Forest fire or other dangerous situations: safety procedure for overhead lines

Group owns 99.7% of the National Transmission Grid (NTG), which is one of the most modern and technologically-advanced transmission grids in Europe. Terna is the largest independent electricity transmission network operator in Europe and one of the world's leading operators in terms of the number of kilometres of overhead line managed, with around 72,900 kilometres of high-voltage lines. These lines cover a quite extensive area and are therefore constantly subject to weather events. In some cases it is necessary to switch off the line to manage dangerous situations. In the last few years, extreme weather events have been getting more and more frequent due to climate change. Dry weather and high temperatures increase the wildfire risk close to high-voltage overhead lines. In this context, the procedures for manage the event involve actors (Terna, fire fighters …), several of them not electrical operators; the article describes the procedure, including in the Annex of the Italian Grid Code, and specific issues that have emerged from the operating experience, to coordinate all operators during dangerous situations. The procedure is the result of an agreement between Terna and the other operators, such as the Italian Civil Protection Agency.