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November/December 2014 Volume 27, No. 8
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SMART METERING
UNDERGROUND
T&D
@ www.electricity-today.com
OVERHEAD
T&D
POWER
TRANSFORMERS
LINEMAN
SAFETY
OUTAGE
MANAGEMENT
TOOLBOX
Nine capabilities
required for an
effective OMS system
Page 24
2014 T&D
YEAR IN REVIEW
Wandering from a traditional
to a modern, smarter grid
Page 38
THE TG165 SHOWS WHATS HOT

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Images/content are for illustration purposes only.
CONNECTING
WITH COPPER
IS CONNECTING WITH
TRUST
There has never been a question of reliability when it comes
to copper-to-copper connectors in electrical applications.
The real question is how reliable are other combinations of
electrical connectors compared to all copper connectors.
Powertech Labs were commissioned to perform an in-depth
study on aluminum-to-aluminum, aluminum-to-copper, and
copper-to-copper connectors. The photos shown here are
documented comparisons of these three combinations
before and after 2000 hours of intensive testing, which
included current burst testing. The copper-to-copper
connectors had the least corrosive build-up and
retained the highest electrical conductivity.
The study and its results are outlined in
our publication Connecting with Copper
is Connecting with Trust. Please contact
us for your copy and information on
electrical wire and cable seminars.
Copper to
Copper
Before
Testing
2000
Hours of
Testing
Aluminum to
Copper
Before
Testing
2000
Hours of
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Aluminum to
Aluminum
Before
Testing
Toll Free: 1-877-640-0946

Fax: 416-391-3823
E-mail: library@copperalliance.ca
Web site: www.copperalliance.ca
2000
Hours of
Testing
The K-Clamp The Easier, Safer, More Dependable Silicone Line Post
50 Passmore Avenue Toronto Ontario M1V 4T1

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P: (416) 292-2008 F: (416) 292-2094 Email: insulators@k-line.net Web: www.k-line.net
P: (416) 292-2008 F: (416) 292-2094 Email: insulators@k-line.net Web: www.k-line.net
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 VOL. 27 NO. 8
DIGITAL EDITION
www.electricity-today.com
contents
THE 2014 POST-CUEE REPORT Page 56

EVENT REVIEW
Most memorable moments
56
EXHIBITOR SPOTLIGHT
Comments from this years participants
60
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE

www.electricity-today.com/subscribe-et
CHANNELS
10
FEATURES
Smart Grid
How utilities can protect
bulk electric system
control centers
24
Nine capabilities required for an effective

OMS system
28
14
Electrical
Substations
Improve protection with a
layered security approach
18
MAKING WAVES
The evolution of utility pole engineering
34
FIELD WORKER CONNECTIVITY

Moving mobile technology to the job site
38
2014 T&D YEAR IN REVIEW

Wandering from a traditional to a modern,
smarter grid
Smart Metering
Leveraging AMI to
improve grid reliability
and outage response
OUTAGE MANAGEMENT TOOLBOX
46
MOBILE WORKFORCE USING

AUGMENTED REALITY
Plugging workers into data analytics and
information technologies
50
54
Overhead T&D
Taking 3-D drawing
techniques to new
technological heights
Lineman Safety
How to protect workers
with an OHSMS system
FREE Subscription: www.electricity-today.com
DEPARTMENTS
8
9
64
68
70
71
72
73
74
75
Editors Desk
Next Issue Page
Electrical Training 76
The Last Page
The Bulletin Board
ON THE COVER
Photographer:
Utility Spotlight
Tony Crawford,
NB Power
At Your Service
Just the Facts
Trade Show Newsreel
Editorial Contributors
Advertiser Index
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 | 5
ELECTRICITY TODAY DIGITAL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER | Digital exclusives

TRANSMISSION
LINE DESIGN
VEGETATION
Vs. RELIABILITY
Nordmin Engineering
gives benefits to 3-D
drawing techniques
used in transmission
line design.
Florida Power &

Light provides
insight on how
a utility can
manage vegetation
and identify
best practices
CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE
COLD AS ICE
SIMULATING
INNOVATION
Mike Greer, a
manager at Hydro
One, was one of the
frontline arborists
in the aftermath of
the 2013 ice storm.
He reflects on his
experiences
of the stormone
year later.
A new report provides

recommendations
on how utilities can
collaborate on energy
innovation, and
what new regulatory
mechanisms could
incent innovation
more effectively.
CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE
DOWNLOAD WHITEPAPER
ELECTRICITY TODAY TV
This issues videos
WorkSafeBC provides a video of a house painter

coming into contact with a power line on a ladder.
Electric utilities should always communicate to
their customers the dangers of power line contact.
WATCH NOW
6 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014
Phenix Technologies offers a rugged portable

line of AC high-voltage equipment.
WATCH NOW
Tallman Equipment Proudly Offers

Quality Tools & Equipment
For Linemen Worldwide
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2015
UTILITY TOOL
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Pouches & Bags

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Rigging Equipment
Tool Holsters
To receive your copy of our 2015 catalog

complete the request form at
www.tallmanequipment.com
Toll Free: 877.860.5666 /// International: 630.860.5666 /// Espaol: 630.694.5853
editors desk
Send your feedback and questions to:

phill@electricityforum.com
LETS SING A SWAN SONG FOR COAL
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 VOL. 27 NO. 8
If the power industry is serious about protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions, then regulators and utili
ties need to focus on closing coal-fired power plants. Currently,
many regulators and utilities are pouring millions of dollars
and valuable resources into clean coal technologies, such as
carbon capture and storage (CCS)a process that captures car
bon dioxide from the air and deposits it in a storage site (most
commonly underground), isolated from the atmosphere.
Provinces such as Saskatchewan and states such as Miss
issippi and Texas are planning to build more coal plants using
these new technologies. SaskPower recently opened the worlds
first carbon-capture coal-fired plant (at a cost of $1.4 billion)
with a generous $240 million investment from the Canadian
federal government.
Other CCS projects currently underway include the Kemper County Energy Facility in Mississippi (scheduled
to begin operations in 2015) and the Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project in Texas (scheduled to begin operations
in 2016). Pursuing carbon capture technologies gives utilities and regulators a green light to keep existing coal
plants open or to build new ones using clean coal technologies.
Both the Canadian and U.S. governments have aggressive plans to reduce carbon emissions on a grand scale.
However, supporting the use of coal-fired generation counteracts the ambitious targets governments are trying
to meet in their carbon emission policies. Forbes reports that coal-fired power plants are responsible for roughly
25 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
Depending on the province or state (particularly the ones that rely heavily on coal), utilities and regulators
would argue that removing coal-fired poweras well as other fossil fuelsfrom their energy generation
portfolio and adding alternative, more cleaner, generation would cost millions, if not billions, of dollars. In
addition to decommissioning and construction costs, large investments would be required for building new
transmission and distribution infrastructure required to support any additional generation.
Admittedly, adding alternative forms of generation such as wind and solar does cost money, but so does
building power plants using clean coal technologies. The Energy Collective reports that the Kemper Clean
Coal project is far more expensive than what was originally estimated. Currently, the project is estimated to cost
roughly the same as the cost of building a nuclear power plant.
The costs of decommissioning coal plants are also an undeniable reality, but so are the costs of keeping
coal-fired plants in operation. A 2005 independent study, Cost Benefit Analysis: Replacing Ontarios Coal-Fired
Electricity Generation, estimated that cost of coal generation was approximately $4.4 billion annually when
health, environmental, and financial costs were taken into consideration.
REMOVING COAL A REALITY
The move towards completely removing coal-fired power is a reality. In April 2014, Ontario became the first
province in Canada to remove coal from its generation mix. The provincial government stated, The closure of
coal plants has already produced significant health and environmental benefits for Ontarians. The provincial
government reports that sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions were 93 percent and 85 percent lower,
respectively, in 2011, than in 2003. Utilities and regulators need to focus on what is feasible, not what is infeasible.
THE BOTTOM LiNE
The U.S. government has already stepped out to reduce its dependence on coal-fired generation in an attempt to
reduce carbon emissions. Earlier in the year, the Obama administration proposed, through the Environmental
Protection Agency, tough emission limits on coal-fired plants. Canada has already banned the construction of
traditional coal-fired electricity generation units, which, consequently, has led some provinces to pursue clean
coal technologies.
Some North American utilities and regulators have made strides in reducing their dependence on coal.
However, the few that do resist must understand that adding additional fossil fuelsnot just coalto the energy
mix only creates more environmental problems and turns any carbon reduction target into a pipe dream.
PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT
Randolph W. Hurst
E-Mail: randy@electricityforum.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Phill Feltham
E-Mail: phill@electricityforum.com
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER
Tammy Williams
E-Mail: tammy@electricityforum.com
MAGAZINE CIRCULATION
Colleen Flaherty
ELECTRICAL
GROUNDING
E-Mail: colleen@electricityforum.com
- Basic Electrical Grounding for
Industrial
and Commercial
WEB ADVERTISING
SALESPower
Systems Barbara John
E-Mail:
forum1@verizon.net
- High
Voltage
Electrical
Grounding for Utility/Industrial
WEBSITE
ADMINISTRATOR
Power
Systems
Alla Krutous
- Electrical Grounding for
E-Mail: alla@electricityforum.com
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ART DIRECTOR
WWW.ELECTRICITYFORUM.COM/FORUMS/
Jason Praskey
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Distribution is free of charge to North American
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ELECTRICITY FORUM | ELECTRICAL TRAINING
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2015 | Visit www.electricityforum.com/forums/courses.asp for course details
HV SUBSTATION MAINTENANCE PRACTICES

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February 4-5, 2015 - Mississauga, ON
This course will cover the maintenance and testing requirements
for common substation devices, including power transformers,
oil, air and vacuum circuit breakers, switchgear, ground grid
systems, batteries, chargers and insulating liquids. Additionally, this
substation maintenance course focuses on what to do, when to do it
and how to interpret the results from testing and maintenance.
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VFDS & ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL TRAINING
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2015 ELECTRICAL CODE UPDATE TRAINING

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February 17-18, 2015 - Calgary, AB
March 2-3, 2015 - St. Johns, NL
March 5-6, 2015 - Moncton, NB
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EARN CONTINUING
EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS)
SMART GRID
CHANNEL
tocol-based communications. Essentially, the Internet Protocol (IP) is the

primary communications protocol for establishing the Internet and for
transmitting datagrams across network borders. Additionally, an Electric
Grid Vulnerability report published by members of the U.S. House Energy
and Commerce Committee identifies electric power utilities as the target of
numerous daily cyberattacks.
Until recently, control centers have had little choice but to deploy firewalls,
in addition to other security measures, to compensate for the vulnerabil
ities inherent in firewall technology. Hackers can use every path through a
firewall that allows data to move as an attack channel. In addition, firewalls
are software and, therefore, inherently prone to defectssurprisingly basic
ones. Firewall security flaws include hard-coded passwords, encryption
keys, and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in HTTP-based virtual pri
vate network (VPN) proxy servers. VPNs extend private networks across
public ones (for example, the Internet). Software engineers cannot fix some of
the aforementioned security gaps because they are part of the core firewall
design. Bulk electric systems are safer when protected by hardware-en
forced technology.
CHANGING NATURE OF CYBER THREATS
While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has determined that
cybersecurity is lacking at most utilities, many business leaders have reached
different conclusions. Rather than compare an attackers proven capabilities
with the utilities defensive capabilities, these utility stakeholders tend to ass
ess risk based on probability. Many are betting that the probability of a
coordinated, large-scale attack on electric utilities is low, given that no such
attack has ever successfully occurred.
How utilities can protect bulk

electric system control centers
BY ANDREW GINTER, Waterfall Security
IT-style security tools offer

limited protections
hile industry experts debate the likelihood of an attack against

the power grid, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) has already issued an alert that such threats are real
and are on the rise. In fact, anything that is accessible directly or indirectly
via the Internet is open to hacking, and the power grid is no exception.
Unfortunately, the information-technology (IT)-centric security practices
of most utilities have not kept pace with the increasingly sophisticated net
work-based methods used by cyber attackers. Firewalls, anti-virus sys
tems, security updates and other traditional safeguards are failing to defend
against advanced persistent threats, widespread malware, and mundane
attackers. Utilities need to find defenses that support business processes and
operational processes without opening doors to allow attackers back inside
reliability-critical control system networks.
BES CONTROL CENTER VULNERABILITIES
The U.S. government has identified bulk electric system (BES) reliability co
ordinators, balancing authorities and other control centers as strategic tar
gets for cyber-sabotage attacks. Since these centers need to carry out con
tinuous communications involving monitoring and control with other pow
er utilities in the centers areas of geographic responsibility, they traditionally
interconnect between themselves using firewalls that allow inter-control
center communications protocol (ICCP) communication to pass. In par
ticular, since the control centers must acquire status information from part
ner utilities over wide-area networks every few seconds around the clock,
the control centers are open to attacks entering their control systems via these
inbound communications channels.
The North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infra
structure Protection (CIP) standards for industrial security recognize that
BES control centers are key targets for attackers looking to damage the
power gridespecially if those control centers use modern Internet Pro
READ MORE
SMART GRID
ARTICLES CLICK HERE
WESCO Canada acquired LaPrairie at the end of January

LaPrairie8is8pleased8to8announce8that8they8have8
2014. With its office in Newmarket Ontario, LaPrairie was
been8acquired8by8Wesco8International8and8are8now8a8
established in 2001 as an electrical distributor with a primary
LaPrairie8is8pleased8to8announce8that8they8have8
division8of8Wesco8Distribution8Canada8LPc
focus on both the utility/municipal market and the contractors
been8acquired8by8Wesco8International8and8are8now8a8
related to this sector. LaPrairie is dedicated to providing
This8exciting8transition8will8provide8LaPrairie8the8
division8of8Wesco8Distribution8Canada8LPc
comprehensive technical support and after- sales assistance,
resources8to8expand8our8product8offering8along8with8
and has grown exponentially in both revenue and staff since
This8exciting8transition8will8provide8LaPrairie8the8
the8capability8of8providing8value8added8cost8saving8
their inception. In 2010, LaPrairie added the appropriate
resources8to8expand8our8product8offering8along8with8
resources to service contractors who are involved with
services8to8our8customers8throughout8Ontarioc
the8capability8of8providing8value8added8cost8saving8
Ontarios utilities and municipalities. The expansion included
the addition of suppliers and products that cater to the
services8to8our8customers8throughout8Ontarioc
contractors specific requirements for these projects.
LaPrairie8is8an8electrical8distributor8with8a8primary88
focus8on8the8utility8A8municipal8market8and8the88
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and vendors as partners, and offers cost-saving solutions to
contractors8related8to8this8sectorc
focus8on8the8utility8A8municipal8market8and8the88
its clients to assist them in achieving their goals and
We8are8committed8to8providing8superior8products88
objectives. They will continue to increase their presence
contractors8related8to8this8sectorc
within the utility and contractor segments with their
with8dedicated8comprehensive8technical8support8and8
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continued integration into the WESCO group of companies.
after8sales8assistancec8LaPrairie8distributes8and
with8dedicated8comprehensive8technical8support8and8
represents8world8class8manufacturers8and
LaPrairie is a well-regarded distributor of electrical products
after8sales8assistancec8LaPrairie8distributes8and
considers8our8suppliers8and8customers8as8partners
with a strong technical sales force that has developed
represents8world8class8manufacturers8and
long-standing relationships with utility customers, said
to8achieve8maximum8efficiency8and8growthc
considers8our8suppliers8and8customers8as8partners
John J. Engel, WESCOs chair, president and CEO.
to8achieve8maximum8efficiency8and8growthc
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88znchoring
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Monitoring hubs are portals

to global targets
The experts advocating the cybersecurity status quo support their po
sitions by highlighting not only the lack of widespread attacks thus far, but
also the complexity of the power grid; It is an intricate web of mechanical,
electrical, and digital protection systems that winds through an apparently
diverse and dispersed group of plants. If, for example, someone attacked the
largest 100 power plants in North America, he or she would affect less than
10 percent of the generating capacity of the total power grid.
Regulators, and electric utility stakeholders and executives holding fast to existing practices look at the aforementioned numbers and say, A simultaneous,
coordinated attack would be too expensive; it couldnt happen, or they pre
sume that such an attack would need to be carried out sequentially and, thus,
information sharing between utilities would enable sites to neutralize attack
channels. Both arguments are flawed. Unfortunately, not every part of the
power grid is so diverse and so dispersed. Turbines in power plants all over
the continent are monitored and controlled centrally, and this very small
number of turbine-vendor monitoring and control hubs serve as portals to
many targets with uniform configurations.
Counting on information sharing to address sequential attacks requires
that the early targets of such assaults have the technology and the expertise
to quickly analyze data and react to attack scenarios. For that matter, early
targets would also need technology and expertise to recognize that attacks
had occurred in the first place, rather than simply suffering an unfortunate
sequence of random failures. Such technology and expertise does not exist
at most power plants and transmission utilities.
Worse, information sharing only addresses certain types of serial attacks.
For example, attacks that seed malware in advance, sequentially, at a large
number of sites might go altogether undetected, because there are no ob
vious symptoms or damage. At a pre-determined time though, or on an ex
ternal signal, all of those attacks could trigger at once, whether or not an
information sharing mechanism was set up for these target sites.
The engineers charged with protecting control centers acknowledge these
circumstances and realize they cannot ignore the risk. The attack techniques
pioneered by advanced persistent threats have been well publicized and are
Hacktivists is a word used to describe

a hacker who attacks computers and
computer networks to effect social
change. For example, Anonymous, an
international group of activist and
hacktivists, played a role in distributing
information to and from Iran via their
website, Anonymous Iran. Additionally,
the group released a video manifesto to
the Iranian government.
now well understood. Every attacker with a bit of skill or a bit of training cur
rently uses targeted attack techniques, such as anti-virus-evading custom
malware. The problem with these well-known attack techniques is that they
are extremely difficult to detecteven when experts know what they are
looking for. The potential for terror groups or even disgruntled hacktivists
to carry out serious attacks is very real.
SECURITY GATEWAYS
Once bulk electric system leaders are convinced of the risk and the need
to act, or are pushed to act by the relevant regulators, these BES leaders are
still left with the question of what to do. If firewalls open up potential attack
channels every time they allow control system networks and applications
to respond to requests for data, what technologies are available to support
adequate security? Bulk electric system control centers need something
stronger than firewalls.
In May 2013, the draft NERC CIP Version 5

recognized unidirectional security gateways
as offering stronger security than firewalls.
That something stronger is emerging in the form of unidirectional sec

urity gateways, which add the protection that industrial control networks
require without shutting down necessary two-way communication. Properly
designed hardware-enforced gateways replicate ICCP communications
servers in two directions and are deployed as two independent channels
of communication. Properly designed hardware-enforced unidirectional
security gateway technology simply does not suffer from most firewall vul
nerabilities. The few vulnerabilities that remain are rendered extremely diffi cult
to exploit by the use of independent and mutually isolated unidirectional
communications channels. In May 2013, the draft NERC CIP Version 5
recognized unidirectional security gateways as offering stronger security
than firewalls.
The DHS reports that

cyberthreats are rising
LAST LOOK
Software security vendors are providing solutions to electric

utilities specifically for BES control centers that build on uni
directional security gateway technology, and protect twoway communications with power grid control centers such
as balancing authorities and reliability coordinators. These
solutions can secure both communications channels that ac
quire status information over wide-area networks from part
ner utilities, as well as those that send back commands to
those utilities.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security acknow
ledges that cyberattacks are a legitimate threat to the nations
utility grid, and the industrys response is evolving. Cyber
attacks are becoming more sophisticated while IT-centric de
fenses remain stagnant. To keep control systems safe and reliable in the face of sophisticated attack techniques, the stake
holders at industry-leading BES sites are upgrading their de
fensive capabilities. ET
Andrew Ginter is the vice president of industrial security at Waterfall Security

