterion is complex and highly interrelated. In Australia, this criterion is outlined in AS/NZS 7000–2016 overhead line design and covers, reliability, security, construction & maintenance, strength coordination, design working life, durability, and quality assurance. Arising out of this criterion are three fundamental design elements that provide the basis for most overhead line design decisions and are the operating voltage, the thermal capacity, and the types of structures. 
 
Conductors represent about 40% of the total overhead line costs. This presentation will focus on three design aspects of conductors and discuss the design criterion of  
• the thermal capacity; 
• the ultimate and serviceability limit states; and 
• conductor permanent elongations. 

Speakers

Gary is Chartered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of Engineers Australia with a Masters Degree of Engineering (Honours) Mechanical, Bachelors Degree of Engineering (Honours) Electrical, and a Graduate Diploma in Management. 
 
Gary has over 25 years’ experience in transmission line planning, environmental assessment, optimization, design, construction, conditioned assessment & life prediction, maintenance & maintenance strategies & operation. This experience spans from 500 to 11 kV lines & incorporates lattice steel towers, concrete, steel & wood poles.   
 
Gary is a Director of Brennan Consultants Australia providing Transmission Line & Conductor Specialist Engineering consultant to the electrical industry. Gary recently retired as Endeavour Energy’s Transmission Manager & has previously worked at Transgrid, & Ausgrid and has over 45 years’ experience in the electrical supply industry commencing as an apprentice. 
 
Gary is a recognized industry expert in bare overhead conductors completing a Master’s Degree by thesis on “Methodology for the Assessment of the Serviceability of Aged Transmission Line Conductors.” Gary is a subject matter expert in conductor selection, degradation & serviceability life assessment. 
 
Gary is a past Convenor of the CIGRE, Australian Panel on Overhead Lines & a past Australian member of the CIGRE, International Study Committee B2 on Overhead Lines.  He has received a CIGRE Technical Committee Award & an Australian National Committee of CIGRE Award of Merit.  
 
Gary is a member of several Standards Australia technical committees including the Australian Standard on the Design of Overhead Power Lines,  Conductor & Insulator. 
 
He has had a long-standing commitment to continuing education and has published a number of articles on conductors and uprating power lines. Gary lectured at a post graduate level at the University of Wollongong. Since 2008, Gary has presented the course Australia and New Zealand wide, the seminar on “Fundamentals of Overhead Line Design” to over 600 participants.