Nanjing Electric conducts performance testing on products that have been in service on a 500-kV transmission line for 30 years.


Nanjing Electric (Group) Co., Ltd. recently conducted performance tests on two types of glass insulators—LXP‑160 and LXP‑210—after they had been in service on 500‑kV transmission lines for 30 years. This marked the first such test in the company’s history and a pioneering effort within the domestic industry. The test results demonstrated that, following 30 years of operation on 500‑kV lines, these glass insulators exhibit high mechanical strength, minimal dispersion, and performance levels consistent with their factory‑specified standards, with no observed degradation in their electromechanical properties.

The product inspection and testing team evaluated the performance test results and provided recommendations. The testing team concluded that the performance test values of the two glass products in this trial are comparable to the factory‑specified standard values and comply with the requirements of the national standard GB/T 1001.1‑2003, indicating that after 30 years of service, the two glass products maintain stable performance and operate safely and reliably. Furthermore, the tempering residual stresses generated during the heat‑treatment process of the insulator glass components are permanent; these stresses ensure that the products’ electromechanical properties do not degrade over long‑term operation on transmission lines, thereby endowing them with excellent resistance to aging.

Participants in the testing and verification process unanimously agreed that Nanjing Electric (Group) Co., Ltd. has conducted ongoing monitoring and experimental validation of the operational performance of tempered‑glass insulators, accumulating a wealth of valuable data and making significant contributions to the insulator industry. The China Electric Power Research Institute recommended that the company collaborate closely with power‑system operators to continuously strengthen the monitoring of tempered‑glass insulator performance and to carry out research on the products’ service life cycles. (Gu Honglian, Zhao Xinsheng)