First, one side of the broken conductor is extended to ensure that both ends can be pushed through the specialist joint. A pulley arrangement is then connected to both sides of the joint using OHL accessories like preforms and snap shackles. Finally, the rope connected to each pulley system is pulled on by a person which gradually lifts the conductor back to its original place. Using extendable OHL tools all excess conductor is cut off and both pulley systems are taken down.

In order to ensure the successful implementation of the emergency joint:

• The relevant standards, procedures and risk assessments will be developed
• Bespoke training course and video will be developed to ensure the repairs can be done during a storm
• Repair process will be optimised throughout the trial
• The new repair method will be integrated into the existing storm response strategy

Using real time calculations through a thermal model verified by data science was not used before. This was mainly due to unavailability of sufficient tools and data to create thermal models based on data science/machine learning and verifying these models.

The main expected learnings will provide insight to:

• Difficulty of execution of new repair process during storm recovery
• Improvements to existing storm response strategy
• Potential improvements to the new repair method (less equipment / resource)
• Optimal location of the equipment kits and specialist teams to ensure adequate network coverage
• Measure of UK Power Networks` storm response performance when the new repair method is used:
• Customer Minutes Lost (CML)
• Company reputation
• Avoided cost whenever new method is used instead of deploying a generator