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Overhead Distribution


Converting Power Lines to Smart Wires

Increasing the observability and control of the transmission network BY FRANK KREIKEBAUM, JERRY MELCHER, & JULIE COUILLARD, Smart Wire Grid, Inc. The North American power grid has evolved into a connected set of four major interconnections delivering low-cost and reliable energy. The U.S....

Conductors & Materials


Digital Twins for Substations: Bridging the Physical and Digital Worlds

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...

Vegetation Management


Scheduling Vegetation Maintenance Activities

How to adopt best practices to improve reliability and reduce costs BY PHILIP CHARLTON, Utility Arborist Association Electric utilities have always faced the challenge of determining the optimum frequency of maintenance operations for the control of trees and brush growing near the electric system....

Underground Distribution


Outage Management & Restoration


Fighting Wildfires to Increase Pole Protection

Evaluating pole selection for increased protection BY BUTCH BERNHARDT, North American Wood Pole Council The number of wildland fires reached record levels in many states in 2014, prompting questions about what poles perform more efficiently in fires: steel or wood. Research from a bulletin...

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...

Overhead T&D

Speed Up Damage Assessment, Assembly and Dispatch of Resources During Outage Events

In a survey conducted in September 2016 by ARCOS LLC (a provider of emergency resource management software), the software provider asked utilities how they manage damage assessment in the wake of major events like storms and earthquakes. Thirty-five percent of utilities polled said they relied on paper and pencil along with manually entering data in their outage management systems (OMS). Another 31 percent relied on electronic forms, but still entered data by hand into an OMS. Twelve percent made use of online damage assessment software, which was not integrated with an OMS. And another 12 percent had damage assessment software fully integrated with an OMS.

Overhead T&D Articles