BC Arcing Horns Replacement Project

This project consists of the replacement of insulators and installing arcing horns on various 500kv circuits throughout BC. This is an ongoing project in keeping with BC Hydro’s “Replace and Prevent” strategy.

Arcing horns are a low resistance path with a spark gap which has the ability to direct the surge arc away from the insulators. This will prevent the surges from a “flash over” across the insulators.

The Challenges

Rugged terrain rendered the use of a bucket truck useless for most of the project so Allteck developed a safe and very effective way to access the energized conductors using non-conducting ropes and winches. Having the ability to put a human being on the hot end or energized side of the work being performed greatly increases efficiency and allows the power to be uninterrupted and continue to flow to millions of customers.

Specialized Work Methods

Using special Barehand methods and procedures developed by Alltecks energized department, Alltecks specialized energized Barehand crews installed arcing horns on 1,924 structures and replaced insulators on 817 structures, that’s 56,300 individual insulators replaced.