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Hurricane Helene: A Catalyst for Climate Change Dialogue in the Presidential Campaign

As Hurricane Helene churned through the Atlantic in September, its formidable presence served as a stark reminder of the intensifying effects of climate change. This hurricane, along with others in a tumultuous storm season, has thrust climate change back into the spotlight of the presidential campaign, prompting candidates to address a pressing issue that resonates deeply with voters.

The Impact of Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene formed as part of an active Atlantic hurricane season, characterized...

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Utility News

LUMA to Add 1 GW Renewables and 700 MW Storage

Puerto Rico's electric utility, LUMA Energy, recently revealed plans to integrate nearly 1 GW of renewable energy and over 700 MW of energy storage into the island’s power grid. This initiative is part of a broader effort to move away from fossil fuels and to enhance the resilience and...

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Electrical Substations

Vacuum Interrupter Testing for Circuit Breakers

How to predict field life using vacuum interrupters

BY FINLEY LEDBETTER, Group CBS

Utilities have widely replaced older air-magnetic and oil interrupters for circuit breakers rated at one kilovolt (kV) or higher with vacuum interrupters (VI) due to higher interrupt capability. Vacuum interrupters also last up to 10 times the expected lifetime than newer sulfur hexafluoride (SF-6) gas interrupters. Unfortunately, the downside to building a protective device with a long service life is that utility planners, technicians, and maintenance professionals believe it will last forever.

However, that misconception, plus the difficulty in field testing VIs, has placed a large portion of the U.S. industrial and utility distribution switchgear at risk of failure. Luckily, several traditional “pass/fail” testing methods and one new “predictive” field-testing method exist for verifying the isolation capability of VI-protected circuit breakers and motor controls. These three testing methods are covered in detail in this...

Electrical Substations Articles

Substation Technologies

Ethernet Cable Selection for Utilities

Electric utilities are constantly searching for the most efficient, reliable and cost-effective methods to deliver electricity to customers. A vision for accomplishing this is the migration of the electrical grid from a reliable, but inflexible system to the Smart Grid, which promises adaptability...

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT AND AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON EPC PROJECTS

Based just south of Denver in Castle Rock, Colorado, Great Southwestern Construction, Inc. (Great Southwestern) opened its doors as a small, family-owned business in 1977, specializing in power delivery projects throughout the desert Southwest and Rocky Mountain region. In the mid 1980’s, the...