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Case Study


Case Study: Rapid Changes in Bushing Health

IntroductionContinuous online monitoring of bushings provides real-time information which can result in the early detection of a possible failure. Challenge: A Major AlarmA prominent U.S. utility was looking for a way to improve system reliability for their 138kV assets. They researched and...

Underground Distribution


Solving Underground Cable Problems with Partial Discharge Testing

How to prevent failure with partial discharge testing BY HENNING OETJEN, Megger Partial discharge (PD) measurements are increasingly used as a reliable and non-destructive diagnostic method to detect weak spots in the insulation of underground cables. Routinely, partial discharge measurements are...

Wire and Cable


High-Capacity, Energy-Efficient ACCC® Conductor Case Study

This project won EEI Transmission Project of the Year – 2016 Description: 240 circuit miles, 345 kV line, double bundleProject: Replace 1,440 miles of ACSR conductor with ACCC   Objectives Improve reliability (reduced sag and corrosion) Increased capacity to serve growth (2X...

Infrastructure & Technologies


The Overlooked Benefits of High-Performance Powerline Conductors

Background:For over 100 years Transmission Engineers have relied on aluminum conductors strengthened by steel core wires, commonly referred to as ACSR conductors. These conductors offered reasonable performance and durability and were capable of operating at temperatures up to 93° C. Above this...

Overhead Distribution


Outage Management: Restore Power in Less Time

Improving power grid reliability is a major goal of the electric power industry and can reduce economic losses, lost productivity, and customer inconvenience from power disruptions. For several utilities, Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) funding accelerated the application of fault location,...

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....

Overhead T&D

Transmission Line Design

Taking 3-D drawing techniques to new technological heights

BY BOB ZAPPITELLI, & HAROLD HARKONEN, Nordmin Engineering

Historically, transmission line design and drafting has been an arduous task. It often involved an iterative manipulation of several parameters to achieve a final solution. The common output of this effort is a two-dimensional plan and profile drawing that links the various design stages involved. These drawings show the location and elevation of all natural- and human-made features that...

Overhead T&D Articles