The employment of this new gas presents a number of challenges to SPT. All persons who carry out installation, servicing, maintenance, repair or decommissioning of SF6 filled equipment in SPT are Certified Persons who are trained and competent on all activities associated with working on SF6 filled equipment in accordance with the European Commission Regulations. However, there is no current knowledge on the use of alternative gasses such as g3. The trial will allow the following skills in SPT to be developed:

i. Clarification of Certification requirements for personnel and how these will differ from training and Certification for handling SF6.

ii. An understanding of the physical, chemical and environmental characteristics of g3.

iii. Clarification on the relevant environmental issues associated with use of g3

iv. How the quality g3 will be checked during maintenance and other interventions.

v. The important properties that have to be measured. Use of analyser equipment.

vi. Types of impurities which may be present, and what impact will they have on the performance of the gas.

vii. Recovery of g3and purification of g3.

viii. Requirements for the re-use of g3

ix. Safety precautions for working on open compartments used for g3

x. What Personal Protective Equipment is required to handle new g3

xi. The stability of the g3 mixture over long term service

xii. Impact on design pressure of GIS enclosures

xiii. Compatibility issues with types of bursting disc, gaskets and filing valves

xiv. Impact on continuous gas monitoring systems

xv. How will gas leaks be detected and what instruments are compatible to allow this testing to be carried out

xvi. Types of gas analysers that can be used

xvii. Use and management of dedicated g3 filling equipment (“gas carts”)

Benefits

If successful this work package will allow the use of g3 filled equipment to be employed on the SPT transmission system. The implications on the use of this innovative gas on the equipment itself will be understood and staff training requirements will be identified. The necessary tools and equipment for handling g3 will be developed.