paper is aimed at detecting the weak points in the
distribution system of MEEC, "Middle Egypt Electricity
Company". These include loose connections, polluted insulators
and micro-roughness on line conductors and insulator
hardware. The detection methodology is based on measuring
ultrasound emissions from these weak points to warn against
impending failures and subsequent supply interruptions.
Laboratory testing made it possible to discriminate between
loose-connection arcing, polluted-insulator "baby arcs" and
sharp-edge corona according to the sound pattern. However,
there can be occasions where sound pattern may prove
confusing in discrimination between baby arcs and looseconnection
arcing. In this case, recording of acoustic signals was
found to be a useful tool for such discrimination.