Lightning Risk Assessment for Overhead Power Lines Using Enhanced PSO and SVL

Introduction

Power transmission infrastructure is the critical foundation of modern electrical systems, which is indispensable in delivering electricity across vast distances to support our increasingly energy-dependent society. This infrastructure’s overhead power lines represent particularly vulnerable components concerning lightning-related incidents and their associated transient effects (Cai et al., 2023; Li et al., 2024; Stracqualursi et al., 2024). The reliable and continuous operation of these essential assets is inextricably linked to our capability to accurately assess, predict, and effectively mitigate risks posed by lightning strikes. This challenge has become increasingly significant as recent comprehensive studies revealed that lightning-related incidents account for approximately 65% of all transmission line faults in regions experiencing high lightning activity, leading to substantial economic impacts through direct damage, maintenance costs, and system downtime (Ge et al., 2023). Despite significant technological advances in lightning protection systems and continuous improvements in infrastructure design, lightning’s inherently dynamic and unpredictable nature continues to present formidable challenges for power system operators and asset managers (Abda et al., 2023; Cao et al., 2022). These challenges are further complicated by the increasing frequency and intensity of severe weather events, which amplify the risks to our power transmission networks and underscore the critical importance of developing more sophisticated protection strategies. Lightning-induced power outages significantly impact local economies through business disruptions, spoiled perishables, and reduced productivity. Small businesses struggle with extended outages, while healthcare facilities require costly backup systems. Community resilience programs and rapid restoration protocols help minimize these socioeconomic effects.

The complexity of lightning-induced transients in overhead power line systems represents a multi-faceted challenge that demands increasingly sophisticated approaches to monitoring and risk assessment (Huang et al., 2024). The traditional methodology of relying solely on basic voltage or current threshold measurements has demonstrated significant limitations, particularly its inability to accurately differentiate between various lightning-related events and their corresponding risk levels (Luo et al., 2023). The intricate nature of lightning interactions with power transmission infrastructure encompasses multiple physical domains, including complex electromagnetic coupling mechanisms, thermal stress patterns, and mechanical impact effects. This multi-physics characterization necessitates the development of comprehensive analytical frameworks capable of processing and interpreting diverse data streams in real-time while accounting for environmental conditions and operational parameters (Dawson & Knight, 2023; Litzbarski et al., 2024). The challenge becomes even more pronounced when considering the vast geographical distribution of modern transmission networks, where lightning strikes can occur at any point along hundreds or thousands of kilometers of power lines, requiring sophisticated detection systems that can not only identify threats but also coordinate rapid protective responses across widely dispersed assets. This geographical complexity, combined with the critical requirement for near-instantaneous response times, creates unique challenges in developing effective protection strategies.