Solutions, a provider of unidirectional security gateways for industrial control
networks and critical infrastructures.
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BY ERIC BYRES, Belden Inc.
n age-old joke in the North American power industry states that if

Alexander Graham Bell walked in the room today, he would not
recognize the telephone, the technology, or its business model.
However, if Thomas Edison walked in, he would still understand the current
state of electricity and power generation and distribution.
Utility engineers have one of the hardest jobs in the world: delivering safe,
reliable power, at all timesand that does not mean just keeping the lights
on by protecting against extreme weather or failed equipment. Engineers
must also constantly worry about meeting security requirements designed
to protect maintained equipment: the power grid and all its assets.
The truthand problemwith the Edison joke is that not many changes
have occurred in the power and utility industry as far as the equipment goes.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average U.S. substation

transformer is more than 40 years old.
Unfortunately, the environment where this equipment is now used has
changed significantly over the years. For example, the widespread use of
commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) computer components and network technologies has transformed the way the utility business is currently conducted.
The use of these components is enabling the industry to operate cost effec
tively, communicate more efficiently, and implement more agile business
practices, but it comes at a priceadded exposure to cyber threats.
Why does this matter? According to the House Committee on Energy
and Commerce, the U.S. bulk power system serves more than 300 million
people, includes more than 200,000 miles of transmission lines, creates more
than one million megawatts of generating capacity, and is valued at more
than $1 trillion.
Additionally, every one of those 300 million people depend on a con
sistent, durable, and secure electric power system to ensure necessities
public transportation, hospitals, cellular networks, banking systems, data
centers, and home climate control and refrigerationare available.
Single point of defense security solutions are outdated in the information
technology (IT) world. The electric gridincluding its substations and
feedersis an increasingly easy target for hackers. As discussed in this issues
Electrical Substations Channel, a carefully constructed and strategically de
signed defense-in-depth (DiD) model is the only viable solution.
THE POWER INDUSTRY: A PRIME TARGET
In a recent speech to power industry executives, retired Vice Admiral Mike
McConnell of the U.S. Navy stated, If I was a terrorist, Id target banks and
powerthose are the two critical sectors that really matter to our countrys wellbeing. Furthermore, he stated that coordinated cyberattacks have already
been launched against the banking sector and now it is not a matter of if
cyberattacks will occur against the power industry, it is when. We [the U.S.] are
a nation with a strategic vulnerabilitywe have become digitally dependent.
McConnells remarks have been born out in numerous studies and trials.
In November 2013, more than 2,000 utility participants from the U.S.,
Canada, and Mexico conducted a two-day drill, called GridEx II, to test
the preparedness of the power grid for cyber and physical attacks. Law
makers and utility leaders alike concluded that the electric grid is not ad
equately protected.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security suggests that cyberattacks on
key energy infrastructure, especially the electricity system, are increasing in
occurrence and sophistication. Of the 260 cybersecurity incidents reported
to the Department of Homeland Security in 2013, 59 percent were directed
against the energy sector. These attacks are not just coming from well-known
or long-established threat sources. Understanding that the risks faced by the
power grid are considerably different from those faced by IT systems often
means very different security strategies are needed.
BY THE NUMBERS
The U.S. bulk power system serves more than 300

million people, includes more than 200,000 miles
of transmission lines, creates more than one million
megawatts of generating capacity, and is valued at
more than $1 trillion.
- The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce
59
Percentage of cyberattacks directed at the

energy sector in 2013. This percentage is based
on 260 cybersecurity incidents reported to the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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A SOLUTION >> DEFENSE IN DEPTH

A common misconception is floating around among lawmakers
and the media: grid modernization technologies will solve, or
at least dramatically improve, the reliability and durability of the
power grid. While these technologies are part of the solution,
more is needed to ensure a reliable power supply.
The key to a more secure power grid includes an integrated
mix of people, technologies, and processes that maximize
security preparation. If utilities implement a multi-layer,
defense-in-depth security architecture, their systems can
achieve high levels of security.
Building a defense-in-depth strategy is not something
unique to SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition)
or cybersecurity. In fact, it was a term originally defined by the
Romans as a military strategy. In the utility industry, this includes
looking at policies and procedures, as well as physical, network,
computer, and device security.
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As an example, consider the April 2013 assault against the PG&E Metcalf
electricity substation. During this attack, multiple snipers armed with auto
matic weapons systemically targeted and destroyed 17 transformers. It took
27 days to return the Metcalf substation to operating standards; this is not
the sort of attack the typical IT department needs to consider. However, clearly
the power industry does.
This calculated and professional attack has left industry and government
experts at odds, trying to explain its purpose. With no arrests or charges made
in almost a year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concluded
that the Metcalf attack was one of the most significant incidents of domestic
terrorism involving the power grid that has ever occurred in the United States.
What this attack does indicate is that the threats the industry currently faces
are not the same as the ones it faced a decade ago. The people wanting to cause
harm to power company equipment are no longer bored and intoxicated
teenagers with a .22 rifle. The Metcalf attack has proven there are well-trained
DEFENSE IN DEPTH >> Core Concepts

1. Multiple layers of defense. This concept involves layering
multiple security solutions so that if one is bypassed, another
layer will provide the defense. Systems cannot rely completely
on a single point of securityeven if the solution is effective.
2. Differentiated layers of defense. Sound security strategy,
whether military, physical or cybersecurity, ensures that
each security layer differs slightly. If an attacker finds a way
past the first layer, he or she does not automatically have the
capabilities for getting past all subsequent defenses.
3. Threat-specific layers of defense. Each defense should be
designed to be context and threat specific. In essence, design
for the threat. The electric power system can be exposed to
a variety of different security threats, ranging from computer
malware and angry employees, to denial of service attacks
and information theft. Each threat needs to be considered and
defended against carefully. For example, in the substation,
sophisticated SCADA-aware firewalls are now available that can
observe the network from traffic to specific types of commands.
These firewall capabilities allow defenses based on the behavior
and context of the systems using specific protocols.
The best way to manage hostile

entities is to quickly detect, isolate,
and control them
SECURITY MEASURES
>> How utility operators can protect their systems
Prioritize. Ensure mission-critical systems are secure first.
Create awareness. Ensure the full team is informed and
educated on security best practices; create a culture of
security.
Modernize risk assessments. Update your existing
risk assessments regularly, including both physical and
virtual checks.
Avoid one-size-fits all solutions. Do not apply a onesize-fits-all solution across the entire IT and SCADA
system. The threats, risks, and goals of these systems are
different, so the solutions should be as well.
individuals and groups who have the money, capabilities, and discipline to
target key power industry facilities. The Metcalf attack was a physical attack,
but there is no reason that the next might not be a cyberattack.
IMPLEMENTING DEFENSE IN DEPTH
The industry needs to accept the idea that complete prevention of all attacks
is not possible. The best way to manage hostile entities is to quickly detect,
isolate, and control them (refer to Security Measures sidebar).
Physical security and cybersecurity can be used together to create more ro
bust layering. For example, layers of physical security can include card readers
installed on control room doors and transformer cabinets, and security cameras that monitor substation access and guard important areas against un
authorized infiltration, copper theft, and other attacks. If the aforementioned
protocols are coordinated with layers of network security to create a coor
dinated monitoring system, then both cyber and physical security can benefit.
According to the U.S. Department

of Energy, the average U.S.
substation transformer is more
than 40 years old
LAST LOOK
Military experts know that singular defenses lead to a

single point of failure. The same applies to protecting the
power grid. Relying on a single defensive solution exposes
systems, no matter how well designed or strong. Thorough
planning includes mapping out the architectures for a de
fense-in-depth strategy, applying that philosophy to the
physical world, and securing the path to an industrial con
trol system (ICS) or a SCADA system.
Companies need to develop ICS-specific documents
describing company policy, standards, and procedures
around all aspects of security. Utility engineers need to ensure that their control system has a proper defense-in-depth
design where the network, control devices, and SCADA
systems are collectively hardened. When the most critical
system in a utilitys operation has multiple layers of defense,
reliable security for production and midstream operations
in the electric grid can be a reality. ET
Eric Byres is one of the worlds leading experts in the field of SCADA security.
Currently, he is CTO for Tofino Security at Belden Inc.
SMART METERING
CHANNEL
POWER
ON
Leveraging AMI to
improve grid reliability
and outage response
etting a handle on overall grid reliability and outage trends for the
entire U.S. can be challenging. Despite generally high reliability num
bers, power outages are occurring more frequently and the U.S.
Department of Energy estimates that outages cost the American economy as
much $150 billion per year. Unfortunately, outages are affecting more people
and lasting longer than just a decade ago. These facts are due, at least in part,
to a combination of underinvestment in the power grid over the past quarter
century, continually increasing demand for electricity among businesses and
consumers, and the more frequent occurrence of severe storms.
(CRS) published before Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast. The CRS report
noted that occurring events in the local utility distribution system, with the
majority attributed to weather-related causes, triggered 90 percent of the
total customer outage minutes.
These powerful storms, which caused widespread and extended power
outages for millions of people, have revealed the inherent vulnerabilities of
the overhead power grid, as well as the challenges the areas utilities face in
effectively responding to both large-scale and localized power outages with
current technologies. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy alone knocked out power
to 8.5 million customers in 21 states. A week later, 650,000 homes and bus
inesses were still without power.
GOING DARK MORE OFTEN

According to the University of Minnesota Center for Smart Grid Technologies,
349 significant power outages occurred between 2005 and 2009 in the U.S.,
each of which affected at least 50,000 consumers. The number of outages is
more than double the number of comparable outages that occurred from
2000 to 2004, and more than eight times the number of outages of that scale
that occurred from 1991 to 1995.
Add to the mix that many of these statistics do not include major stormrelated outages, which by themselves tally up to $20 to $55 billion in costs
annually, according to a report from the Congressional Research Services
LOW-HANGING FRUIT
Certainly, hardening the grid and making it more resilient is a long-term,
multifaceted technical and economic challenge. However, utilities can take
less costly and proven steps to address important parts of this growing
challenge in the short term. One of the key opportunities is to leverage
the capabilities of a smart meter system to improve outage response, and
enhance customer satisfaction.
In its May 2013 report, Improving Electric Grid Reliability and Resilience,
the Gridwise Alliance, a nationwide consortium of electric utilities, grid
operators, Smart Grid technology companies, consultants and academic
BY TIM WOLF, Itron
50,000
Average number of consumers affected by each

major significant outage349 in totalthat
occurred between 2005 and 2009
institutions, made specific recommendations in five areas to harden the

power grid and improve outage response. Key among the recommendations
was utilizing the outage detection and monitoring capabilities of advanced
metering infrastructure to facilitate power restoration and improve com
munication to customers.
Currently, just over 40 percent of the 150 million or so electricity meters in
the U.S. and Canada are smart. This statistic means these meters have twoway communication to the utility via an installed communications network,
advanced monitoring capabilities, as well as the ability to communicate with
consumers and devices within the home. By the end of 2015, over 50
percent of meters will be smart and the market will near saturation by the
end of the decade.
Even though the greatest focus of these systems thus far has been on cus
tomer billing and related services, this grid intelligence network will prove
a hugely valuable asset in improving power grid reliability and outage re
sponse. However, most of the utilities that have deployed smart meters
have yet to fully integrate their outage detection functionality into their
operations and business processes. Utilities must think of smart meters as
grid sensors rather than cash registers.
THE BLIND SPOT
When it comes to electricity, the expectations of consumers and businesses
for constant service and reliability are running higher than ever. However,
the fact is that below the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition)
communication network and substation level, many utilities still have
little or no insight about when individual residential customers and small
businesses are out of power. Largely, utilities still rely on customer calls to
pinpoint and localize outages. Additionally, when it comes to restoration,
many utilities have limited technology toolsif anyto verify that power
has been restored at individual customer premises.
WHAT SMART METERS CAN DO

In addition to measuring consumption, smart meters also act as sensors
that represent the equivalent of nerve endings for the power grid. Electric
utilities can use smart meters to identify potential reliability problems before
outages occur. Smart meters also have the ability to quickly detect and un
derstand the scope of outages, freeing utilities from reliance on customer
calls to figure out exactly what is going on.
Smart meter data can help optimize the dispatch and management of
field resources to speed restoration times, and can help the utility provide cus
tomers with more detailed information. Utilities can provide positive ack
nowledgement to customers that the utility knows about the outage and
has dispatched workers to problematic areas, and will deliver an accurate
estimation of power restoration time.
Outage Management
Open Point Optimization
Load Flow Analysis
Feeder Analysis
Welcome to the 21st Century Utility

www.utilismartcorp.com
Leveraging the
capabilities of a smart
metering system can help
increase system reliability,
improve outage response,
and enhance customer
satisfaction.
The ability of a smart meter to immediately signal an outage at the cus

