"The Energized Electrical Work Permit (EEWP) has been read and completed. Please be cautious due to the poor visibility at night. Everyone must focus on safety, especially to prevent falls and electric shocks..." At 1:05 a.m. on October 10, at the Wangu Substation in Anyang, Henan, the on-site supervisor, Sun Aifeng, emphasized these safety points during a pre-shift meeting. Following the meeting, State Grid Anyang Power Supply Company commenced its first-ever midnight autumn inspection of high-voltage equipment under the bright moonlight.

 

 

This maintenance work requires a complete power outage of a entire line, affecting five 10 kV power supply lines. Adjusting the operational mode of the power grid presents significant challenges and poses risks of equipment overload. To ensure that users experience “no awareness” of the power outage during the maintenance period, the company decided to implement this repair operation at midnight.

 

“The main difficulty of nighttime operations is the poor visibility, which can easily lead to staff fatigue. The pressure for safety management is much higher than during the day. Additionally, the old switchgear being serviced has a compact structure and limited operational space, making the removal and installation of equipment even more challenging,” Sun Aifeng explained.

 

In preparation, the company organized multiple site inspections and meticulously developed a construction plan and safety measures. On-site, they set up a multifunctional mobile lighting system as the main light source, along with a portable multifunctional spotlight for workers to carry as a supplementary light source, ensuring safe work conditions. By 7:20 a.m., the maintenance work was successfully completed, four and a half hours ahead of schedule.

 

Furthermore, due to local challenges in daytime renewable energy absorption and load capacity, the company plans to carry out maintenance work on the low and medium voltage sides of the main transformers at the Caiyuan Substation using the midnight approach on October 20.

 

“Amid growing demands for stable and reliable power supply driven by economic and social development and the daily needs of the people, State Grid Anyang’s successful midnight autumn inspection is a significant undertaking and a concrete practice in advancing the concept of quality service.Moving forward, we will continue to summarize our experiences, embrace innovation, and optimize our management methods and operational processes to enhance the quality of our power supply and service levels,” said Li Junhua, head of the Substation Maintenance Center of the company. (Reported by Luo Dan, Wang Yingying)