[email protected] Establishment of a new lightning location system in Croatia

At the end of 2008, a new lightning location system (LLS) was established as part of LINET lightning detection network, which was developed in Germany and nowadays counts over 100 sensors installed across Europe. Four sensors were installed in different parts of Croatia. Together with sensors in neighbour countries, a sensor baseline of ≈250 km has been achieved covering Croatian territory. First data analysis show satisfactory detection efficiency (DE) and location accuracy (LA) with a statistical error less than 300 m. However, conducted analyses showed that network performance improvement is possible by installing two additional sensors. Software for real time lightning tracking with alarm function, analysis of lightning history, statistical calculations, correlation with power lines and creation of lightning density maps is being developed. Additional functionalities are in plan by connecting lightning data with SCADA, which enables a complete time and space correlation between lightning strikes and faults on transmission lines. Application of this software could provide as an effective decision making tool in control, maintenance and development of power systems. Paper shows examples of software application in power systems. Lightning data analysis for a period of one year are conducted in order to achieve a more comprehensive statistics. Analysis will show: number and ratio of lightning detected in Croatia distributed by type and polarity in different time periods; lightning current amplitude distribution; mean and average values of current amplitude and locating error.