tomer premises, as well as its ability to automatically verify when power is
restored, adds an entirely new data stream and source of insight for outage
management and restoration efforts. These capabilities, combined with vol
tage monitoring and the ability to ping meters over the network and
from the field, provides utilities with new tools that have enabled a growing
number of utilities to transform outage response business processes. This,
in turn, has helped the industry achieve significant improvements in
outage detection and restoration times, and create an improved customer
experience in an inherently adverse situation.
Utilities that have integrated AMI data into their outage management
and response efforts are experiencing a number of benefits. Some of these
benefits include accelerated outage detection times before customers call;
improved prediction of the extent of the outage (that is, localization); im
proved and more efficient management of field service crews; and a re
duction of okay on arrivals, that is, costly truck rolls to determine if an
outage really exists at a given location. Though less tangible, the greatest
value may be the improvements to customer communication during an
outage by making it clear the utility is aware of the outage and restoration
efforts are underway.
PUTTING THE DATA TO WORK
Advanced metering infrastructure is able to improve reliability and outage
management both in large-scale, storm-related outages as well as much
smaller and localized or nested outages that occur for various reasons on
the power grid daily. Moreover, the data from these meters enhances both the
utilitys ability to detect and localize the outage, as well as speed restoration.
In a large-scale outage involving tens of thousands or even millions of
customers, such as Hurricane Sandy, incoming SCADA data and sensors
from the substation, feeder, and circuit levels of the distribution system
typically inform grid operators immediately of the big picture extent of
the outage. From that data, operators can generally infer which areas of the
service territory are likely affected. In outages of this scale, the true value
of meter-based outage data typically comes more in the restoration phase
when circuits and lines are re-energized and positive restoration notices
come in from individual premises to verify that power is restored.
The positive restoration notification capability enables the utility to lo
cate the trouble behind the trouble to determine more efficiently which
customers are still without power by detecting localized outages taking place
below the SCADA level, such as tree limbs that have fallen on secondary
lines or service drops. Additionally, the notification capability enables the
utility to manage and utilize field service and restoration crews more effec
tively by greatly reducing or eliminating the need to visit and visually ver
ify restoration in specific neighborhoods or dwellings, thereby reducing
costly okay on arrivals. Moreover, the ability of field service crews to ping
individual or groups of meters from the field over the network to verify
service is on or restored is proving immensely valuable to restoration efforts.
In addition, electric utilities can use this system to verify feeder restoration.
For outages that occur on a smaller scale and range from a few homes
under a single transformer to lateral outages affecting several hundred cus
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tomers off a feeder line, AMI outage notification helps the utility quickly
determine the location of the outage, the extent of its reach, and the level of
equipment that is involved. This type of notification helps the utility predict
the extent of the outage much more quickly and dispatch the appropriate
restoration resources, rather than being dependent on subsequent customer
calls (a key challenge late at night or on weekends) to determine the scope
and extent of the issue.
On a smaller, more localized level, there are myriad causes of localized or
nested outages on the overhead distribution system that take place beyond
the awareness of current grid monitoring systems. Fallen trees and tree
limbs, ice and snow, wind, overgrown vegetation, worn lines and equipment,
even squirrels doing a high-wire act or other animals making contact with
equipment, are all common culprits. By deploying outage detection cap
ability at the meter or premise level, the utility is able to detect these prob
lems quickly and provide a much more responsive level of information and
service to affected customers.
An AMI-enabled outage notification system enables a customer service
representative to work directly with an affected customer on the phone and
by pinging the meter in real time, verify that power is on at the meter, and
determine that the problem is on the customers side of the meter, and the
customer will need to contact an electrician. Without AMI, a situation such
as this requires the utility to dispatch a vehicle and field service personnel to
confirm that the customer must remedy the situation.
Lastly, since outage notification signals can be filtered and event param
eters configured within the system by the operator, utilities can identify
and analyze momentary outages or flickers that may reveal an equipment
problem or a larger outage waiting to happen. For instance, a tree branch
may be touching a line causing momentary outages or a transformer may be
overloaded. Outage notification signals can detect the two aforementioned
issues beforehand so that electric utilities can remedy the problems before
they turn into a bigger reliability and outage problem.
OPPORTUNITY FOR UTILITIES
Over the past five years, deployment of advanced digital electricity meters and
two-way communication networks in North America have proliferated, with
nearly 50 million smart meters installed thus far. Quite understandably, installing
these networks and ensuring the customer billing and revenue cycle services
were running smoothly were the first priorities and focus of the initial use cases.
Now, more and more utilities are turning their attention to creating value
on the distribution side by utilizing the monitoring capabilities of smart
meters. With regulatory and consumer attention focused on hardening the
grid making it more resilient and improving outage response, utilities have a
significant opportunity to add smart meters to their toolbox and leverage this
technology to their benefit. As mentioned previously, utilities can use smart
meters to identify potential reliability problems before they become outages;
detect and localize outages much more quickly; manage field services crews
more efficiently to accelerate restoration; and improve customer satisfaction
by providing more accurate and timely information. Innovative utilities that
have taken the initial steps on this path are already witnessing compelling
results at a low incremental cost in addressing a challenge that affects both
the economy and peoples everyday lives: keeping the lights on.
Tim Wolf is the director for marketing at Itron Inc., where he is responsible for
marketing and communications for Itrons global electricity and Smart Grid
business line. He is a regular presenter at industry conferences and writer in
the industry trade press.
COMMENTS: tim.wolf@itron.com
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Keeping the lights on since 1889
FEATURE | SMART GRID
BY MICHEL GILLES, Intergraph
ncreasing or maintaining power reliability is the fundamental charter

for utility companies. For electric utilities to meet customer expectations
and adhere to government regulations, they require an efcient way
to restore power as quickly as possible when service interruptions occur.
While advanced distribution management systems have a role to play in
the evolution of a Smart Grid, core outage management fundamentals remain incredibly important for most utilities. Outage management systems
(OMS) provide the foundation for improving outage response and restoration
times, benefiting overall operational efciency, and increasing reliability.
A comprehensive set of integrated tools power these capabilities, seam
lessly managing operational and customer data across the enterprise. How
ever, which applications are effective for the modern electric utility? Elec
tricity Today Magazine and Intergraph offer a few tools every electric utility
should have in its outage management toolbox.
TROUBLE ANALYSIS
A trouble analysis engine performs critical processing
for the outage management system. This server-based
component uses the network connectivity model
migrated from the geographic information system
(GIS) as the baseline conguration, and then processes all transactions to
maintain continuously the real-time state of the distribution system. Maintaining the OMS electrical model current to the physical network is para
mount to accurately predicting outage locations and tracking which cus
tomers are without power.
Trouble analysis handles all outage calls or meter notications to predict
the extent of an outage and the most likely point of failure. The engine auto
matically groups related notications into an outage event based on realtime network conguration. Additionally, trouble analysis considers
any information received from the SCADA (supervisory control and data
acquisition) system and sends the outage job to the appropriate dispatch
workstation, where outages display dynamically in the geospatial view.
Trouble analysis provides a signicant return on investment for utilities

because it automates a labour-intensive process and determines the fastest
approach to restore a customers electrical service.
DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT
An effective OMS must manage the network in real
time and incorporate SCADA and distribution management system (DMS) functionalities. Integration
of advanced fault location based on impedance/dis
tance relay information with trouble analysis improves the speed and accur
acy of the fault location identification.
An electric utility dispatcher

monitors events
A common user interface integrates real-time data necessary for system

operations, providing a single integrated console to improve overall sit
uational awareness and achieve signicant cost savings and efciency in
grid operations. By consolidating and integrating disparate applications
into a common operating picture, utilities can manage device control and
network operations directly through the command center to reroute pow
er, manage voltage levels, recongure the network and sectionalize outages
quickly to restore power faster than before.
SMART METER INTEGRATION
Data from meter data management (MDM) sys
tems provides early identication of outages, de
termines outage extents and enables verification of
power restoration to customers
involved in outages. An OMS-MDM interface receives
last gasp messages or sends requests and receives
results from smart meters, indicating whether the
pinged meter has power. The system can automatically
generate a ping request to verify a service level outage
or allow dispatchers to manually ping a device, prem
ise, or event to determine the power status of a meter.
This functionality is particularly useful, for example,
to verify service restoration before a crew moves on to
another job to prevent unnecessary trips.
The results are displayed in a user interface view
with a link to the location of the meter on the map
display. Dispatchers can then create or cancel outage
calls based on meter ping results. The ability to use
two-way communications enables MDM systems to
ping meters at congured intervals or gather meter
information on demand. This integration improves customer service by quickly identifying service level out
ages, thereby reducing outage incidences.
It is not uncommon that an outage is identified and
sometimes even the service restored before the affected
customers are aware of the service interruption.
g ency and planned switching for maintenance or construction. The switch

plans aid in quicker restoration by providing accurate and timely infor
mation to the right eld crews. A switch plan generator that works directly
with the network map can automatically create a switching plan using
criteria input by the user.
The functionality allows users to create, review, and execute switch
plans with multiple tiers of approval. Once a plan is built, users can
print or send it in the form of a message to other dispatchers or mobile
clients. Users can also save plans as templates and easily refer to them
in the future.
Lastly, automation of integrated fault isolation and service restoration
switch plans is an important contributor to a significantly quicker res
toration process.
WORLDS
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SWITCH PLANNING
These tools, which are tightly
integrated with geographic and
schematic views of the oper
ational network, handle emer-
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Field personnel rely on mobile
technologies for real-time information
GEOSPATIAL DISPLAYS
Geospatial displays of the distribution system promote
integrated land base and intelligent road networks.
Displays of predicted outage locations and utility
crews on a map provide the basis for central dispatch.
From the base map, users can operate switches, perform drag-and-drop
dispatch, and turn on and off layers and see congurable tool tips and
attributes of the facilities. Filtering of the events and feeders helps users
focus on specic areas of responsibility.
13th Annual
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
Damage assessment tools empower users to capture accurate
damage reports quickly and efciently using mobile computing
and wireless communication technology. Automating damage assessment activities can signicantly
improve response in an emergen
cy through eld reports for a preliminary damage assessment.
Assessment can provide a clearer picture of the damage, identify and prioritize storm-affected
areas, determine initial stafng
levels and calculate potential duration of the storm. Performed once the restoration is underway, compre
hensive damage assessment can keep crews focused on the critical infra
structure repairs that restore power to customers as quickly as possible.
Optimizing storm management through the integration of damage ass
essment into the outage management process, and leveraging technology
such as distribution automation devices and smart meters can decrease
restoration time, increase customer satisfaction, and transform the chaos
of a large storm into a planned activity.
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FAMOUS LAST WORDS

An effective outage management system is critical for electric utility
operations. Electric utilities depend on their outage management sys
tem for power restoration and customer satisfaction.
The foundation for any systems reliability and responsiveness are the
configurable tools that each electric utility deploys. By keeping those
critical capabilities required for effective outage management in mind,
utilities will ensure their OMS deployment is a success, for themselves
and their customers. ET
COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH
The integration of computer-aided dispatch (CAD)
capabilities into standard outage management sys
tems provides additional tools to manage resources.
A critical component of the CAD system is crew/
vehicle monitoring and wireless communication. These technologies help
dispatchers identify the closest crew to dispatch and issue a wireless trouble
order. Additionally, advanced dispatching tools help recommend crews
based on their skills and equipment, and monitor shift times.
A geospatially-powered CAD system seamlessly integrates an interact
ive, real-time map for dispatch to ensure users have accurate information.
These features instill condence that dispatchers and field crews have the
correct information on hand and enhance their ability to act quickly and
appropriately.
Additionally, thin client dispatching tools provide
access to the same map display seen in the dispatch
ofce. Users can view tabular information, and geo
graphically view and query resources, jobs, and distrib
ution network statuses. These web-based tools allow
electric utilities to distribute information to locations
outside of the dispatch ofce.
Michel Gilles, Ph.D., is vice president of utilities and communications products

for Intergraph Corp.s Security, Government & Infrastructure division. He
previously held positions with Siemens AG, Alstom, and ABB.
JOMAR Next Generation

Smart Grid Utility Software Integrates
Enterprise Mobility Software Solutions
MOBILE SOLUTIONS
& FIELD AUTOMATION
Thin client mobile solutions
seamlessly integrated with back
ofce outage and workforce
management systems permit users to view, update,
and complete work orders of all types. These solutions
present the eld user with similar functionalities
offered to the dispatcher. Field crews can create outages
on network devices, update and conrm outages,
perform partial restorations, and trace the electrical
network.
Field automation applications integrate mobile mapping with the back ofce outage and workforce man
agement systems on a single platform. Designed to
work in a connected or disconnected mode with the
ability to store and forward information, these tools
allow crews to accept multiple types of work orders,
view up-to-date facility maps, turn redlines into almost
immediate database updates and communicate in
stantly with dispatch. Field personnel can accomplish
more work through immediate and efcient com
munication, data updates and use of the most current
enterprise data.
GEOSPATIAL REPORTING
Electric utilities need to integrate geospatial information
with a variety of other data
types to support smarter decis
ion-making and reporting requirements. Geospatial
query, analysis and visualization tools provide employees
and customers with quick and easy access to integrated
data within a geospatial context.
These tools provide real-time access to multiple data
stores, both on the Internet, and on internal servers;
direct access to the communications infrastructure
data, and land base information; and current infor
mation on inspections, service interruptions and any
number of reports. In addition, these tools provide
useful executive dashboards for reporting, spatial
analysis and decision support functions.
that are web-based and installed on multi-platform servers and available

for JOMAR Hosting Services to meet the needs for LDC Consolidation.
CIS Customer Information System and Meter Data Management

The CIS Billing Engine and MDM share a single and common architecture that
sets a new standard for Utility Billing processes and Service Order integration.
Meter and AMI Metrics
The MDM (ODS) Repository and the

Configurable Business Rules Engine provide
meter data for the CIS Billing Engine
and Outage Management Support
integrated with Asset Management.
Enterprise Mobility
Software
integrate Apple and
Google Smartphones,
Tablets and Microsoft
Surface Pro 3 for
real-time information
anytime, anywhere.
Logged Daily Meter
Read Intervals
MDM supports multiple AMI technologies

and provides Meter/AMI Metrics for the
highest LDC Service Levels.
Samsung Android
CIS and MDM have the processing capacity for LDC Consolidation with a meter
population of 5 mill to 10 million electrical, water and gas smart meters.
Transformer
Load Profile
ERP and Financial Management Software
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
are integrated with Inventory and Purchasing

Management, Work Order Scheduling and Costing,
Mobile Workforce Management and Equipment/Vehicle
Maintenance. The JOMAR Financial Management
Software includes Capital Project Cost Allocations.
The Visual Schedule Board provides customized Schedule Bars to identify

projects and crew assignments.
Cloud or SaaS on JOMAR Hosting Services
Our dedicated virtual servers are available in Peer1 locations for monitoring Meter/
AMI Networks and to provide data for Demand Response Analysis, the CIS Billing
Engine and for updating Outage Maps integrated with SCADA and GIS.
Consolidation of Utility Companies IT Infrastructure
JOMARs Smart Grid Utility Software streamlines processes for a group of LDCs
in preparation for Consolidation. Our Multicompany Financial Consolidation
Reporting and Business Unit software provide for important management
information during LDC Consolidation.
Call JOMAR at 519-740-0510.
We can help you with your Consolidation strategy.
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JOMARs Industry
Experience in IT
Infrastructure
Consolidation
We replaced Legacy
systems in midsize
companies and multinational corporations.
This reduced hardware
and software
maintenance costs in
order to streamline
business processes
for future growth and
acquisitions.
Trademarks and names of
mobile devices shown are the
property of their respective
manufacturers.
JOMAR SOFTCORP INTERNATIONAL INC.

1760 Bishop Street
Cambridge Ontario Canada N1T 1J5
Tel: 519-740-0510 Fax: 519-740-9812
E-mail: sales@jomarsoftcorp.com
JOMAR SOFTCORP SERVICES INC.
Cambridge Ontario Canada
w w w. j o m a r s o f t c o r p. c o m
JOMAR SOFTCORP U.S.A., INC.

Charlotte North Carolina U.S.A.
Innovative and proven business software since 1982
FEATURE | OVERHEAD T&D
MAKING
WAVES
BY CLAYTON JAMISON UYEDE, UTS Consultants
ack in 2004, the Electrical Safety Authority, the workplace safety reg
ulator for the Province of Ontario, issued new regulation that gave
utilities the option of having their poles analyzed and certified by
a professional engineer. Ontario Regulation 22/04: Electrical Distribution
Safety provided wording for pole owners to have any third-party attachment
application analyzed and certified by a professional engineer for the entire
pole and not just the third-party attachment.
Wind causes poles to fail
Logically, the change in regulation to allow professional engineers to an

alyze and certify utility poles as a whole, and not in part, is a major leap
forward for electric utilities in Ontario. Particularly, the regulation did not
have any hard numbers for clearances, separations, or forces, but simply laid
out a process that included closing the circle with an option for a professional
engineer to sign off on the construction verification before officially closing
the project.
The regulation indicated that, as far as actual numbers are concerned,
utilities should follow existing standards. In this case, standards include
applicable publications (as a minimum) published by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), combined with individual pole owner spec
ifications and practices as well as any electrical industry standards outlined
by the IHSA (Infrastructure Health and Safety Association), Ontarios
advocate for health and safety in the workplace.
Another change to electrical standards is on the horizon. The CSA is
in the process of updating its existing overhead standards in Canada (that
is, CSA C22.3 No. 1-10: Overhead Systems). In the past, CSA standards
suggested that non-linear methodology is the best option for calculating
wood pole specifications. However, the next standard update will make this
option mandatory. In fact, many utility pole owners in Ontario have already
started calculating specifications for their poles using non-linear software.
As a professional engineer in the utility pole design and analysis field, I have
developed and evolved a process where the engineer considers public and
worker safety when designing new solutions. The benefits of this process are
twofold. First, the engineer can make calculations on the job in a safe and controlled environment. Second, this process mitigates risk to linemen and main
tenance workers after the fact by ensuring all used data is as accurate as possible.
LESSONS LEARNED
One common misconception in the industry is that a detailed survey is
not required.
I have analyzed many existing poles that have resulted in non-compliance
for any number of reasons. Subsequently, I give the utility an analysis and some
recommendations on how to bring the pole back to compliance. Whether
using manual methods or non-linear software, an accurate survey is required
Another common misconception is that communications attachments
have little effect on the capacity of the overall pole. The capacity will depend
Photo credit (sky ball): Michael Lorenzo
The evolution of utility pole engineering
on the number of items already attached to the pole beforehand. The pole
may already be non-compliant with separation and clearance issues.
A pole can fail or labelled compliant for a number of reasons, so the accur
acy of the survey is critical. Depending on pole attachments, a small change
in distances, angles, elevations, tensions and weights can make the difference
in a passing or failing grade for that pole.
Through the process of surveying and analyzing thousands of utility
poles in a variety of locations throughout the province of Ontario, it became
obvious that the level of detail and accuracy of the survey was extremely
important in allowing me to feel confident in stamping my designs and
finalizing solutions. Regardless of how accurate and detailed the analysis
software is, if the input data is inaccurate, the results are questionable.
Utilities will find that most of the pole analysis software currently available
will allow for using actual attachment heights, span angles, and anchor ele
vations relative to the base of poles. The software will allow the user to create
reference files with actual circuit characteristics and installation tensions.
Since the software will allow the user to customize reference files, utilities
must know details about currently installed or soon-to-be installed attach
ments. This information applies to communication attachments that change
in bundle size and composition from span to span. The span is the distance
between poles.
IMPORTANCE OF SURVEY DATA
When I am asked to review third-party (for example, communications)
submissions on behalf of a pole owner (usually a local distribution company),
I immediately request the supporting documentation for the survey.
Using industry standard

