Suizhou, Hubei: Live-Line Work Robots Deployed in Rural Areas to Ensure Reliable Summer Power Supply

State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company recently deployed a live-line work robot to install grounding rings on the 10 kV Lieli I return line in Lishan Town, Suixian County, Hubei Province. During the entire process, customer-side voltage remained stable, and electricity service was not affected, achieving non-outage operations with no perceptible impact on customers during the high-temperature period.

Live-line work robot completing the installation of grounding rings on site

Since the beginning of summer, Suixian County has experienced continuous high temperatures, leading to a surge in residential electricity demand. To ensure reliable power supply for businesses and residents during the summer peak demand period, State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company introduced live-line work robots to perform non-outage operations on the distribution network instead of manual work. On site, operators used a bucket truck to precisely position the robot at the work site. They remotely controlled the robot's dual arms from the ground to simulate manual actions, carrying out tasks such as installing grounding rings and performing live-line connection operations, thereby assisting in the efficient completion of complex maintenance tasks.

Compared with traditional manual live-line work, the robot significantly reduces safety risks for workers and substantially lowers physical exertion and health hazards for personnel operating in extreme heat. Meanwhile, relying on intelligent control technology, the robot can adapt to multiple operation scenarios. The overall operation time is about one-third shorter than that of manual work, significantly improving emergency repair efficiency.

During the summer peak demand period, the live-line work robot greatly enhanced the team's ability to carry out continuous operations, making fault response quicker and more precise. Currently, State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company strictly implements a 24-hour on-duty system. In the event of equipment failure, the non-outage distribution network operation team can arrive at the scene promptly and use the robot for rapid emergency repairs.

Statistics show that since the start of this summer peak demand period, State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company has utilized live-line work robots for over 20 non-outage operations, effectively ensuring safe production for local enterprises and reliable power supply for residents during the summer. (Photo/Text by Cui Yuyuan)