Introduction
In 2007, the National Electric Safety Code (NESC) standards committee adopted composite poles, crossarms, and braces into the code. This action was significant in mandating the composite electrical structures manufacturing industry to publish their design strength values to a 5% Lower Exclusion Limit (LEL). We published a white paper that creates transparency for the utility engineer, in that it describes the test methods, test setup, statistical calculations and relevant standards utilized to generate 5th...
Distribution companies are continually looking for ways to improve system reliability, all while conserving capital investments and operational costs. With an aging infrastructure, one of the main issues that utilities face is a way to assess the actual condition of their capital assets. With...
Based in Brighton, CO, United Power Inc. is the 2nd largest electric cooperative in Colorado. With over 5,000 miles of power lines and nearly 83,000 meters, they serve over 200,000 customers along the north central range of the Colorado Rockies. A section of the United Power service area also heads...
Energy Ottawa offers a state-of-the-art, non-destructive cable measurement system for the dependable assessment of medium voltage distribution cables. We have partnered with National Research Council Canada (NRC), the Government of Canada’s premier research and technology organization, to...
Reflections: Nearly twenty years ago when I got into the energy business, reliability was a second-tier design objective for most transmission engineers. Safety factors had already been established and the materials we used for structures and powerline wires (conductors) were well known. While...
A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...
In the rapidly evolving landscape of power grid management, digital twin technology is emerging as a game-changer for substations. By creating virtual replicas of physical assets, digital twins bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds, enabling enhanced operational efficiency and...
In a strategic move aimed at enhancing its power supply reliability, FirstEnergy is actively exploring alternatives to the PJM capacity market. This development reflects the company’s proactive approach to addressing challenges within the existing market structure and ensuring a more robust...
Sediver has established in the USA an assembly factory for glass insulators in 2017 but also, and perhaps more interesting for some engineers, a laboratory capable of performing all the tests required by the world’s standards. Large test campaigns have already been conducted in this...
Insulators under fire, what are we talking about? A line directly in the fire is considered as lost A line near the heat of a fire can be saved What is the condition of insulators on a line nearby a fire? Reliability of insulators during or after a fire is a key consideration for T&D...
Brief Background: In the early 1900’s Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR) conductor was developed to replace copper wires, due to the war effort when copper was needed for munitions. In the 1970’s growing demand for electricity inspired the development of higher capacity...