survey equipment
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If the survey is lacking in quality, then the analysis results are questionable.
As far as the pole owners are concerned, one of the main risks to public
safety on their poles is the communication attachments. Communication
attachments are usually what pull the pole down when a tree or some other
object hits a line span. Therefore, utilities want to ensure that all data contained
in the survey and analysis is correct before approving any further attachments.
Utilities should ensure the aforementioned details are included in the sur
vey. For example, utilities want to ensure that the elevations were surveyed
and that the actual communications bundle was used in the calculation.
Survey accuracy is particularly important for road crossings. Spans on road
crossings are frequently victim to trucks so utilities should ensure survey
details are accurate before approving attachments.
To ensure that the data is reliable, all of our projects use either total sta
tion or real time kinematic (RTK) survey equipment to produce a file that
contains accurate data on the location of poles in relation to roads, drive
ways, sidewalks, and anchors.
Detailed field notes combined with high-resolution photos allow the en
gineer to ensure that all attachments and equipment are included in the
analysis. Typically, items that are missed or not calculated include utility ser
vice drops from the pole to the customer premises, mid-span service drops,
proper identification of the utility, circuit size and type, and pole stamp
(wood species, steel, concrete, or composite) data. Utilities will use the data
on the aforementioned items in the analysis stage; at this point, utilities must
know that the accuracy of the survey data will have a direct impact on the
reliability of the analysis results.
Since no utility wants unauthorized and or untrained personnel meas
uring the attachment heights of energized attachments on their poles, util
ities must ensure that their staff use accurate and reliable equipment to gath
er the necessary attachment height information from ground level.
Importantly, equipment operators must understand the methods that
will produce the most accurate results. In many existing pole situations, the
difference between ensuring a pole is compliant for separations comes down
to less than 0.1 meters or a few inches.
Typically, we use a laser range finder such as an Impulse 200. Utilities
get what they pay for when using cheaper laser range finders. Additionally,
we take a measurement using height sticks to the lowest communication
attachment strand to ensure our laser height measurement matches the hard
measurement. If both measurements are not equal, then we adjust our laser
measurements.
GREAT SURVEY, NOW WHAT?
The more complex a pole is (number of attachments, various angles, dis
tances, and guying/anchoring), the more difficult it is to design a compliant
solution or suggest other solutions to rectify a non-compliant pole. Under
these circumstances, this is where graphical non-linear software shows its true
value. The software can show utilities a view of the pole with all its attachments,
which would provide assistance in ensuring that all attachments are in the
correct location and orientation.
Depending on the software, an engineer might need to perform a series
of calculations before modeling poles in the software. Imperatively, engineers
should record the elevation data combined with the correct sag information
under the appropriate weather loading conditions on the actual bundle for
mation for communications spans. Additionally, utilities can produce a com
plete road-crossing model to confirm clearance over a road.
Accuracy of the data ensures the software produces reliable results. A num
ber of non-linear pole analysis software products are available. Utilities can
easily build poles using a graphical interface and use the graphical analysis
with color-coding to find an appropriate solution to correct a failing condition.
Utilities should choose a vendor that can address any modifications or
differences in design. A graphical interface allows the technician inputting
the data a chance to review his or her work to ensure that the modelled pole
exists or matches design standards.
Additionally, utilities should ensure that the vendor allows the user to create
framing standards so that he or she can quickly establish the pole analysis.
Through the process of using the software to analyze thousands of poles,
what becomes apparent is the difference a few degrees can make or even
a small difference in attachment height can make between a pole having
excess capacity or failing. This fact drove us to modify our data collection
survey to be as accurate as possible, since we experienced the negative effects
first-hand.
In many instances, the anchor placement may not be directly opposite
a dead-end span or at the bisector of an angle. The elevation of the anchor
Graphical input interface

Graphical analysis interface

may be different from the base of the pole as well. Therefore, the technician
should model the anchor accordingly.
In our survey, we also locate and shoot a number of property bars and
incorporate them into our drawings. This is not a legal survey, only an en
gineering survey. This survey gives the engineer an option to vary the anchor
locations to avoid a potential easement situation. Additionally, we found it
easier to analyze every pole rather than to try to determine what poles to
include and what poles to leave out.
As with all software, users rely heavily on reference data tables. Therefore,
utilities should properly train staff on how to read the reference tables and
on how the software uses the reference tables. Similar to any of the nonlinear pole analysis programs on the market, the results are reliant on the
data in the reference tables. The reports generated from the software do not
normally show reference table data in the final analysis. Importantly, the
reference table data, if incorrect or manipulated, can cause a pole to fail
when it should passor show capacity when none is apparent.
CONSTRUCTION VERIFICATION PROCESS
The construction verification process (CVP), the last step, is the most pivotal
procedure in the entire process. This last step ensures that the final con
structed product matches the original engineered design. If the design does
not match the final product, then some reengineering might be required
to determine if what was constructed is compliant. Ontario Regulation
22/04: Electrical Distribution Safety has considered this circumstance in
the record of inspection whereby an engineer may stamp a seal of approval
on the final record.
If the design does not match the final product,

then some reengineering might be required to
determine if what was constructed is compliant
READ MORE
OVERHEAD T&D
ARTICLES CLICK HERE
Sometimes workers can miss or ignore a number of major items during

construction even after numerous inspections, which could prevent an en
gineer from stamping his or her record of inspection. For example, the actual
stringing tensions and temperature on the day of installation might not
match the design standards or charts provided by the designing engineer.
Additionally, minimum anchor torque readings for PISA anchors might
match or exceed the design holding capacity, or the use of proper installation
techniques and tools might not follow the manufacturers guidelines. More
over, installed anchors in locations or placed attachments at heights might
differ from original design.
Recently, Ontarios Electrical Safety Authority released information bulletins
to address two of the aforementioned issues. The Encyclopedia of Anchoring
produced by Hubbell/Chance is an excellent reference source for anchor de
sign, installation equipment, and methodologies.
When an engineer is required to stamp the record
of inspection, he or she will ask for proof and that will
normally mean data to back up any as-built state
ments. Through the process of performing hundreds
of CVP inspections, reviews and stamped reports, I
have yet to come across a project that was built as per
my design. That does not mean it was non-compliant,
but re-calculations were required to determine if it was
compliant or if re-work was necessary. Many instances
have occurred where the construction crew has been sent
back to correct or verify (non-recorded data) their work.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
Do not assume that past procedures are correct. The utility, as

a pole owner, has every right to ensure that the pole and all its
attachments do not pose a risk to workers or public safety and
that the appropriate level of analysis has taken place to satisfy
due diligence. ET
Jamie Uyede, P.Eng., a consulting engineer, is the Vice President of UTS Con
sultants. UTS has spearheaded the change in the way power utilities and thirdparty companies are surveying, analyzing, and inspecting utility pole design.
The Encyclopedia of
Anchoring is an excellent
reference for anchor design
Photo credit (electrical pole): Colin Brough
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FIELD WORKER
CONNECTIVITY
Moving mobile technology
to the job site
BY SCOTT BALL, Motion Computing
he world looks very different from the top of a utility pole, or from
a manhole on an underground power junction. As electric utilities
expand the deployment of technology to their field workers, it is
becoming more critical that information technology (IT) departments be
able to observe their environment from the workers vantage point.
Years ago, IT departments worked with a precursory understanding of the
field. The first wave of mobile utility apps was centered on dispatch and work
order processing: functions that were typically handled sitting in a truck
with a laptop. The applications were often adaptations of desktop versions,
and from an IT standpoint, the devices did not appear that different from a
remote desktop.
The world has changed significantly. On one hand, the rise of mobile computing has raised the standards and the expectations for connected work
ers. On the other hand, utilities are facing slowing demand and aging in
frastructure, and are increasingly dependent on the efficiency of their ser
vice operations to ensure profitability.
As a result, companies are attempting to push data technology to a broader
range of field work functions. According to a 2014 VDC Research study
of 500 electric utilities titled The Changing Face of Utilities, 71 percent of
companies looking at mobile solutions cited improved worker productivity
as the most important metric currently in pursuit.
Pushing technology to a wider range of work functions involves what I
call, the last milethe section of the network between the truck and the
point where the work is completed (this is the most neglected part of the
network when it comes to providing technology to the fieldand the most
difficult to tackle). Yet, the last mile is where utilities can make the biggest
productivity gains.
INFORMATION IS A TWO-WAY STREET
One of the most important changes with the new wave of mobility is that the
supply of information to the field is at least as important as the collection of information from the field. In fact, giving workers accurate and current infor
mation is where utilities can make the most significant gains in productivity.
To give a practical example, a worker who encounters an unusual reading
can verify if he or she is looking at the right meter. The worker on a repair
call can access service records, parts specifications, drawings, step-by-step
instructions, customer information, thereby improving efficiency and cutting
down on errors and rework. Moreover, vitally important, IT systems can

provide alerts that the worker is entering a danger area, perhaps enhanced
by a global positioning system (GPS).
The aforementioned features and benefits can help utility workers be
come much more than a pair of hands. Timely information allows for im
proved decision-making, enables the worker to become a safety advisor to
the customer, assist with inventory issues, or take a more proactive role in
identifying new business opportunities.
EXTENDING IT TO THE LAST MILE
Moving technology to the last mile (that is, the section of the network between
the truck and the point where the work is completed) can have many benefits.
When a utility worker performs assessments, he or she refers to the following
three workflow categories (refer to Workflow Categories sidebar).
THE TRUE MEANING OF ADOPTION
The biggest challenge, and the true test of a mobile solution, is adoption.
However, compliancepushing workers to use the mobile devicesis not
the answer, especially in the field where the worker is using technology
under a number of physical constraints.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

Hidden/not-so-hidden costs of non-adoption
Inaccurate or incomplete information from
paper notes
Guesswork based on not having available information
Wasted time re-entering information into the device
Re-work due to errors
Incorrect response to customer situations
Safety problems based on the worker not being
informed or not informing others
WORKFLOW CATEGORIES
Work-Order Automation
moves the electronic work
order to the point of service.
Work requirements and forms
are current and information is
entered only once, meaning
that the worker does not have
to spend valuable time sitting in
the truck transcribing notes on
to a laptop.
Inspect/Repair/Maintain
improves the accuracy of
repair, maintenance, and safety
information, and reduces
the time required to record
it. Additionally, this category
improves customer service,
cuts down on costly errors, and
automates safety audits and
compliance reporting. Instantly,
this workflow category pushes
the latest information out to the
field, including safety alerts.
True adoption requires buy-ina genuine acknowledgment by workers

that the provided tools from IT will help them do their jobs. In order to
adjust their work patterns to accommodate technology, the workers on the
poles must realize the value of the work, and the only way to achieve this
goal is to develop solutions carefully with that viewpoint in mind.
CHALLENGES ON THE LAST MILE

The first step to providing realistic solutions on the last mile is understanding
the potential show stoppers. The entire solution, including all applications
and the device, has to be easily usable under the circumstances that field
workers face. Utilities must ask some fundamental questions (refer to App
lications/Devices sidebar).
APPLICATIONS
1 Does the application require a lot of typing?
2 Does it require the worker to navigate through

multiple screens?
3 Is the application appropriate for a mobile
display, or was it designed for a larger screen?
Inventory Management/Asset
Tracking is the integration of
inventory tracking with day-today workflow as an ongoing
function. The workflow category
tracks the degradation of aging
equipment more effectively
and adds a location verification
function, which is aided by a
global positioning system. Lastly,
this category makes assets more
easily available for workers.
THE DRIVE-ALONG
When working with clients, we often capture the worker perspective by
spending a full day shadowing one or more workers. This is far superior to
worker interviews, as workers rarely reveal the subtleties of their work when
brought into a meeting room. As well, taking the time to walk a mile in
their shoes gives workers a much-needed acknowledgment of respect for
their hard work in the organization.
4 Does it rely on a desktop-style keyboard with

function keys?
5 Can it work offline? Cloud-only solutions are
not accessible in a sub-basement.
6 Is the application fully compatible with the
main office?
We are a leading provider of

Consulting Engineering Services to the
Utilities Infrastructure Industry
DEVICES
1 Is the device light enough to carry? Heavy

devices are left in the truck.
2 Is the display readable in bright sunlight?
3 Will the device work in extreme cold

conditions, or extreme heat? Is it impervious
to dust and moisture? Will it pass a drop test?
4 Can the battery be hot-swapped? If running

out of battery involves logging in and out, this
can be a huge distraction and time waster.
UTS Consultants Inc. is very aware and responsive to the

UTS Consultants Inc. is very aware and responsive to the
requirements of our clientele. Our philosophy is to provide
requirements of our clientele. Our philosophy is to provide
quality and efficiency and we endeavor to match individual
quality and efficiency and we endeavor to match individual
project expertise to the needs of our clients.
project expertise to the needs of our clients.

Tel: 519.787.1813 Website: www.utsconsultants.ca
5 Can the device be used with a harness to allow

the worker to work unencumbered?
DOS/DONTS
Important tips to improve productivity on

the drive-along
DO look at everything the worker does. Do not limit your
observation to the use of technology. Other opportunities
to use the technology might exist where it currently
remains unutilized.
DONT avoid busy days. Do pick the busiest ones
available. Busy days provide the best opportunity to
assess how technology is being used, or where better
technology is required.
DO ask many questions. Do not wait for the worker to give
you a play by play of his or her job. Very often, the worker
will not spontaneously mention details that he or she
considers obvious to the everyday operative.
DONT make assumptions based on prior knowledge
or experience. Do ask what might feel like dumb
questions. The most important lesson from a drive
along is best understood with the words of Roman poet
Phaedrus: Things are not always what they seem; the
first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few
perceives what has been carefully hidden.
DONT try to be a dispassionate observer. Do show
empathy. Remember, these individuals may be engaged
in dangerous operations, may receive incomplete repair
information, or an impossible schedule. Acknowledging
their situation will build the trust necessary to acquire
the truth.
65
Percentage of enterprise tablet users who

reported that their batteries frequently or
occasionally did not last the full shift
19
The annual failure rate for consumer-grade

tablets, when used in a utility environment
Source: VDC Research
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
The experience of several drive-alongs, along with a thorough

knowledge of the challenges of the last mile, will move electric
utility operations far ahead of the curve when it comes to em
powering worker productivity as well as encouraging workers
to take a more proactive role in the field. As the role of workers
broadens, the need for information in the field will grow. This
level of information, however, can only be delivered if IT ap
proaches the last mile with its eyes open. ET
DO follow-up by sharing acquired knowledge, and

receiving verification and feedback on the understanding
of the workers situation. Do not simply write the report
and move on. Results and conclusions need to be
validated, and validated again.
The drive-along might sound like a major time commitment that is difficult
to justify. However, when a supervisor or an executive considers the enor
mous potential costs of non-adoption, the investment is minor and well
worth the effort.
READ MORE
SMART GRID
ARTICLES CLICK HERE
FEATURE | STATE OF INDUSTRY
2014 T&D
YEAR IN
REVIEW
Wandering from a traditional
to a modern, smarter grid
s 2014 rolls into 2015, what can we say about past and prospective
progress toward a modern, smarter grid? At this juncture, the elec
tric utility industry seems mired more in the erosion of the status
quo than having, much less implementing, a grand plan for a modern,
intelligent grid. The industry cannot return to its former glory, nor can it be
content with its current condition. However, no clear direction or blueprint
is in sight on how to move the power industry to the next level.
Nineteenth century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, Life
can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. We can
say the same for the transformation of the electric grid and the companies
who own and operate it. We know what we are leaving behind and why, but
not so much where we are going or how. Interestingly enough, Kierkegaard
means graveyard and Soren is an affectionate Danish moniker for the
Devil. The legacy grid may not yet be dead and buried, but we can hear Mick
Jagger singing, Hope you guessed my name, um yeah, but whats puzzling you
is the nature of my game.
The nature of the game is a devils playground where mischief occurs on all
fronts. Owners and operators of the existing grid find themselves at the mercy
of manifold adverse external forces outside their control. The frequency,
duration, and severity of weather events are increasing steadily. The physical
security of the grid, or striking lack thereof, grows more worrisome in light
of recent attacks on substations in California and Arizona.
The industry is focusing on the extreme concentration of economic and
operational risks of meeting peak load: building new power plants on the
one hand and the outage of one or more power plants or a handful of key
hub transmission substations on the other hand. At the same time, existing
and new environmental restrictions increasingly constrain the operation of
existing power plants and the construction of new ones. As a result, the thrust
of the industry has been on demand response more than grid transformation.
Cyberattacks mushroom in an increasingly digital power grid. Conser
vation and energy efficiency reduce revenues while costs increase. Distrib
uted generation does the same while making the planning, operation and
management of the power grid more complex and uncontrollable.
Renewable energy sources, which are intermittent and non-dispatchable,
exacerbate this complexity. New, non-utility entities, the dreaded disin

termediaries, offer consumers more and more of what they have always
obtained exclusively from their electric utility. Global competition is ex
ploding for everything that utilities need from fuel, manufactured products,
technology, skilled labor, environmental impact, capital, and even commer
cial and industrial customers.
At the same time, the legacy grid is aging, actually wearing out as depre
ciation increasingly exceeds new investment. Economic, technological and
market risks constrain new investment, leaving the power grid to operate in
a deteriorating run to fail mode. As a result, reliability continues to decline
as the number of major outages (that is, greater than 100 megawatts or
50,000 customers) grows steadily. To make matters worse, age, economics,
and environmental restrictions are causing utilities and regulators to remove
existing power plants from service.
Most electric utility professionals agree that a smarter grid is necessary to
mitigate the aforementioned problems. Some of these professionals visualize
significant advantages of a smarter grid beyond just addressing these issues.
Utilities have made progress in making the grid smarter and there will be more.
2014 TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Energy, electronics, telecommunications, and information technologies con

