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Wire and Cable


The Evolution / Revolution of Overhead Conductors… and why it matters

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 Aluminum Conductor...

Distribution Protection


ArmorBuiltTM Wildfire Shield Proven Protection for Utility Poles

IntroductionIn November of 2018, the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California history burned a total of 240 square miles, destroyed 18,804 structures and resulted in 85 civilian fatalities. Known as the Camp Fire, it devastated several communities including the towns of Paradise and...

Infrastructure & Technologies


The Future of DC Transmission

An inside look at the rise of HVDC technologies BY DIETMAR RETZMANN & KARL UECKER, Siemens Energy The answer to the dreaded cry from towns and neighborhoods against building substations close by may be as simple as a four letter word (or acronym)—HVDC. Short for high-voltage direct...

Conductors & Materials


ASHER Cable Scrapper from TSE

The TSE Cable Scrapper is Al Asher and Sons’ latest product innovation for 2015. Formerly known as OK Champion, the industry has long recognized the Cable Scrapper as the go-to product for salvaging underground cable up to four-inch diameter. The machine will pull, cut, and load cable all day...

Underground Distribution


FERC Approves Interconnection for Talen Energy, Amazon Data Center

In a significant move that underscores the growing demand for reliable and sustainable energy to power the expanding digital infrastructure, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved an interconnection agreement between Talen Energy, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Exelon. This...

Pole Line Hardware


Utility Pole Showdown: Wood vs. Steel

A recent study that takes an in-depth look at the environmental performance of wood and steel utility poles challenges current perceptions on the sustainability advantages of wood poles when compared with steel poles. The detailed study, titled “Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Southern...

Overhead T&D

Intelligent Underground Distribution

Unearthing the potential in Smart Grid technologies

BY DOUG HOUSEMAN, IEEE Senior Member, EnerNex Corporation

After Hurricane Sandy, resiliency became a key factor in the modernization of the power grid. In looking at modernization and resiliency, underground was the first item on many lists. Undergrounding lines avoids many problems that people associate with outages. However, it has its own set of issues, not the least of which is cost—installing underground lines costs approximately three times...

Overhead T&D Articles