Knowledge Base

In March 2025, a devastating fire at the Hayes Substation in West London resulted in a massive power outage that disrupted operations at Heathrow Airport, grounding over 1,000 flights and causing significant inconvenience and economic damage. This incident not only brought travel to a standstill but clearly illustrated the critical need to proactively ensure the reliability […]

If we are talking about partial discharges, there are two different types of diagnostics from the proper diagnostic action point of view. If the object under diagnostics is out of order, we talk about off-line (or trial) diagnostics. If the object is in operational order, we talk about on-line (or functional) diagnostics. Due to the fact, that very often, there […]

In modern energy distribution, one of the most significant challenges is minimizing energy losses. This article explores the types of losses in electrical distribution systems, highlights the importance of monitoring partial discharges, and examines the role of measurement vehicles in traditional maintenance practices. What are the basic types of energy losses? Energy losses in distribution […]

Creating a comprehensive partial discharge diagnostic system is essential for monitoring and assessing the condition of electrical insulation in high-voltage equipment. This article explores how to develop such system, highlighting key concepts, components, and methodologies. Introduction The degradation of insulation state in high-voltage systems can be caused by various factors, including partial discharges (PD). Partial discharges are […]

The PD Doctor is an advanced Partial Discharge (PD) online monitoring system designed to maintain the integrity of electrical networks aboard marine vessels. Installed on the main distribution board bus bar, the PD Doctor continuously monitors partial discharge activity on each of the three phases of the vessel’s electrical system. This system helps identify potential […]

In the field of electrical equipment diagnostics, the ultimate goal is not only to detect existing issues but to accurately predict the future reliability and performance of the equipment. This is especially critical when monitoring partial discharges, which can indicate potential insulation failures in high-voltage systems. While both offline and online partial discharge monitoring methods […]

Dozens of PD Doctor installations across Europe have proven their high added user value and reliability for customers. They have detected degradation of existing lines, helped eliminate high interference on overhead lines, established the link between rainy weather and increasing partial discharge (PD) activity, for example, or helped save significant amounts of money by postponing […]

As society’s dependence on electricity increases, the issue of the quality of power supply and the elimination of unexpected outages comes to the fore. This is made possible primarily by diagnostics and its tools. The rapid development of diagnostics goes hand in hand with the increasing complexity of diagnostic systems and new technical possibilities in […]

Power Line Carrier (PLC) communication uses the low-voltage distribution network. It is completely irrelevant what standard or proprietary protocol is used. Meter reading systems use the same frequency band and distribution system, which always has similar characteristics and behavior. What influences the effectivity of PLC communication? Among the influences that affect data transmission from e-meters […]

We were tasked to provide continous online partial discharge monitoring system, to enhance the safety and reliability of a vital energy distribution point in Poland. Site inspection led us to deploy the PD Doctor system within a 15 kV transformer station, and subsequent to a successful installation, a period of stable discharge activity was observed. […]