Province’s first integrated live-Line power distribution upgrade completed in Xuchang, C China's Henan

State Grid Xuchang Power Supply Company successfully replaced a distribution transformer without cutting power to customers—a first-of-its-kind accomplishment at Hezhaili Village of Shigu Town, Changge City, Central China's Henan Province, on November 12, 2025. Using an integrated live-line working method, supported by a mobile generator and a mobile crane, the team completed the replacement within six hours. A total of 75 distribution specialists from the provincial branch and nine municipal power companies observed the operation.

(Photo proviced to Guangming Online)

In recent years, the Xuchang company has adhered to the principle that “the best service is the one without an outage.” It has continuously improved its live-line work techniques and expanded the range of live-line applications, introducing new methods such as installing load-break switches under load, setting poles energized, and converting tangent poles to dead-end structures—all without interrupting power. These advances have significantly improved power supply reliability and customer satisfaction.

The transformer replacement was carried out in a PV-integrated grid section experiencing reverse power overload, which had affected transformer performance. To ensure operational safety and avoid a long outage, the Xuchang company mobilized a joint team of 23 workers across three specialized crews: live-line work, backup power supply, and crane operation. Power was maintained throughout the replacement via a mobile generator, ensuring no disruption for over 200 households, a dozen street-side shops, and two local factories.

To ensure worksite safety, the company strictly implemented the “Three Standardizations”—pre-job briefing, workflow, and supervision. An illustrated process board was used to track progress, with each step checked off only after verification, enabling full-process safety control.

Work began at 9 a.m. Live-line personnel connected the mobile generator to poles No. 9 and 12 on the 10 kV Huayuan Line. Crews then installed insulating covers following standardized procedures, disconnected the high- and low-voltage lines, and replaced the original 250 kVA transformer with a new 400 kVA unit. By 3 p.m., the generator was disconnected, and the upgrade was complete. The live-line operation helped avoid an estimated ¥100,000 in customer losses.

“Conventional transformer replacement would have required a full-line power outage, causing inconvenience to residents and financial losses to businesses,” said Cao Zhun, the site manager. “This integrated live-line method eliminates outage impacts, improves the customer experience, and provides strong technical support for power supply reliability and a better business environment.”(Jiao Yongsheng, Liu Nannan)