The Value of Measuring Hydrogen: Why Early Detection Matters for Transformer Health

Power transformers are the backbone of our electrical grid, representing major capital investments that utilities expect to operate reliably for 30-60 years. Yet, across the industry, transformer failures continue to occur at a rate of about 1% annually. For utilities managing thousands of transformers, this creates an ongoing challenge: how to effectively monitor these critical assets without breaking maintenance budgets.

A utility industry veteran with over two decades of experience, including roles both at major utilities and as a provider of transformer monitoring systems, recently shared insights that challenge conventional wisdom about transformer monitoring. The findings reveal that many utilities may be missing early warning signs of transformer deterioration, particularly in cases where traditional annual oil sampling is the primary monitoring method.

The Critical Role of Hydrogen Detection

Utility managers and maintenance crews should know that when transformers experience internal issues that generate gases—a key indicator of potential problems—hydrogen gas is almost always present. Despite the fact hydrogen gas acts as an early indicator of transformer issues, many maintenance teams report they “don’t have a hydrogen problem” because their manual oil samples don’t show elevated hydrogen levels. As explained in the webinar, the common misconception stems from hydrogen’s highly volatile nature. By the time a manual sample is taken, hydrogen gas may have already escaped, leaving other gases as the only evidence of a past event.

This insight becomes particularly important when examining real-world cases. In one extremely relevant example, an 1100 MVA generator step-up transformer at a nuclear plant showed rapidly increasing hydrogen levels, rising from 30 ppm to 277 ppm in just two days. Thanks to continuous monitoring, the plant operators could take action before a catastrophic failure occurred. The subsequent inspection revealed a design flaw that could have led to a complete transformer failure. This detection occurred while the unit was still under warranty, as it was a relatively new unit.

Real World Success Stories: Early Detection in Action

Watch the full webinar for multiple cases where early hydrogen detection prevented major failures, including:

• A 500 MVA generator step-up transformer where a loosened nut was detected before causing permanent damage
• A 24 MVA transformer where winding deterioration was caught early, preventing an unexpected failure
• A solar farm transformer running with elevated hydrogen levels, where continuous monitoring helps operators track potential degradation

The Economics of Transformer Monitoring

The economic aspect makes these findings particularly relevant for utility asset managers. While multi-gas monitors provide comprehensive data, their cost of approximately $60,000 per unit installed at the time of the webinar presentation makes it impractical to deploy them across an entire transformer fleet. However, utilities can achieve broader coverage using strategic combinations of monitoring technologies, potentially covering six times as many transformers for the same budget. So, instead of having eyes on one transformer, you can spread your resources amongst a fleet and know the condition of multiple transformers at any given time.

Key Questions for Maintenance Teams

Developing an effective transformer monitoring strategy is a complex challenge for maintenance and procurement professionals. With transformer failures posing significant financial and operational risks, utilities must ensure their monitoring methods provide early warnings of potential issues. However, balancing comprehensive monitoring for critical assets with cost-effective coverage across a fleet requires careful planning. Beyond initial purchase costs, factors such as data management, maintenance, warranties and long-term support are crucial in selecting the right solution. This webinar explores key considerations for optimizing transformer monitoring and helping utilities prevent failures while making the most of their maintenance budgets.

• For maintenance and procurement professionals, this raises important questions about monitoring strategy:
• Are your current monitoring methods catching early warning signs?
• How do you balance comprehensive monitoring of critical assets with broad coverage of your entire fleet?
• What’s the true cost of ownership for different monitoring solutions, including maintenance and replacement?

For utility professionals responsible for transformer reliability, this presentation offers valuable insights into modern monitoring strategies that could help prevent unexpected failures while optimizing monitoring budgets.

Want to find answers to your questions? Learn more about how hydrogen monitoring could protect your transformer fleet? Watch the complete webinar for detailed insights into monitoring technologies, real-world case studies, and practical guidance on developing a comprehensive transformer monitoring strategy. You’ll discover how leading utilities use hydrogen monitoring to catch problems early, prevent failures and extend transformer life.