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Wainfleet Floods. Sub-Station Pump Out.

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Why aren't sub-stations build a bit higher off the ground, especially if flooding is likely?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS4dlYPMPyk


Z.


  • 0
    Probably because flooding was not considered that likely when the substation was first built.

    Some substations are about 100 years old ! I doubt that any of the equipment is that old, but the same sites tend to be re-used for newer equipment.


    In my view flood risk needs greater consideration. Large high voltage grid substations can justify relatively elaborate defences such as being surrounded by flood resistant dams or walls and with reliable pumping plant to remove water that does get in.


    Small local DNO substations seldom have room for much in the way of defences but could usefully have equipment on plinths. Oil cooled transformers should be fine if partially immersed in water, the limiting factor is usually water reaching the transformer terminals or entering the 11Kv switchgear.

    The bottom phases of the LV fuse board being underwater is most undesirable, but the equipment often still functions thus.

    If water enters the outer sheaths of LV  P.I.L.C. cables via the ends at the substation fuse board, then failure is virtually inevitable, though not always straight away.
  • 0
    This report is an interesting account of flooding at a larger substation and the consequences thereof.
    Living without electricity report.
  • 0
    Round here a lot of the transformers are on poles, and the bigger ones on are on pairs of poles with 'H' bars - indeed a new housing estate has recently gone up that is all supplied this way, even though the last 100m or so of LV is underground to each house. The new bits of 11kV have a plastic sheath on the cables but are still on insulators in the normal way.

    Oddly it is the 1960s and 1970s housing that has pad mount transformers and underground HV, but the newer housing is now creeping onto the valley floor and what is very clearly floodplain, so I suspect that is affecting the local design choices.
  • 0
    Wainfleet makes me think of Bateman's beer. I hope that they have survived.
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    broadgage:

    This report is an interesting account of flooding at a larger substation and the consequences thereof.
    Living without electricity report.




    A very interesting report Broadgage,

                                                              I always have a few bottles of drinking water stored away at home, a few tins of long lnife food and some candles, plus a small camping gas stove.


    Also when out and about I carry two small pocket torches, a boiled sweet and a penknife, plus a length of string upon my person. You just never know. You just never know.


    Z.


     

  • 0
    I keep about a months worth of bottled water, plus an IBC of non-drinking water.

    Fire wood for one whole winter, an emergency reserve of coal.

    Non perishable foods.

    And large reserves of paraffin, candles and dry cells.


    I doubt that I will be flooded as I live on a hill, but the surrounding area is very vulnerable to flooding, with potential effects on utilities and supplies


    I always carry a torch, two if any doubt about conditions. No pocket knife or string or boiled sweets though.

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