tinue to improve in performance and decline in cost, consequently, provid
ing even more powerful tools for a modern, intelligent grid.
Photo credit (coin): Yaroslav B
BY STEVEN COLLIER, IEEE Smart Grid Expert
UTILITIES GREATEST CHALLENGES IN 2014
1. Extreme weather
2. Physical security
3. Global competition
INTERNET OF THINGS
As consumers increasingly rely on the Internet of Things (IoT) for their lives
and businesses, the electric utility industry will increasingly do so, too. The
Internet of Things is a virtualized network that interconnects embedded
computing devices found in things to each other (for example, apparel,
appliances, and vehicles) via the Internet. Similarly, intelligent electronic
devices (IED) with digital communications are penetrating the grid. These de
vices, too, will become part of the IoT which, along with new data analytics
applications, will make it possible to operate the power grid with greater
situational awareness, efficiency, reliability, and economy. Utilities are begin
ning to leverage this digital advantage in a variety of ways.
DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Vendors are deploying automated distribution management systems (ADMS)
that can perform fault location, isolation and service restoration (FLISR)
substantially reducing the extent and duration of service outages. The FLISR
functionalities in ADMS systems are gradually expanding to allow utilities
to automatically detect and take action for other events to improve efficiency,
reliability, power quality, and customer service. These features include more
aggressive and effective Volt/VAR optimization and its complements, con
4. Aging infrastructure
5. Renewable energy sources
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servation voltage reduction (CVR) and demand reduction through voltage

control (DRVC). These technologies can reduce losses and customer energy
consumption while at the same time extending the life of transformers and
other distribution system components.
DISTRIBUTION FAULT ANTICIPATION
A few utilities are testing an emerging application known as distribution
fault anticipation (DFA) that analyzes high-speed sampling of the voltage
and current on the distribution system to detect incipient faults and prevent
them before they happen. One example includes detection from transients
on the 60-hertz (Hz) waveform caused by a tree branch brushing a power
line, a transformer overheating, and low-level faults that do not cause break
ers to operate.
DIGITAL SENDING & AUTOMATION
Many electric utilities are considering the use of digital sensing and auto
mation to counter the sensitivity of the power grid to severe weather events,
equipment failures, physical attacks, and even cyberattacks. Utilities can deal
with threats to the reliability and security of the power grid more quickly and
economically through digital agility than trying to harden the grid via highly
capital intensive and long-term improvements (that is, burying transmission
lines, walling in substations, putting critical components in bunkers, adding
redundant generation, transmission and distribution facilities).
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
Renewable energy sources, notably wind and solar PV generation, grew

rapidly in 2014 and utilities are expecting accelerated growth into 2015 and
well beyond. Well over half of the new generation capacity added in the U.S.
the past year has been wind and solar PV with some 100 new rooftop solar
PV installations being installed every day. Wind energy continues to be
deployed more in large-scale utility and/or privately developed wind farms
than through small wind turbines installed by individual customers. Solar
PV is being deployed more in small scale, distributed generation, mostly
on residential, commercial and industrial properties than in massive grid
scale arrays.
DISTRIBUTED GENERATION
Distributed conventional generation continues to grow rapidly as customers
seek to improve the reliability of their power supply, offset their carbon foot
print or hedge against future cost increases. Rapid growth is occurring
with small scale, on-site generators, sometimes owned and operated by the
customer, sometimes owned and operated by a private, non-utility provider.
Some utilities try to fend off this challenge to their monopoly markets
through legislation and regulation while others seek ways to recover the lost
revenue through surcharges or alternative rate designs.
FORWARD-THINKING UTILITIES
A small but growing number of progressive utilities are driving aggressively

forward, undaunted by the turbulence and uncertainty, determined to create
rather than just await the future. More will do so. Consider some examples.
The Electric Power Board in Chattanooga, Tennessee has become per
haps the smartest distribution grid in the country with the deployment of
gigabit Internet throughout the city and utility to become a truly digital
enterprise and, ultimately, a smart city.
One of the largest investor-owned electric utilities in the country, NRG,
is operating nationally across traditional geographical, market and corporate
structure boundaries, participating directly in competitive retail markets and
offering new kinds of products and services including green energy and the
evGo electric vehicle-charging network.
Wright-Hennepin Electric Cooperative Association in Rockford, Minnesota,
is offering customers products and services beyond power and energy and
making them available well outside its historical monopoly franchise service
area. The utility is offering many of the products and services that disintermediaries may offer including standby generation, battery storage, home en
ergy management and community solar photovoltaic (PV), also known as
solar gardens.
SOLAR PV GENERATION
A growing number of progressive electric utilities, most notably public pow
er systems, electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities subject to ag
gressive legislative/regulatory renewable energy standards, are making it
possible for customers to obtain solar PV energy without actually installing
PV arrays on their property.
The utility constructs and operates larger but sill local solar arrays and
allows customers to buy, lease, or subscribe to the output of one or more
Renewable energy sources grew

rapidly in 2014 with accelerated growth
expected in 2015 and well beyond.
HIGHLIGHT
panels in the array. This community solar approach, sometimes called a

solar garden, makes solar PV available to customers who face a variety of
obstacles. Some customers might not have access to solar PV otherwise
because they dont own their residence, dont have appropriate rooftop or
ground area, are impacted by shading from buildings or trees, are not able to
manage the complexities of financing (including tax and other incentives),
or are wary of the difficulties of installation, operations, and maintenance.
Community solar may be the single most disruptive trend to emerge in
the industry for a number of reasons. Solar energy transcends the legacy grid
model in several significant ways. This renewable energy source is smallscale distributed generation instead of large-scale central station generation.
Solar PV energy is a single power source, not an amalgamation of coal,
Distributed conventional generation

continues to grow rapidly as customers
seek to improve the reliability of their
power supply.
HIGHLIGHT
gas, oil, nuclear, wind and solar in a commodity kilowatt-hour. Customers

instead of the utility may own community solar. This form of renewable
energy requires simultaneous metering at two locations for each customer.
The energy inserted into the grid by the solar garden is credited in real time
against consumption in a remote location. It can even be time shifted, as
solar PV output in excess of the customers simultaneous consumption is tem
porarily stored in the grid to be credited against the consumers usage at
another time.
TRANSACTIVE ENERGY
Perhaps most importantly, community solar is a form of transactive energy
exchange. That is, the output of solar PV panels is credited against a consumers
metered energy consumption despite the fact that none of the current from
the remote solar facility may actually flow into the customers premises. What
is the difference between buying or receiving credit for the output of a remote
solar PV panel and buying or receiving credit for energy from other providers
in a competitive retail market? Nothing physically or financially, but lots
institutionally. Moreover, wholesale transactive energy markets have been
operating this way for decades and retail ones already operate successfully
in several parts of North America. All utilities will eventually have to adapt
their planning, engineering, operations, management, metering and pricing
to operate in transactive energy markets, but market analysts do not anticipate
much change on this front in the near term.
2014 ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS MARKET REPORT
Notwithstanding all the hype and angst over the transformation of the power
grid, the overall pace of change in the planning, engineering, operations and
management of generation, transmission and distribution remains slow
due to the tremendous inertia of the legacy grid. This condition has meant
that the day-to-day activities of most electric utility employees have not
changed dramatically. Utility personnel are learning to work with a grow
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ing number of more sophisticated intelligent electronic devices and accom

panying software applications ranging from automatic meter reading (AMR)
/advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to ADMS to geographical in
formation systems (GIS). Information technology skills are becoming more
essential in every area of utility operations, as operation technology and in
formation technology converge.
Additionally, electric utility employees are dealing with the implications
of distributed generation for distribution system planning, analysis, and
operations. Even so, these have not yet profoundly changed the bulk of
their activity, which are the construction, operation and maintenance of
the traditional grid (for example, generators, transformers, power poles and
lines, towers, switches, breakers, fuses, among others) Therefore, the act
ivities of utility engineering and operations employees have pretty much
remained the same as they have been for decades.
Utility personnel are learning to work

with many more sophisticated IEDs and
accompanying software applications.
2014 METERING REVIEW
HIGHLIGHT
Consider the primary point of contact between consumers and their util
itythe meter. About half of the electric meters in the U.S. are still the
decades-old electromechanical versions. Even the new, so-called smart me
ters are not truly revolutionary; they are just electronic versions of the elec
tromechanical meter.
These digital electromechanical meters still have the same form factor,
are installed outside the home or business, look pretty much the same
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from a distance, and are about as helpful to the customer as the old version.
Admittedly, these meters can capture, record and report demand and en
ergy consumption data in intervals rather than just accumulating total
consumption between manual readings by a utility employee. Moreover,
utility employees can obtain meter readings remotely and more often, even
on-demand, via a telecommunications link. Some of the newest smart
meters can even monitor, record, and report other information such as pow
er on/off, voltage, meter base temperature, reverse power flow, and meter
tampering.
Even so, these new and improved digital successors to electromechanical
meters are not truly smart devices in the same way that an iPhone is a smart
phone or a NEST thermostat is a smart thermostat. The meters do not
actually increase grid intelligence or controllability; these meters are really
just more of an advanced cash register. No revolutionary new approach
exists for this component of the electric utility business on the near horizon.
TURNING INNOVATION INTO SUCCESS
Electric utility employees most impacted by the dramatic and rapid change
in the foundations of the electric utility business are those in the executive
suite, the chief executive officer (CEO), the chief financial officer (CFO),
the chief technology officer (CTO), and the chief marketing officer (CMO).
Employees who hold these executive positions must deal with the economic,
regulatory and management implications of dramatic change in the retail
markets as well as in the physical, financial, and institutional underpinnings
of their business. The power industry will challenge these executives to
develop a new vision and strategy and the corresponding new plans, tactics
and logistics in a time of revolutionary change.
As Clayton Christensen asserted in his book, The Innovators Dilemma,
successful, well-run companies can put too much emphasis on customers
current needs and their companys current circumstances and fail to rec
ognize and adopt new business models or technologies that will meet
customers unstated or future needs. These companies eventually fall be
hind, not necessarily because they are poorly managed or not doing the best
that they can. New technologies, new products and services, new business
models, and new market participants will cause the greatest change in
the industry. Since this does not happen overnight, it can lull a successful
company into inaction.
New market entrants, not the incumbent utilities, will be the industry
beyond the edges of the existing grid business model. These new market
entrants do not have the weight of a huge financial stake in an aging and
increasingly obsolete infrastructure. Moreover, new market entrants do not
have the familiarity and comfort with a longstanding business model, which
can increase the fear to take the necessary risks. Market entrants have little
to lose and much to gain and relish entrepreneurial risk. The Movers and
Shakers sidebar lists some notable examples of the kinds of companies that
will most affect the industry in the near future.
New market entrants, not the

incumbent utilities, will be the industry
beyond the edges of the existing grid
business model.
HIGHLIGHT
MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Vendors prepare to move in on utility services
Solar City, a California-based energy provider that
designs, finances, and installs solar power systems,
has fielded more solar PV energy installations
directly to retail customers than all U.S. electric
utilities combined.
Enernoc aggregates retail customers capabilities to
interrupt load at peak demand times and sells those
negawatts into wholesale power markets as virtual
generating plants.
Tesla Motors, a designer and manufacturer of
electric vehicles, with its sister company, Solar
City, aims to make high performance battery
storage affordable through the economies of mass
production of small components (the exact opposite
of electric utilities largely defunct economies of scale
from huge, centralized generation and transmission).
Home automation company NEST Labs trumped
electric utilities smart meters with a home energy
management device, which is indeed smart, similar
to an iPhone and easy for consumers to operate
with their iPhone. Google, in aggregate one of the
largest retail electric utility customers in the U.S.
(in fact, in the world), purchased NEST Labs and is
almost certain to be a major mover as the Smart
Grid converges with the Internet of Things.
Paygo, an integrated utility payments provider,
has taken the utilities crown jewel, the meter, and
the bill, for prepaid, pay-as-you-go, and postpaid
electric service in competitive retail markets and is
positioned to achieve similar results for transactive
energy markets.
Modlet, a New York City-based green technology
company, makes it possible for residential
customers to meter any appliance in their house
through a device that is connected automatically to
the Internet of Things.
2015: THE YEAR AHEAD

Where will the industry go in 2015 and beyond? Unfortunately, the North
American power industry has so far played the role of the reactive victim of
circumstances rather than a proactive creator of a new future. Therefore, the
power industry will likely continue its somewhat desultory wandering into
2015 and beyond. What will happen to the electric grid will be similar to
what happened to the communications grid with the advent of the Internet,
a development that has profoundly changed the world. The fundamentals of
telecommunications networks did not change other than the technologies
improved exponentially in performance at ever-lower costs resulting in ever
faster and improved communications networks and end-user devices.
What changed was how innovators and entrepreneurs were able to con
duct business in fundamentally different ways over the top of and at the edges
of the existing infrastructure with new business models, new products,
new services, new applications, and even private extension of utilities grid
infrastructure. Jeff Bezos stated in a letter to shareholders some twenty years
after Amazon began that It is still day one on the Internet. As the electric
utility industry wanders from 2014 into 2015, every day will be day one on
the Smart Grid. ET
Steven Collier is an IEEE Smart Grid expert whose broad experience includes
being a consultant and executive with energy, telecommunications, and
information technology companies. He is also the Director of Smart Grid
Strategies at Milsoft Utility Solutions.
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Plugging workers into data analytics and information technologies
BY JOHN SIMMINS, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
ollectively, North American electric utilities operate in a unique

environment. They need to serve all willing customers; they are in
one of the most capital-intensive industries; and their product is
consumed immediately. Yet the planning and pricing for that product might
have lead times greater than a year, even as utilities suffer from the same rap
idly evolving technology challenge that affects many other industries. In
particular, for utilities, as assets that are deployed become smarter, greater
amounts of data need to be manageddata from renewable resources,
sensor data, data from smart meters, load management, and provisioning
customers with usage data.
No portion of the power grid is changing more significantly and rapidly
than the electricity distribution system. Traditional distribution system phil
osophy has been to maintain acceptable electrical conditions at the lowest
possible cost for all customers. Recent distribution operating practice seeks
to improve the efficiency and reliability of the distribution system, accom
modate a high penetration of distributed energy resources, and maximize
utilization of existing distribution assets without compromising safety and
established operating constraints. Significant changes to the distribution design and operating practicesoften referred to as grid modernization
are needed to accommodate these requirements. These changes are affect
ing utility systems and creating new sources of dataoften at unprece
dented volumes.
THE FIVE Vs & INTERNET OF THINGS
Doug Laney defined the problem of big data as a three-dimensional space
of orthogonal variables of volume, velocity, and variety in his 2001 report
3-D Data Management: Controlling Data Volume. Laney was operating in a
paradigm of a typical business, such as manufacturing, in which profitability
is often achieved by the minimization of fixed assets; where work in progress
(WIP) is measured in days, weeks or months; and where real-time data col
lection and analysis are often not critical to ensure the profitability of the
organization. The value chain for manufacturing almost always crosses com
pany boundaries, while in the utility industry there are vertically integrated
and de-regulated variants that, nevertheless, have to act exactly the same.
Validity is adding a fourth dimension to Laneys model in which time

is considered. Information in the utility environment often has a shelf life
and is only useful, and therefore needs to be stored, for a fixed amount of
time. After that time, the data may no longer be needed for evaluation. The
questions of when to archive or even dispose of data become relevant given
the cost of storing large quantities of data.
Veracity is the fifth dimension and is the recognition that the data is not
perfect and that achieving perfect data has an associated cost. The ques
tions become what quality must the data be in to achieve the necessary level
of analysis, and at what point does the cost of correcting the data exceed the
benefit of obtaining it?
Exacerbating the situation is the rise of the concept of the internet of
things (IoT). The IoT comes about when the Internet and networks be
come so pervasive that they touch and even interact with nearly every object
that one experiences. This concept is increasingly being talked about in
manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and yes, utilities. In short, the IoT
means that every object will have a tale to tellinformation that could be
relevant, if only it were accessed, visualized, analyzed, and acted upon.
So, how does the average workerthe average mobile workertap
into the power of the internet of things? Two of the key enablers will be
augmented reality and wearable computers.
50 BILLION
Estimated number of devices connected to the Internet

by 2020, according to Cisco Systems. Many of those
devices are sensors, loads, resources and other devices
that play a role in the supply and demand of electricity.
DATA VISUALIZATION
Visualization, reporting, and dashboarding are not new concepts associated
with data analysis. These back-office methodologies for data analytics are
removed from the objects they analyze. When data and images are married
Beam
Splitter
Relay
Optics
Observer
to real objects in the field, we have produced an experience called augmented
reality (AR). True AR is when the view of the real world is modified and
enhanced by a digital layer added to it. On the spectrum between the real
world and virtual reality (which creates an immersive, computer generated
environmentthink Star Treks holodecks), augmented reality is closer to
the real world. Augmented reality adds graphics, sounds, haptic feedback
(that is, touch capabilities), and smell to the real world of the user.
Some other familiar examples of augmented reality include looking at
a QR (quick response) code printed on a page through AR glasses or an
AR-enabled smart device, producing a three-dimensional image or movie.
Another example is using an AR-enabled smart device to obtain information
about a point of interest such as a restaurant or tourist attraction.
Given the maturity of the technology, electric utilities could begin to real
ize the value to the industry in the next couple of years. As augmented reality
technology becomes more commonplace and standards evolve, utilities could
expect an acceleration in savings. Savings to the industry will occur in im
proved, efficient business processes, training, and safety. Currently, the Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI) can anticipate the impact of this technology
in the following four areas.
Augmented reality will be the window

