Tod Point Substation is located close to the coast, adjacent to a steel works and within an area of considerable industrial activity. It is exposed to a high saline atmosphere together with iron ore dust fall out from the steelworks and other chemical pollutants from a nearby petro-chemical complex.

 

We started this project in April 2012 and it was the largest single rtv silicone HVIC application project in the UK since its introduction in 1988. The insulators had been previously greased and were heavily contaminated with iron ore dust and industrial pollution. A few of the insulators on site had been coated with rtv silicone many years ago and were to be given an overcoat but the majority had to be degreased, polished and coated for the first time.

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The project was completed in 2 halves and several visits which in total took approx. 66 days with an average of 8 men on site throughout the contract. We also popped up to Blyth substation to complete a grease removal and rtv silicone application in between phases.

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We removed approx. 7 tonnes of contaminated grease from Tod Point and applied 1400kgs of rtv siliocne which will provide maintenance-free protection for an expected minimum of 10 years. The silicone coating should never require removing and the potential overcoat application in the future is a much quicker and simpler procedure.