Replacement of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) equipment in the power system

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is a gas used as the insulator medium of high voltage equipment in substations due to its very high dielectric strength and recovery properties after an arcing fault. However, it has an extremely high Global Warming Potential, 23,500, that makes leakage from the equipment a serious environmental problem. As the current equipment reaches the end of its lifetime and more strict regulations are introduced in the EU, companies are looking into more sustainable alternatives to replace them.