into the internet of things.
-- Brian Mullen, CIO Daqri at Augmented World Expo, Santa Clara 2014
Image
Source
Virtual
Image
Illustration is
the basic science
behind augmented
reality, projecting
images or data
on the users view
of reality using
a wearable,
visual display.
Visualization: Providing valuable, real-time, or historical information to

workers within the context of their environment
Education and training: Bringing institutional knowledge and skills to
the worker
Workflow: Smoothing workflow by integrating data and application inter
faces into the visual context of the worker
Testing: Providing data or visualizations of desired results to the worker
performing the tests
ADDRESSING BIG DATA & IoT
The problem with the five Vs, words used to describe Big Data, is often one of
having too much data and not enough information. Too often, information is
not available to the necessary individuals at the necessary time. Who does not
remember trying to correlate numbers from a green-bar printout, a spreadsheet,
and figures buried in a stack of hand-written notes? Digitization of the data
does not necessarily eliminate this hunt and pick method of data matching.
Many emerging technologies are currently in development for collecting and
analyzing data. The question is how can utilities move these technologies to the
field to workers with no desks, only two hands (that need to be on the work),
and limited experience with analysis. The answer is augmented reality. The
following are some examples of augmented reality tackling Big Datas five Vs.
Volume
In the field, the data available could be limited to a specific device or specific
time frame, limiting the amount of information. By pointing the augmented
reality platform at a device, the software could identify the device and return
only the pertinent data for that device.
Velocity
The augmented reality platform may be in direct contact with the smart de
vice and display streaming data as a value, an indicator (such as red, yellow,
green), or graphically.
Variety
The augmented reality platform could provide an in-field mashup of
data from different sources. For example, temperature from a smart device
with a Bluetooth radio and installation date of that smart device from a
back-end database.
Validity
If the augmented reality platform in the field interrogated a smart device
without depending on a feed from some back office, workers could view the
data in the context of the environment in real time.
A mock-up of data mashing in the field using

augmented reality and wearable computer
(in this case, smart glasses) that shows locally
collected data (temperature via Bluetooth radio)
and installation date from an asset repository
Veracity
The capability to match data with a device in the field could eliminate ob
viously incorrect data without manipulation. For example, a transformer
that is erroneously reporting dramatically high temperatures to the back
office while visual inspection and local temperature reading verify that no
problems exist in ongoing operations.
WEARABLE COMPUTERS
A wearable computer is any body-borne, intelligent device worn above, below,
or as clothing. These devices are a step up from the sensors and monitors
workers have been wearing for some time in that they contain a central pro
cessing unit that can make complex decisions about inputs and not just react
to them. The most common forms of wearable computers are smart phones,
watches, and smart glasses. These new devices interact with their human
owners in a unique way; users do not necessarily have to stop work to use the
device. The device becomes an extension of the users mind or body.

Wearable computers are the natural end game of the miniaturization of
computers. Initially, engineers developed wearable computers as specialpurpose devices worn by the user on or under clothing. In the last several
years, wearable computers have emerged as fully functional devices capable
of much more computational support than hardware coded logic. The basic
tenet of wearable computers is that the device augments the actions of the
user and multitasking becomes seamless because the human-machine
interface has become seamless.
The wearable device receiving the most press of late is Google Glass, a
smartphone-like hands-free head set. This wearable device has various fea
tures that allow the user to look at online content, record events, and interact
with streaming data. Although not truly AR capable, the wearable device is
the most common association the public has with augmented reality and
wearable computers. Google Glass technology has numerous applications
in utilities but is currently hampered by the lack of a ruggedized version
one that works as both a wearable computer and personal protection equip
ment (PPE).
Early entrant into wearable computers,

Google Glass, is finding uses in utilities.
Smart glasses are another step in the

evolution of wearable computing. We
can expect to see the proliferation of
personal devices being used to document
and monitor our daily lives and overlay
information on the world around us.
-- Geri Gay, Professor of Communications, Cornell University
THE WEARABLE COMPUTER CHALLENGE

The wearable computer market is comparable with where the cell phone,
bankcard, and internet browser technologies were a couple of years after their
introduction. Different vendors use different programming languages, dif
ferent operating platforms, and different augmented reality technologies.
Very little currently interoperates. Right now, more than 100 vendors man
ufacture and distribute wearable computers, glasses and other technologies.
If history is any guide, only a fraction of those companies will be in existence
in five years. The research challenge is to recognize that and develop the
technologies so that utilities are not left with a dumpster full of unsupported,
un-upgradable devices five years from now.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
Similar to a window in the bottom of a glass-bottom boat,

augmented reality on a platform such as a wearable computer
allows field workers to see into a world of information usually
invisible. As these technologies become more ubiquitous in
society, the pressure to use them in the utility context will
continue to build. Developing the communication platforms,
standard messages, and visualization technologies will de
mand an industry-wide, collaborative research effort. The
goal is the connected workforce through timely, unobtrusive
displays of information that enhance the efficiency and safety
of the worker. ET
John Simmins, PhD, is a Technical Executive at the Electric Power Research
institute (EPRI) where he leads the EPRI efforts in the use of augmented reality,
social media, data analytics, and visualization to improve outage restoration
efforts and improve grid resilience.
READ MORE
SMART GRID
ARTICLES CLICK HERE
OVERHEAD T&D
CHANNEL
TRANSMISSION LINE DESIGN

Taking 3-D drawing techniques to new technological heights
BY BOB ZAPPITELLI, & HAROLD HARKONEN, Nordmin Engineering
istorically, transmission line design and drafting has been an ardu

ous task. It often involved an iterative manipulation of several par
ameters 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 are to be accounted for in the design
of the overhead transmission line.
Following this, structure locations are then spotted, and conductors strung
using conductor sag templates. The two-dimensional design process is very
time consuming and, while effective, leaves several opportunities for error. As
all of the aforementioned stages are completed manually, any changes made
during an iteration must be carefully implemented. If changes are required
near the end of the project, they tend to have a ripple down effect, which can
have a major impact on other areas of the design.Typical structure design
Figure 1: PLS-CADD Sheets view showing design details
Rendering of river
crossing design using
steel lattice towers
and spotting techniques are often based on rules-of-thumb, where the
structure has been given a design envelope and the spotting process involves
selecting a location that does not exceed the limits imposed by this envelope.
Current techniques involve analyzing each structure on an individual basis
based on its location along the line route. This allows for fewer restrictions
during spotting and maximizes the structures utilization potential.
The question has long been how can a utility reduce the time and effort
required during the design and drafting process while simultaneously in
creasing accuracy and efficiency. The answer is an integrated three-di
mensional software package that allows the designer to maintain all aspects
of the design process in one platform. The leading edge software packages
incorporate all aspects of the design process from terrain modelling, align
ment selection, structure spotting, stringing, drafting, and detailed analysis.
All of this is part of a complete live; dynamic project where changes are cap
tured and cascaded automatically through the design (refer to Figure 1).
The integration with orthophotography and topographic data, specifically
LiDAR (light and radar) remote sensing technology data, has been a signif
icant leap forward in the engineering process. Inclusion of these elements to

the design process allows for a nearly instantaneous development of align
ment selection and ground profile generation (refer to Figure 2).
The entire process takes place in a three-dimensional environment, which
allows the user to visualize all aspects of the line and understand how
changes affect development. With accurate data, the output of this software
can be as close to true-to-life construction as imaginable. Three-dimensional
renderings of the line can easily be exported into several output formats to
allow all stakeholders involved in the project to visualize the transmission
line before the first turn of the shovel.
VALUE TO CUSTOMERS
The software allows an integrated approach with all stakeholders. Preliminary
designs can be presented in a format that all groups can understand. The
most significant format is the ability to fly the transmission line in 3-D.
During the design phase, consultation with the public, owners, contractors,
and governing bodies can all be sought for their input. Their comments can
then be easily incorporated into the design at an early stage in an effort to
minimize changes down the road during construction. This yields a more
effective working relationship with involved parties since everyone can vis
ualize and understand the design. This is often difficult to communicate util
izing two-dimensional drawings, and items of concern are often missed.
Optimization of the transmission line is a key aspect of what 3-D line
design software affords. As the overhead line design model is alive, struc
ture spotting, sag/tension, anchoring locations are all dynamic. Changing
elements, such as pole height, pole class, anchoring locations, and conductor
tensions can have a drastic effect on clearances and material selection. This
Figure 2: 3-D view of river crossing with Google Earth imagery
River Crossing with Google imagery
River crossing with terrain
MODEL
Vs.
ACTUAL
Figure 3: 3-D model in PLS-CADD vs. actual photo following construction
optimization feature can happen in hours as opposed to days or weeks as

with traditional design. Small optimizations, such as reducing the class of
pole, can have a significant reduction to the overall cost of the line as the
change cascades throughout the entire length.
ENGINEERING DELIVERABLES
Entire aspects of the overhead transmission line design model are main
tained in database files. Multiple design codes and standards, including struc
ture loading and environmental requirements, can be maintained and im
plemented as required. Most can handle material and labour accounting as
well. In doing so, a preliminary alignment can easily generate a budgetary
estimate based on the quantities of materials required to construct the line
as well as the labor required for installation.
Structure files are parametric families that allow several different height
and class combinations to be dressed with similar hardware. This feature is
exceedingly useful in the optimization of the transmission line. Structures
that are well below their utilization and/or exceed clearances can be easily
exchanged for the same structure type with decreased capacity. This trans
lates to direct savings for the constructor of the line.
Typically, these software packages automate the process of drafting and
report generation. The software will easily integrate with standard computerFREE Subscription: www.electricity-today.com
aided design (CAD) drafting tools enabling the user to import title blocks,
planimetric data, aerial photography, company logos, or any other data that
is specific to the client. Ultimately, the final output of this effort is the plan
and profile sheets. Within this environment, once the plan and profile sheets
are established, any changes to the design are updated in real-time. This pro
cess significantly reduces the time it takes to generate these deliverables and
issue them to stakeholders.
LAST LOOK
In time, line design software will likely incorporate more

design features to allow for conductor sizing calculations,
calculation of network parameters and lightning protection
features to allow engineers and designers to provide clients
with a complete package that is developed from a single
model file. The goal of this integrated design effort is, and will
always be, to reduce error and streamline design processes
to provide the client with the most optimal, cost effective,
reliable, and safe installation possible. ET
LINEMAN SAFETY
CHANNEL
BETTER
SAFE
THAN
SORRY
BY IVANA STRGACIC, Strategies for the Environment Inc.
eliability (that is, keeping the lights on) is at the forefront of electric
utility business plans. Another important item that takes priority
in these plans is electrical safety. Linemen are part of the overall
equation when power outages occur, so implementing the most efficient bus
iness safety practices possible is paramount. One way that utilities can ach
ieve zero injuries in the workplace is by implementing an occupational health
and safety management system (OHSMS).
An OHSMS is part of a companys overall management system that manages
the risks related to an organizations activities: a set of interrelated processes
that are managed with policies, procedures, defined responsibilities, training,
and appropriate equipment. This type of management system is how utility
executives operate their business.
Electric utilities can operate an OHSMS informally, similar smaller com
panies, or very formally, with documentation of all policies and procedures.
The companys activities can affect not just their own workers, but also
their contractors, visitors and even the public. The impact of a companys
activities affecting the public is a common concern to electric utilities. Work
performed by many utility workers is not accomplished in the protective shell
of a manufacturing facility, behind closed walls. Utility work is performed
in the world, affected by pedestrians walking underneath a power line or
past a trench, or by drivers cutting too close to the marked work site at an
intersection. The public can be at risk and can be the risk.
Managing sub-contractors is another concern to electric utilities. Respons
ibilities cannot be completely relinquished to sub-contractors, particularly
when they are working right alongside utility employees. Understanding
and managing the risks related with the use and interaction of sub-con
tractors is an important component of an occupational health and safety
management system.
How to protect
workers with an
OHSMS system
IMPLEMENTATION
When an organization indicates that it has an OHSMS, this means that it has
a formalized process for managing risks. Many published standards such
as the international specification OHSAS 18001, and Canadian Standards
Associations CSA Z1000: Occupational Health and Safety Management
provide formalized structures for effective health and safety management.
The similarities and differences of these standards are beyond the scope of
this article. However, these standards collectively follow the basic principles of
the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) model (refer to Figure 1).
Following the PDCA model provides an already tried and true framework
(an infinite circle of improvement), thus paving the path for successful health
and safety management implementation.
Now, for the next hurdleproviding sound reasons why electric utilities
should invest time, effort, and money in implementing an occupational
health and safety management system. Benefits fall into a few main categories:
employees, reputation, and business.
EMPLOYEES
The main building block of an OHSMS is identifying all hazards and risks
related to activities performed by utility workers. Utilities cannot manage
what is not known. By identifying all applicable risks, utilities can sys
tematically identify and implement needed controls. This way, utilities can
maximize the safety of their workers.
Employee retention is another important factor to consider. Money is
not the only reason employees seek employment with another company;
an unsafe and uncomfortable work environment plays a huge rolepar
ticularly in higher risk industries.
A well-controlled occupational health and safety management system
will result in the reduction of a utilitys incident rates. An OHSMS is what
the ministries of labor are guiding companies toward with their safety
Figure 1
Plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle, also known as Demings cycle
P
plan
Plan how to manage identified risks

Do (implement) the defined plans through
development of procedures, training, and equipment
Check progress against the implementation of the

plans and make necessary corrections
Act (improve) on lessons learned and set new path

Source: OHSAS 18001: Occupational Health and Safety Management
groups. A positive safety record is not proof of a safe company, it is proof of a

lucky company. An OHSMS with a positive safety record is a safe company
according to insurance boards. In Alberta, electric utilities can qualify for
a discount in workplace insurance premiums if certified with a Certificate
of Recognition (CORTM), an established certification program used across
Canada that provides companies with a tool for assessing and enhancing its
health and safety management system.
REPUTATION
In order for a business to be successful, its reputation needs to be protected.
A negative safety record is becoming a factor for companies when they
examine their supply chains.
act
do
check
In the electrical industry, an increased number of power generators and dis
tribution companies are examining their supply chain and asking questions
about their suppliers safety records.
A well-structured OHSMS will help manage the information requested
by customers. Currently, a number of companies subscribe to ISNetWorld,
and require that their suppliers submit their health and safety information
to be reviewed as part of the supplier evaluation process. An OHSMS will
help provide the structure and management needed to provide the nec
essary information.
Additionally, a utilitys reputation with regulators is important. A pos
itive safety record prevents labor inspector visits. An occupational health
and safety management system provides the structure, such as incident
investigation and corrective action, to respond to and satisfy visiting in
spectors. An OHSMS helps utilities develop record retention processes so
that management can easily retrieve the necessary information. A poorly
managed company, with respect to health and safety, becomes a target with the
ministry of labor and can cause many more visits to occur.
BUSINESS
Electric utilities need reliable employees and a positive reputation with its
customers to maintain and increase success. However, utilities can finan
cially benefit directly and indirectly from a well-managed occupational
health and safety management system. Directly related to a workplace in
jury is cost of increased insurance rates, regulatory fines and charges, and
property damage.
However, what can hurt utilities are the intrusive indirect costs. For ex
ample, utilities spend a lot of time and effort training qualified personnel.
It takes a long time for employees to be efficient at their jobs. Replacements
require training and time to get up to speed, thus slowing production down;
production downtime and investigations take time away from production
and other activities, and for a critical injury, an entire operation or job site
will be shut down.
Initially, the efforts to implement an OHSMS might not appear cost
effective. However, once understood and realized, the benefits of a struc
tured program are well received and continual improvement is expected
by everyone. ET
READ MORE
LINEMAN SAFETY
Ivana has been implementing and improving occupational health and safety
management systems for companies for over 15 years.
ARTICLES
COMMENTS: ivana@strategies4enviro.com
CLICK HERE
POST-CUEE REPORT | EVENT REVIEW
CUEE 2014 REVIEW

Most memorable moments
The CUEE show provided a number of other

memorable highlights. Check out exclusive
images from the 2014 CUEE show.
he Canadian Utilities Equipment and Engineering Show (CUEE)

showcases utility products and services with inspiring displays of
equipment, technologies, and services related to the utility sector.
The MEARIE Group and the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA)
host the show every two years. The 2014 show certainly did not disappoint.
Electricity Todays Editor-in-Chief ascends

to new heights in Altec bucket truck
CUEE brought out many heavy hitters including HD Supply, Composite

Power, S&C Electric, and other noteworthy names. Delegates were given the
opportunity to try out equipment. I had the opportunity to ascend to new
heights in a bucket truck, courtesy of Altec.
Exhibitors enthusiastically provided demonstrations of their latest offer
ings to delegates. Jeremy Bartel, from FLIR used one of their showcased infra
red cameras to show us the hot spots at the Electricity Today Magazine booth.
Electricity Today Magazine CUEE booth in

infrared, courtesy of FLIR
Photo credit (Electricity Today hot spot): Jeremy Bartel, FLIR
BY PHILL FELTHAM, Editor-in-Chief
Photo credit (CUEE images): The MEARIE Group
Customer questions answered by industry experts
Bucket truck rides provided an uplifting and

memorable CUEE experience
Many opportunities to try out equipment
Outdoor exhibits provided a hands-on

experience with large equipment
Expert advice on industry tools

Many opportunities to meet exhibitors
Busy booths and lots of interaction with customers

