EcoLink® Adaptive Protection Helps Utilities Mitigate Wildfire Risks During El Niño Conditions

South America is closely monitoring climate forecasts associated with the El Niño phenomenon, as electricity utilities across the region face heightened risks from extreme heat, prolonged dry conditions, and increased wildfire activity.

Countries including Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Peru are experiencing elevated fire danger conditions that threaten critical infrastructure, including electricity distribution networks serving rural communities, agricultural regions, and environmentally sensitive areas.

One of the most significant wildfire ignition risks associated with electricity networks is the presence of energised conductors on the ground. When a medium-voltage conductor remains energised following a fault, electrical arcing can start a bushfire within seconds, posing serious risks to people, livestock, property, and the surrounding environment. Utilities are increasingly seeking technologies that can reduce these risks while maintaining reliable network operation under challenging climatic conditions.

To help mitigate these risks, NOJA Power has developed an advanced adaptive protection feature within the EcoLink®. The technology dynamically adjusts overcurrent pickup sensitivity according to ambient temperature conditions. During periods of extreme heat and elevated fire danger, the system can automatically apply more sensitive protection settings to accelerate fault detection and fault clearing.

The EcoLink adaptive protection function automatically selects between alternative protection profiles based on ambient temperature conditions. Using a configurable temperature-dependent control scheme, the system can modify protection behaviour during sustained periods of elevated environmental risk and subsequently return to normal operating settings when conditions recover.

The figure illustrates the operating principle of the temperature-dependent reclosing control function. In this example, the adaptive protection profile is activated when ambient temperature remains above 40°C (104°F) for a predefined recognition period. The profile remains active until the temperature falls below 30°C (86°F) and remains below this threshold for the configured reset period, providing stable operation during fluctuating temperature conditions.

The adaptive capability enables utilities to align protection behaviour with actual environmental conditions without requiring manual intervention in the field.

“One of the advantages of the EcoLink platform is that utilities can introduce adaptive protection capabilities into existing distribution networks without extensive infrastructure upgrades.
In many applications, EcoLink can be deployed as a replacement for conventional cut-outs, allowing utilities to improve network protection, enhance public safety, and support wildfire mitigation strategies through a simple upgrade pathway.”

— Neil O'Sullivan, Group Managing Director, NOJA Power

As El Niño continues to place pressure on power systems and natural resources across South America, intelligent automation, environmental awareness, and adaptive protection technologies will play an increasingly important role in building more resilient and safer electricity networks.

For more information, please visit www.nojapower.com.au/product/ecolink.