Xuchang, Henan: Smart Switches "On Duty" to Enhance Power Supply Quality

On March 18, at the 10kV Yan 3 Kaiyuan Line live operation site in Yanling County, Xuchang City, Henan Province, four power workers dressed in insulated suits were precisely replacing new-generation smart integrated switches using two insulated bucket trucks—all while keeping the power supply uninterrupted. This marks a significant step in State Grid Henan Xuchang Power Supply Company’s efforts to advance power grid automation.

As a core power supply line in Yanling County, Xuchang City, the 10kV Yan 3 Kaiyuan Line supports over 60 distribution transformers along the main urban roads and provides electricity to more than 2,000 households in the surrounding areas. With the acceleration of regional economic development, traditional switchgear can no longer meet the demand for precise power grid control. Project Manager Zhang Dongyang explained: “The old switch models suffered from long fault location times and low isolation efficiency, which could delay repairs—especially in extreme weather conditions.”

The newly deployed smart integrated switch is equipped with four remote functions—remote measurement, remote signaling, remote control, and remote adjustment. It features built-in high-precision sensors that can real-time collect data such as line current, voltage, and temperature. By interacting with the distribution automation master system, the switch can locate faulty sections within 60 seconds, isolate faults, and restore power to unaffected areas, minimizing outage impact to the “last mile.”

For this upgrade, a live-line operation approach was adopted, ensuring zero power interruption for industrial, commercial, and residential users along the route. “We spent half a month preparing for this project,” said Zhang Zhifu, head of live-line operations. Within three hours of precision work, a team of eight technicians seamlessly completed the equipment upgrade, with users completely unaware of the process.

The smart switch is also equipped with an automatic dual-power switching function and supports “5G + fiber optic” dual-channel communication, ensuring stable master station communication even in harsh weather conditions. This significantly enhances grid reliability and power supply quality. By 2025, the company aims to upgrade 68 switches across 28 10kV lines in Yanling County, achieving 100% smart switch coverage in urban areas.(Jiao Yongsheng & Tian Haitao)