Scanning your badge at the CUEE passport checkpoint provided chances to win prizes
EDIST2015
CONFERENCE
& EXHIBITION
ELECTRICITY, DISTRIBUTION, INFORMATION SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY
www.edist.ca
January
14-16
2015
Keeping pace with the
New Normal
HILTON SUITES DONALD COUSENS CONFERENCE CENTRE
Presented By:
POST-CUEE REPORT | EXHIBITOR SPOTLIGHT
CUEE EXHIBITORS SPEAK

Comments from this years participants
DMC Power
We thank CUEE, the delegates, attendees, exhibitors, staff, and representatives for a great show.
DMC Power has been providing connection
solutions for the substation, transmission, and
distribution industries for decades and has been a
rapidly growing presence in Canada. Our unique
360 Swage System has been proven on many job
sites throughout Canada and tested at Kinectrics
in Toronto and Powertech in British Columbia
to outperform welded and bolted connection
systems in tensile, bending, vibration, corona/RIV
(radio interference voltage), current cycle, and
fault current testing.
During the CUEE Demo Stage, DMC Power
provided the audience with a presentation of
the 360 Swage System. We showed how anyone
could install cable, bus, grounding, extra high
voltage (EHV), or transmission connectors in any
weather condition, quickly and safely with just
the push of a button.
The ease of the inspection process was also
demonstrated. With our simple check gauge,
users can guarantee the connection is perfect for
life in just a few seconds. This presentation really
stirred the conversation and the open forum led
many of the delegates to our booth.
At the DMC Power booth (#408), we were able
to further demonstrate our unique Swage Tool in
a more personal setting.
Discussions regarding the obstacles that are
faced on substation and transmission projects
and how partnering with DMC Power can ease
those pressure points were popular topics. A lot
of attention was generated by our new-products
showcase that highlighted large-scale substation
and transmission projects at 230kV and above.
Visitors were impressed with our breadth of
more than 25,000 different part numbers and the
custom solutions we provide, developing new
ones every day to fit their particular needs.
Thank you again for meeting with the DMC
Power Canada team. Clients have support across
Canada, as DMC Power Canada Team. We look
forward to returning in 2016 for another exciting
CUEE show.
LaPrairie
We want to thank the attendees, exhibitors, and other individuals involved in
making LaPrairies participation at CUEE
a successful one.
LaPrairie, a division of Wesco Distribution Canada LP, is an electrical distributor
in Ontario with a primary focus on the
utility/municipal market and contractors
related to this sector. LaPrairie is committed to providing the best products
available and is dedicated to customer
services and after-sales assistance.
LaPrairie represents and distributes suppliers with a proven track record of quality and integrity, along with being on
the leading edge of technology. At LaPrairie, we consider our clients as partners and offer value-added services to assist
our customers in achieving their goals and objectives.
S&C Electric
We thank CUEE, the delegates, attendees, exhibitors, staff, and representatives for a
great show.
S&C Electric, specialists in distribution power switching, protection and control has
been an innovator in the electrical industry since 1911. This year, we were pleased
to debut our Vista SD switchgear and our TripSaver II Cutout-Mounted Recloser with
Service Center Configuration.
Vista SD is the industrys first practical solid-dielectric switchgear with a clear and
visible open gap and field-replaceable bushings. TripSaver II is a fully programmable
vacuum interrupting cutout-mounted recloser.
In addition to providing improved distribution system reliability, with the new
TripSaver II Service Centre Configurability feature, utilities can now configure the
products protection settings at their own service centers.
During the CUEE Demo Stage, S&Cs Carey Cook presented the audience with the
Vista SD Switchgear. Carey showed the delegates the completely submersible design,
suitable for application in subsurface vaults subject to flooding, easy-to-follow mimic
bus and indicators on the front of the switchgear to convey the position of each
switch and fault interrupter and its isolating disconnect and the clearly visible open
gap, the easiest to see in the industry.
Many in the audience visited our booth to see these features first hand. Our booth
was lively with delegate discussions and operation demonstrations of this innovative
product. The visible open gap feature generated a great deal of discussion about the
operational safety benefits.
At the S&C Electric booth (#506), delegates spilled out into the isles while we demonstrated both the TripSaver II and the Vista SD switchgear. TripSavers cutout-mounted
design appealed to utilities looking for lower total cost recloser installations. The service
centre configurability allows the user to select from a vast number of for time-current
characteristic curves. The drop out design also aids in the restoration efforts by making
the locked out recloser easy to identify.
The Vista SD was equipped with a motorized operator with a remote control.
Delegates were able to operate the equipment while they were asking questions and
exchanging comments with S&Cs sales team.
Aside from these two offerings, S&C also demonstrated the 38kV IntelliRupter
PulseCloser. Its numerous applications, including rapid self-healing Intelliteam SG
distribution automation, were also discussed.
Thank you again for meeting with the S&C Electric Canada team. S&C Electric
Canada is proud to say that we are a Canadian original equipment manufacturer
(OEM) that services our customers from Canada. We look forward to returning in 2016
for another exciting CUEE show.
Nordmin Engineering
We thank CUEE, the delegates, attendees,
exhibitors, staff, and representatives for an
impressive and informative show.
Nordmin Engineering is a leading consulting engineering firm that provides engineering design solutions to utilities, power
producers, and the industrial sector.
The global energy sector continues to
grow and expand, to both meet the needs
of an ever-growing population and economy, and also to replace aging and obsolescent equipment. Nordmins team members
have been involved in energy projects for
more than 25 years, ranging from system
upgrades and improvements to the design
of new transmission, distribution, and generation facilities.
During the CUEE show, our team members were able to illustrate what services
Nordmin Engineering is capable of offering
and the technologies we utilize to fulfill our
clients needs. We develop 3-D parametric
models, from initial concept through detailed design engineering and drafting. Conceptual and design drafting work is completed in Revit, Inventor, and CADWORX.
Structural Engineering designs are completed in S-FRAME, and ANSYS software,
Electrical Engineering designs are completed using CDEGS, ETAP, Easypower, and
PLS-CADD software. The completed individual models from generation facility to
transmission line connection are integrated
into a single overall project model.
Thank you for meeting with the Nordmin
Engineering team. Nordmin provides a comprehensive range of power system solutions
to our clients. We have extensive experience in evaluating and upgrading existing
installations as well as providing completely
integrated power system designs.
The power systems team has a history
of utilizing expert knowledge and understanding to ensure a safe and reliable
power system for our clients. We look
forward to seeing everybody in 2016 for
another exciting CUEE show.
Novinium
We thank CUEE, the delegates, attendees,
exhibitors, staff, and representatives for a
great show.
Aging underground residential distribution
(URD) infrastructure continues to be one of
the top challenges currently faced by circuit
owners and Novinium is here to help.
Novinium combines innovative, patented,
cable-injection techniques and advanced,
second-generation rejuvenation fluids to
dramatically improve system reliability by extending the useful life of a utilitys URD cables
up to 40 yearsat a fraction of the cost of
replacing cables.
Visitors to our booth were impressed by the
fact that only Novinium offers the range of
solutions that lower the total cost of reliability
and guarantee up to 40 years of post-injection cable performance.
Most delegates wanted to discuss how cable
rejuvenation is performed with our patented
Sustained Pressure Rejuvenation (SPR). Our
SPR injection method replaces all splices and
accessories and the cable is injected under
moderate pressure to return the cable to its
full dielectric strength in as soon as seven days.
Even in cases where splices are inaccessible,
Novinium offers the improved Unsustained
Pressure Rejuvenation (iUPR) injection process.
The Tailored Injection approach allows utilities to choose to employ both iUPR and SPR
injection methods to maximize the number
of segments injected, avoid digging difficult
splices, and seal cable ends so fluid does not
fill elbows and splice bodies. Only Novinium
offers Tailored Injection, which delivers the
best cable reliability for the maximum number of segments and matches the rejuvenation approach to the circuit owners budget,
performance, and project requirements.
Thank you again for meeting with the
Novinium team. Novinium has served many
customers throughout Canada and our
dedicated team is always available to discuss
future projects and assist on job sites. We
look forward to returning in 2016 for another
exciting CUEE show. ET
TODAYS ELECTRICITY | THE BULLETIN BOARD
Reviewing Canadas cross-border power trade

BY INGRID EKTVEDT, TAB GANGOPADHYAY, MARCELLA MATZEIT,
National Energy Board
anada had another exciting electricity export year in 2013. This iss
ues The Bulletin Board briefly outlines the key trade highlights and
gives a high-level overview of the National Energy Boards (NEBs)
involvement in the regulation of electricity exports and international power
lines. The NEB is a Canadian independent federal regulatory tribunal,
established in 1959.
CANADIAN TRADE HIGHLIGHTS
After a substantial increase in the early 1990s, largely a result of the use of
spare capacity in Manitoba, Ontario and Qubec, total annual quantities of
electricity exports to the U.S. have varied significantly. For example, over the
last ten years, gross electricity exports ranged between 33 terawatt-hours
(TWh) and 63 TWh annually, and averaged 50 TWh. Net electricity exports
averaged 30 TWh over the same period.
Provinces that usually export large amounts of electricity are those with
predominantly hydro-based generation. Typically, high export years coin
cide with high precipitation years, when a surplus relative to domestic needs
occurs, as was the case in 2013.
Net exports reached an all-time high of 52 TWh in 2013, largely due to
the availability of surplus energy in Ontario and Qubec. The availability of
hydro supply in Qubec has been well established for many years. However,
more recently, excess Ontario supply has been available due, in part, to the sur
plus created when two large nuclear power units returned to service in late
2012despite the retirement of close to 3,000 megawatts of coal-fired capacity.
Continuing the trend from 2012, imports remained low in 2013. Nationally,
Canada is only now returning to pre-2009 electricity consumption levels. As
Canadian supply is fairly strong overall, Canadas import needs were lower.
Absolute prices have fallen substantially for both imports and exports
of electricity since 2008. A slow recovery from the economic downturn in
2009 has resulted in relatively low continental electricity demand. Electricity
prices in most export markets in the U.S. remain significantly eroded as
compared against historical levels. Although record trade volumes are not
translating into record earnings, as of 2013, export revenues have begun to
turn the corner and are slowly increasing.
Overall, Canadian net exports for 2013 increased more than 10 percent
over 2012, and net revenue increased by a solid 25 percent over the same
period. These signs of revenue recovery will provide positive signals for
companies to invest in new generation as well as transmission capacity
between Canada and the U.S. which, in the end, may result in increased trade.
REGIONAL TRADE HIGHLIGHTS
In 2013, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan were net-importers
of power from the United States. The most active power-trading province in
western Canada, British Columbia uses its extensive hydraulic based system
to import and export energy at the most economically advantageous times.
In contrast, provinces east of Saskatchewan have been net-exporters to the
U.S., with the exception of Nova Scotia. Qubec, Ontario, and Manitoba
earned over 90 percent of the $2 billion net export revenues in 2013. These
three provinces were also responsible for 80 to 90 percent of all Canadian
exports over the past six years.
Exports into New York, New England, and the U.S. Pacific Northwest, have
been recovering steadily since the slowdown between 2008 and 2010, when
exports declined due to slow economic activity and electricity requirements
in those regions. Exports to the Midwest have been persistently shrinking
since 2009. The Midwest has surplus power and energy resulting from cap
acity additions, in anticipation of coal shutdowns, combined with rapid
growth in local wind power.
Figure 1
Figure 1: Annual Canadian Electricity Exports, Imports and Export Revenue, 2008-2013
70.0
62.6
60.0
Many U.S. jurisdictions have renewable port

folio standards which specify that a certain
percentage of generation must come from re
newable power sources. Where electricity gen
erated from large hydro projects qualifies for
inclusion in those standards, Qubec, British
Columbia., Manitoba, and Newfoundland and
Labrador are well positioned for export sales.
Current policy in some provinces is supportive of building generation and transmission
capacity to increase exports to neighboring
provinces and U.S. states. Hydropower has
the advantage of being flexible in its capacity
to store energy behind dams. Output can be
adjusted relatively quickly in response to
variations in demand as well as intermittent
renewable supply, such as wind or solar. In
addition, hydro is not subject to the volatility
of fuel supply costs, so it promotes price
stability over the long term.
Billion $
TW.h
4.5
57.9
55.5
3.8
51.2
51.1
50.0
3.5
43.6
3
40.0
2.4
2.5
2.4
2
30.0
1.8
2
1.5
20.0
1
10.0
0.5
0.0
0
2008
2009
2010
Exports (Sales)
2011
2012
Imports (Purchases)
2013
Gross Export Revenue
Electricity exports, imports, and export revenue 2008 to 2013

CLEANER & GREENER ENABLES TRADE
Electricity markets on both sides of the border are responding to new envi
ronmental regulations, relatively low natural gas prices and rapidly declining
costs for renewable energy.
In contrast with the U.S. generation mix, where approximately 50 percent
of installed generation is still coal-fired, overall, Canadas generation mix
is dominated by hydro and is becoming greener over time. At the provincial
and territorial level, the electricity supply mix varies significantly reflecting
types of energy available, economic considerations, and policy choices. In
2013 and early 2014, Ontario shut down its remaining coal-fired units at
the Nanticoke and Lambton generating stations. Therefore, Canadas new
coal-fired generation regulations will mostly affect Alberta, Saskatchewan,
and Nova Scotia.
ELECTRICITY REGULATION
While exports typically represent less than 10
percent of the output of Canadian generation
capacity, trade is increasingly important on
both sides of the border. Due to the vast geographical distances from east
to west, and since most of Canadas population lives in close proximity to
the U.S. border, in many cases, provinces have greater trade potential with
neighbouring states than with other provinces.
In recent years, the goals of expanding trade and strengthening system
reliability have resulted in greater interest in building new interconnections
between Canada and the United States. Companies seeking to export elec
tricity or to construct, operate, or abandon either an international power line
or a designated interprovincial power line, must first obtain approval from
the National Energy Board. NEB authorizations are in the form of permits,
certificates, or licences depending on the type of application. The Canadian
Parliament has established criteria in the NEB Act for NEBs consideration
when reviewing new applications.
Figure 2
CAN
Exp 54 031 GW.h
Imp 16 162 GW.h
NET +37 869 GW.h
BC
BC
Exp 8 176 GW.h
Imp 10 075 GW.h
NET -1 899 GW.h
AB
SK
MB
MB
AB
Exp 153 GW.h
Imp 730 GW.h
NET -577 GW.h
SK
Exp 105 GW.h
Imp 281 GW.h
NET -176 GW.h
Exp 9 238 GW.h

