In article
l.net,
says...

The longest outage we have had in nearly 20 years was after an ice
storm. That brought down quite a few sections of line and the recoil
snapped about 1/2 a dozen poles. Some of which supported an air
switch and line join/split. Took 'em 36 hours to plant the new poles,
insall air switch and re string. Overhead telephone lines (Dropwire
No.10) where encased in ice the best part of 2" in diameter,
stretched amazingly and recovered.


I recall a power cut because of a major fault on the grid
crossing the Bristol Channel during extreme weather conditions
many years ago.

The cables iced up with the ice forming mainly on the
underside of the cables. The increased wind resistance made it
easy for the wind to swing the cables sideways whereupon the
aerofoil shape created by the ice enabled the wind to lift the
cables.

I remember seeing film shot from the pylons at each end and
all of the cables thrashing wildly about and coming into
physical contact with each other.

--

Terry

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