The Wireless Spark Prevention Unit (SPU) Indicator increases grid resilience and reduces the risk of wildfires.
Hitachi Energy is pioneering a new digital solution designed to improve grid resilience against wildfires. The new Wireless SPU Indicator helps utilities to keep important assets available by enabling remote monitoring and improved maintenance and replacement planning.
As climate change continues to cause temperatures to rise at a steady rate, longer periods of hot, dry weather play a significant role in intensifying the risk, frequency and severity of wildfires.
The increasing risk of wildfires brings a number of potential consequences including severe damage to electricity infrastructure. Investigations into the causes of wildfires have highlighted the same electrical infrastructure has been found among the top potential sources of the initial spark. In particular, thermally overloaded surge arresters installed on power lines in dry areas are an area of concern for utilities.
