Assessment of the Lightning Performance of Overhead Distribution Lines Based on Lightning Location Systems Data

This article presents the Lightning Performance (LP) assessment of a realistic portion of the Italian distribution network with the use of lightning parameters probability distributions inferred from local data recorded by a Lightning Location System (LLS). The procedure involves the complete flash mechanism, i.e., it considers downward negative first and subsequent return strokes and downward positive return strokes, taking into account the number of strokes per flash (flash multiplicity) and the distance among the impact points of the return strokes within the same flash (stroke terminations distance). The analysis of the effect produced using LLS data on the estimated number of flashovers per year experienced by the test line is achieved by replacing one by one the standard distributions and parameters, typically adopted in the literature, with those inferred from the LLS, when they can be considered reliable. The results show that the adoption of LLS-inferred parameters and distributions produces significant (positive or negative) variations in the estimated number of flashovers with respect to values computed with the standard approach