Smart link coupled to power line

1. A method, comprising:

in a power delivery system that includes at least one insulator element deployed in series with a reactive circuit to electrically isolate a power line,

sensing a power line condition or parameter; and

in response, operating the reactive circuit deployed in series with the at least one insulator element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises sourcing, sinking, and/or dispatching real and/or reactive power on the power line.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises operating a plurality of reactive circuits deployed in series with a respective plurality of insulator elements for distributed sourcing, sinking, and/or dispatching real and/or reactive power on the power line.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises modifying a power line series impedance and/or shunt impedance.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises introducing a virtual reactance in the power line.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises modifying a power line phase angle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises modifying an occurrence of sub harmonic oscillations on the power line.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises limiting a current flow across the at least one insulator element.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein limiting a current flow across the at least one insulator element comprises diverting the current through a current limiter, a lightning arrester, a surge suppressor, and/or a grounding device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein limiting a current flow across the at least one insulator element comprises diverting the current through a selected combination of a resistive circuit and/or a reactive element to dissipate power.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein diverting a current through a resistive circuit comprises thermally coupling a resistive device, resistor and/or varistor to a heat sink to dissipate real power.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein thermally coupling the resistive device or varistor to a heat sink comprises thermally coupling the resistive device, resistor and/or varistor to the heat sink having materials that undergo a phase change to absorb heat.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein thermally coupling the resistive device, resistor and/or varistor to a heat sink comprises flowing currents on a plurality of paths that are thermally coupled with the materials that undergo a phase change to absorb heat.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein diverting a current through a reactive element comprises thermally coupling a reactive device to a heat sink to dissipate reactive power.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing a power line condition or parameter comprises sensing breakdown or an anticipated breakdown of the at least one insulator element.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing a power line condition or parameter comprises sensing a rising voltage across the at least one insulator element.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing a power line condition or parameter comprises predicting a voltage rise due to measured properties elsewhere on the power line.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing a power line condition or parameter comprises predicting an imminent lightning strike and/or atmospheric potential disturbance.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises indirectly coupling the reactive circuit to the power line.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises directly coupling the reactive circuit to the power line.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises introducing reactive compensation in the power line and/or an insulator path for single phase or multi-phase control.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises generating a voltage having a phase substantially orthogonal to a phase of the power line current and/or to generate voltages for compensating voltage drops in the power line.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises regulating an equivalent reactance of the power line and/or suppressing power oscillations in the power line.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises coupling an EMF-source and/or sink to the power line.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the reactive circuit comprises activating a circuit element that is configured to open circuit in response to an onset of a low-impedance failure mode.