Geospatial Assessment Methodology to Estimate Power Line Restoration Access Vulnerabilities After a Hurricane in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Limited access to transmission lines after a major contingency event can inhibit restoration efforts. After Hurricane Maria, for example, flooding and landslides damaged roads and thus limited travel. Transmission lines are also often situated far from maintained roadways, further limiting the ability to access and repair them. Therefore, this paper proposes a methodology for assessing Puerto Rico's infrastructure (i.e., roads and transmission lines) to identify potentially hard to reach areas due to natural risks or distance to roads. The approach uses geographic information system (GIS) data to define vulnerable areas, that may experience excessive restoration times. The methodology also uses graph theory analysis to find transmission lines with high centrality (or importance). Comparison of these important transmission lines with the vulnerability results found that many reside near roads that are at risk for landslides or floods.

El Estudio de Resiliencia de la Red Electrica de Puerto Rico y Transiciones a Energia 100% Renovable (PR100): Informe Final

“…Puerto Rico es un archipiélago de islas en el mar Caribe, tres de las cuales están habitadas, con una superficie total de aproximadamente 9,104 km 2 y una población de poco más de 3 millones de personas. Incluye una red de carreteras de unos 14,400 km que circunnavega la isla principal y conecta el norte con el sur con carreteras que atraviesan terreno montañoso (Birk Jones, Bresloff, et al 2022). Muchas de las carreteras son utilizadas regularmente por 1.7 millones de conductores para desplazamientos, entretenimiento, mandados u otros fines.…”

Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transitions to 100% Renewable Energy Study (PR100): Final Report

“…Puerto Rico is an archipelago of islands in the Caribbean, three of which are inhabited, with a total land area of about 9,104 km 2 and a population of just over 3 million people. It includes a road network of about 14,400 km that circumnavigates the main island and connects the north with the south with roads that traverse mountainous terrain (Birk Jones, Bresloff, et al 2022).…”

Risk Reliability Assessment of Transmission Lines under Multiple Natural Disasters in Modern Power Systems

“…Reinoso et al proposed a risk-based maintenance methodology for transmission lines that uses machine learning and survival analysis to assess their condition and prioritize their replacement [18]. Jones et al presented a method for evaluating the accessibility and vulnerability of the transmission lines and roads in Puerto Rico using GIS data and graph theory [19]. Deng et al proposed a risk reliability assessment model to evaluate the impacts of heavy rainfall and geological disasters on transmission line outages using precipitation, tower deflection, a Monte Carlo simulation, and optimal load shedding [20].…”