Imp 261 GW.h
NET +8 977 GW.h
QC
NL
ON
ON
Exp 14 377 GW.h
Imp 2 946 GW.h
NET +11 431 GW.h
QC
Exp 20 655 GW.h
Imp 1 000 GW.h
NET +19 655 GW.h
PE
NB NS
NB
Exp 1 318 GW.h
Imp 707 GW.h
NET +611 GW.h
NS
Exp 9 GW.h
Imp 161 GW.h
NET -152 GW.h
Exports and imports: average of 2008 to 2013 (GWh)
A stable flow of
electric power is
critical for electricity
trade between any
two countries
The NEB monitors trade activities and requires all exporters and importers
of electricity to report their activities monthly. The National Energy Board
compiles the submitted data and posts statistics on its website for public or
other government department use, such as Statistics Canada. Additionally,
the trade data is used for analysis when the NEB prepares energy market
reports and for modelling purposes when reporting on Canadas long-term
energy future.
Distances between Canadian supply and U.S. demand are usually shorter
than the east-west distances between those same generation facilities and
Canadian domestic demand in other provinces. Therefore, most of the trans
mission and trade occurs in a north-south direction, between provinces
and states, rather than east-west. Although international power lines con
stitute only a small portion of the total transmission system in North
America, they link the Canadian provincial systems to adjacent markets
in the United States and provide reliable, sustainable, and relatively af
fordable energy to U.S. markets.
Both the National Energy Board and provincial authorities have reg
ulatory jurisdiction over projects that include international power lines. In
most cases, the NEB has jurisdiction from the last domestic transformer/
converter station in Canada to the international border while the individual
province has jurisdiction upstream over the last domestic transformer/
converter station. The National Energy Board does not regulate financial
aspects of international power lines such as tolls and tariff matters.
The most recent NEB permit to construct and operate an international
power line was issued to Montana Alberta Tie Line Ltd. in March 2007. A
number of large international power line projects are currently in the plan
ning stages, for example, the 1000-megawatt Champlain-Hudson power
express between Qubec and New York City and the 500-kilovolt ManitobaMinnesota Transmission Project. Once an applicant is ready to apply to the
National Energy Board to build and operate an international power line, it
will choose the type of NEB authorization it is seeking.
An application for a permit involves a written regulatory process whereas
an application for a certificate involves a public hearing. While the regulatory
authority over an international power line stays with the National Energy
Board once a certificate is issued, upon issuance of a permit, jurisdiction
over construction and operation is immediately moved to the province where
the international power line is to be built.
The National Energy Board regulates close to 1,400 km of international
power lines from coast to coast. There are 95 operating international power
lines ranging from 120volt-border-accommodation facilities up to 765 kV
import/export transmission lines between Canada and the United States.
Although the National Energy Board regulated power lines represent less than
one percent of the total high-voltage transmission lines in Canada, a number
of these international power lines are vital to a reliable electricity grid through
import and export of electric power between Canada and the United States.
The location of major international power lines is shown in Figure 3.
ELECTRIC RELIABILITY
A stable flow of electric power is critical for electricity trade between any two
countries. With an increasing number of transmission lines connected to
the bulk electric system, the power system in North America is more complex
than ever. Following the blackout in August 2003 that affected millions of
people in parts of Canada and the U.S., there has been increased awareness
among all stakeholders about the need for a reliable North American bulk
electric system.
In September 2006, the National Energy Board recognized the North
American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as the Electric Reliability
Organization for international power lines. NERC develops and monitors
mandatory reliability standards for the bulk electric power system in North
America. The NEB is a non-voting member of the NERC Members Rep
resentative Committee and regularly participates in various meetings of the
reliability community.
In Canada, reliability standards are mandatory on the system upstream
of international power lines that are under the jurisdiction of provincial
authorities. The National Energy Board perceived there to be a regulation
Figure 3
IPL Reliability
Oversight
BC
AB
MB
SK
QC
138kV
ON
500kV(2)
240kV
230kV(2)
230kV
NL
69kV(2)
345kV(2)
PE
NB NS
765kV
230kV(3)
230kV(6)
345kV(2)
450kV(DC)
120kV(3)
115kV(4)
69 kV(3)
Major international power lines between Canada and the United States
gap for which mandatory reliability standards did not necessarily apply to
international power lines. In December 2012, the NEB issued a General
Order and five Amending Orders, to the holders of international power line
certificates and permits.
The General Order and Amending Orders are applicable to 37 international power lines operating at voltages of 100 kV and above as well as some
69 kV international power lines. These international power lines are re
sponsible for the majority of electricity trade with the United States. The
General Order provisions contain 12 reliability standard requirements which
correspond to the main categories of NERC reliability standards. The re
quirements are defined broadly to allow for regional variations and can be
harmonized with provincial regulatory frameworks.
In 2013, the National Energy Board developed Administrative Monetary
Penalties Regulations (National Energy Board) as required by the Jobs, Growth
and Long-Term Prosperity Act enacted in Parliament in July 2012. The NEB
may use administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) to deter non-compliance

with mandatory reliability standards where violations of the standards have,
or could have, affected the safety of people or the environment. Consistent
with its approach to recognize coordinate jurisdiction with the provinces over
international power lines, the NEB will also consider provincial enforcement
actions when it decides the consequences for a violation.
LAST LOOK
The National Energy Board considers the international pow

er line connections between Canada and the U.S. as essential
for the economic and societal well-being of both countries
and continues to actively monitor the safety, security, and
reliability of these vital facilities. ET
READ MORE
INDUSTRY NEWS
ARTICLES
CLICK HERE
TODAYS ELECTRICITY | UTILITY SPOTLIGHT
RELIABILITY
Vs.
VEGETATION
Florida Power & Light takes steps to keep lights on

COMPANY: Florida Power & Light Company
TYPE: Electricity generation, transmission and
distribution utility
AREA: Serving Florida
anaging vegetation (that is, trees, bushes and other neighboring

plants) around power lines is a top priority for electric utilities.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
unmanaged vegetation can cause electricity outages, wildfires, soil erosion,
and water quality issues. These unfortunate incidents can damage the power
grid, resulting in serious consequences such as reliability, environmental,
and national security problems.
The EPA points out how managed vegetation around rights-of-way (ROW)
corridors can affect the nearby area by causing wildfires, fragmenting wildlife
habitat, and introducing invasive and exotic species. Bottom line: properly
maintaining vegetation around transmission lines and supporting facilities
is critical to the reliable operation of electric power.
Electricity Today Magazine spoke with Jose Medina, manager of vegetation
management for Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) to (1) gain insight
on how the utility manages its vegetation, (2) identify best practices and, (3)
obtain valuable information on how utilities can improve operations and
policies on their vegetation management plan.
What are some of the common vegetation challenges that FPL
faces on an ongoing basis?
Florida Power & Lights service area includes humid, subtropical,
and tropical climates, which supports the rapid growth of veg
etation year-round. Palms pose a unique challenge to our system
because they grow and shed fronds quickly, some as often as every three months.
In addition to vegetation growth, FPLs service area is prone to thunder

storms and hurricanes and is known as the lightning capital of the nation.
Even when properly and regularly maintained, palm fronds can be carried
long distances by the wind and can land on electrical equipment, causing
reliability issues. As a result, palm fronds are a leading cause of outages and
flickers for our customers.
To minimize and prevent outages, we work with local governments and
communities we serve to maintain palms growing too close to power lines.
When trees cannot be effectively maintained, we also work together with
our customers to remove or relocate them further away from the power
lines or replace them with vegetation that will not interfere with the lines.
Some utilities use third-party contractors for vegetation issues.
What role do third-party contractors play in FPLs ongoing
vegetation control processes?
Our vegetation management department develops an annual
work plan targeting a three-year average feeder trim cycle, sixyear average lateral trim cycle, and additional refinements as part
of our commitment to providing electricity our customers can count on.
Florida Power & Light then utilizes line-clearing contractors to execute
the planned and corrective maintenance work every year. In aggregate, this
amounts to roughly 15,000 miles of lines that we clear annually. Our man
agement and staff of 19 vegetation specialists work closely with our contracted
partners to monitor the quality of trimming to ensure we are delivering
quality customer experiences in the field and to identify opportunities for
greater efficiencies. We also work closely with internal departments to align
programs, such as FPLs storm hardening initiative, helping to ensure costeffective electricity to our customers.
We rely on our line-clearing partners to respond to outages promptly
to help clear vegetation conditions that could hinder timely restoration
efforts.
We rely on our
line-clearing partners
to respond to outages
promptly to help clear
vegetation conditions
that could hinder timely
restoration efforts.
Photo credit (letter with email): Stephanie Hofschlaeger; (table): Svilen Milev
Many companies utilize best practices in their ongoing goal to

control vegetation. What are some of FPLs best practices?
We attribute much of our success in vegetation management to
our focus on continuous improvement which we believe is a key
best practice. FPL has a strong quality culture that incorporates
six sigma tools, data analyses and the use of advanced technology.
This focus has not only helped us improve our annual plans, but also
helped us design new programs and processes, such as the way we manage
palm trees. For example, we measure the impact that our plan is having
on reliability by creating an index that includes momentary and longer
outages within our electrical system. This index, in combination with
other considerations such as trim cycles, helps us target trimming to help
maximize the reliability benefit of our vegetation management investments
for our customers.
Additionally, we trim all of the main power lines supporting critical
infrastructure prior to the height of hurricane season each year. This best
practice provides additional insurance that these lines will perform well
through the storm season, and can be restored quickly after a storm.
In 2013, FPL sent more than 700,000 letters or emails to customers with
information about our line clearing and Right Tree, Right Place programs.
We believe that customer communication is a critical component of our
efforts to deliver reliable power.
700,000
Number of
letters or emails that
FPL sent to customers
with information
about the utilitys
line clearing and
Right Tree,
Right Place
programs
According to the Hydro One website, a tree on a right-of-way

in Ohio came into contact with a power line and triggered
the blackout of August 2003. The North American Electricity
Reliability Corporation (NERC) investigation following the blackout
found that if the company that owned the line had maintained its
right-of-way, the blackout would have been prevented. As a result of the
blackout investigation, compliance to international standards is now a
mandatory requirement for all North American utilities. How does FPL
manage their right-of-ways to avoid outages and blackouts?
We adhere to the mandatory North American Electric Reliability
Corporation (NERC) requirements that are designed to prevent
vegetation encroachments onto power lines. We have a formal
vegetation management program that includes comprehensive patrols of
our overhead power lines to assess vegetation clearances and maintenance
activities that are designed to keep our transmission lines clear of vegetation.
To ensure that we understand the nature of the vegetation located within
our transmission easements, we use mobile and geographic information
system (GIS) technology to track the progress of our patrols as well as the
location and status of any vegetation conditions we wish to address. We also
help educate our customers on planting vegetation near overhead power lines
that will not interrupt service through our Right Tree, Right Place program.
What does FPL include in its vegetation management plan?
Our plan includes the management of about 6,700 miles of trans
mission and 36,000 miles of distribution power lines in Florida
and roughly six million trees. On an annual basis, we trim vegetation away from roughly 15,000 miles of power lines within our sys
tem. About two-thirds of our plan falls under the category of planned
maintenance where each mile of circuit is trimmed to American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications.
We also patrol all of our main power lines that serve critical infrastructure,
such as hospitals and 911 centers, and address any tree conditions prior to
the height of storm season in Florida. The other third of our plan can be
considered corrective maintenancein response to surgical trimming
needssuch as the management of palms or other rapid growth species on
critical circuits or vegetation on transmission right-of-ways. Since 2006, FPL
has trimmed vegetation from more than 100,000 miles of power lines. ET
Due to an investigation
into the cause of the 2003
Blackout, compliance to
international standards
is now a mandatory
requirement for all
North American utilities
-- North American Electricity
Reliability Corporation (NERC)
TODAYS ELECTRICITY | AT YOUR SERVICE
COLD
AS ICE
BY VESNA PLAZACIC, Ontario College of Trades
t was nasty, brutish andunfortunatelythe very opposite of short.

Ontarios electric utilities as well as their customers will not soon
forget the bite of this past winter; punctuated by the blackout caused by
the massive ice storm that ripped through southern Ontario, Quebec and
Atlantic Canada.
In the aftermath of that storm, when thousands of people across North
America were caught in Mother Natures icy clutches, a small team of trades
people led the charge to clear the fallen trees from power lines and bring
electricity back to our frozen homesthanks, in part, to utility arborists.
Mike Greer, a manager at Hydro One and chair of the Utility Arborist
Industry Committee, was one of the frontline workers in the aftermath of
the storm. He said that arborists from across Ontario were eager to assist
anyone in need of help.
Although we didnt see a shortage of arborists or utility arborists during
the storm, many of our workers were on holidays and were asked to come
back in to assist. The crews did not hesitate to help, says Greer, a utility
arborist with decades of experience under his belt.
The utility arborists on duty worked ten hour shifts, and sometimes even
longer. Fighting fatigue and difficult weather conditions, workers began the
clean-up in rural areas before being dispatched to Toronto. The long hours
and cold temperatures required an increased level of teamwork to ensure
workplace safety.
So why did it take so long to get the power back on? Greer says that there
are agreements between utilities to share resources to restore power quickly
for these types of events and working around different utility construction
can take some time.
Utility arborists
step forward
to lend a
helping hand
Its dangerous work and there are several hazards that the worker has to
deal with, says Greer. Although the wires may be on the ground, there is
still a possibility that its energized or could become energized. Customers,
with generators not connected to their electrical system correctly, can in
advertently re-energize an electric circuit and, if a worker is contacting a tree
or the wire, it could result in injury or death. There are also tree branches
laden with ice, which are heavy and could break unexpectedly. Ice also puts
a lot of tension on the tree through bending limbs and stems, so the worker
has to be careful when releasing the tension because the tree or branch could
end up striking the worker.
Arborists often get great satisfaction from doing their work under dif
ficult circumstances, Greer notes, because it is a challenge they do not see
every day. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in safely
rigging trees and they see the impact their hard work has on customers lives
when power is restored.
For any environmentalists and thrill seekers interested in becoming
arborists or utility arborists, the most important qualities to have are being
comfortable handling chainsaws and ropes at great heights, and working
in all kinds of elements such as heat waves, snowstorms, high winds, and
thunderstorms. ET
VISIT
For more information, visit the International Society of
Arboriculture (isaontario.com), and the Training Standards
section of the Ontario College of Trades website:
www.collegeoftrades.ca/membership/resources/training-standards
CLICK HERE
TODAYS ELECTRICITY | JUST THE FACTS
STIMULATING
INNOVATION
Calling utilities and regulators to
move forward with new ideas
A significant regulatory barrier stands in the way of innovation in Canadas

gas and electric utility sectors. Current regulatory practices were designed
for existing and relatively low-risk technologies rather than innovative new
technologies and services.
A new report entitled Stimulating Innovation on Behalf of Canadas
Electricity and Natural Gas Consumers, which was prepared for
the Canadian Gas Association (CGA) and the Canadian Electricity
Association (CEA), discusses the current state of energy innovation.
Moreover, this paper provides recommendations for how utilities can
collaborate on energy innovation, and what new regulatory
mechanisms could incent innovation more effectively.
The very nature of innovation is that it involves higher
risks than the technologies currently in place.
This issues Just the Facts provides some key
points from this study.
WHY INNOVATE
Innovations centered on residential, commercial, or industrial energy usage
will provide the following benefits:
Higher levels of public and customer safety
Improved reliability of energy supply
More customer control over energy usage
More efficient use of energy
Lower costs for customers
Investment returns from utility and energy innovation worldwide show
that benefits to utility customers substantially outweigh the costs of inno
vation investments.
WHO DOES WHAT
The private sector is a primary engine for innovation, spurred by the
opportunity for large financial rewards from bringing new products and
services to market.
BARRIERS
Presently, regulated energy companies can gain relatively limited com
petitive advantage and shareholder returns from innovation. Todays research and development tends to be focused on known technologies
that are considered to be low-risk whereas innovation and early stage
demonstration and deployment entail higher risks for which incentives
are not in place within the regulatory structure.
Market, policy, and industry constraints have hindered energy innovation
efforts. Canadian utilities and regulators have not adopted innovation
models comparable to those in other countries, presenting a substantial

opportunity for gains from increased funding.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Canada needs to improve its energy innovation funding and programs.
Utilities and their regulators must become more active in such innovation.
Electric utilities should focus on innovations with a significant like
lihood of direct customer benefits such as cost savings, improved reliabil
ity, or new services.
Utilities should also focus on broader societal benefits such as economic
development and environmental protection.
Technology vendors should fund and carry out innovation activities that
are closely tied to commercializing product and service offers.
Canadian utilities should form an industry consortia focused on inno
vation. These consortia would pool customer funding from across juris
dictions, and enable collaboration and knowledge sharing. Collaborative
innovation would spread the cost of high-risk projects and help par
ticipants stay on top of technology developments.
Concentric Energy Advisors in collaboration
with the Canadian Gas Association and the
Canadian Electricity Association prepared
the energy innovation report. Download
more information on this report today.
DOWNLOAD WHITEPAPER
Trade Show Newsreel

Industry happenings
UTILITY ANALYTICS: THE BIG DATA REVOLUTION

January 13 to 15, 2015
San Diego, California
www.wplgroup.com/aci/conferences/us-bda1-big-data.asp
DISTRIBUTECH CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION (25th Anniversary)

February 3 to 5, 2015
www.distributech.com
This three-day conference highlights the transformation of

the utility industry through the following topics: improving
customer engagement and behavior, monitoring to predict
energy demands, minimize risks, and increase customer
lifetime value for overall return on investment.
DistribuTECH is the largest U.S. event that covers the utility

industry from end-to-end with 10,000 attendees and more than
480 exhibitors. In past years, San Diego has delivered the events
highest-ever attendance numbers and the 2015 event will be no
exception. This show is already on track to be the largest ever.
5th ELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE

http://ow.ly/DNONV
EUEC 2015 (Energy, Utility & Environment Conference)

February 16 to 18, 2015
www.euec.com
The power industry needs to overcome financial and

technological barriers with energy storage while
distinguishing what actions are necessary to meet storage
levels for 2020 and beyond
EUEC is the largest, longest-running, professional

networking and educational event in the United States. The
show is expected to have over 2,000 delegates networking
at eight lunches, receptions and breaks held in the
150-company exhibit area.
EDIST 2015 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

Markham, Ontario
www.edist.ca
21st IPPSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Art of the Deal

March 8 to 10, 2015
Banff, Alberta
www.ippsa.com/2015_conference
Rapid changes in technology, customer expectations, regulatory

processes, budget, and human resources have all contributed to
a new business landscape. The EDIST 2015 program will examine
and explore the causes and effects of the new norm in business
related to operations, engineering, and technology.
This years event will feature a host of business case panels

and keynotes providing lessons learned from policy,
regulatory and commercial deals. We look forward to
welcoming our delegates, exhibitors and sponsors to the
premier electricity event in Alberta.
13th28th
ANNUAL
UTILITY SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Annual
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
April 810, 2013 Wynn Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada
www.platts.com/events/2015/pc501/index
82nd INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF DOBLE CLIENTS

March 22 to 27, 2015
Boston, Massachusetts
events.doble.com/boston
GLOBAL POWER MARKETS CONFERENCE
The power industry faces a long list of challenges and concerns.

This Platts
event
attracts
a
variety
of
procurement,
purchasing,
This years show brings together power industry participants to
Global Power Markets Conference, April 810, 2013 in Las Vegas
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR
is the foremost
gathering place
forinventory
power industry leaders.
The conference executives
TO REGISTER:
sourcing,
planning,
and
management
discuss everything from asset management and replacement
consistently provides an unparalleled platform for exploring the issues crucial to
Visit WWW.GLOBALPOWERMARKETS.
of utility
supply
chains
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exchange
practices
strategies,
storm preparedness, operating concerns and diagnostic
the development
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worldwide. best
Every year
more than 700and gain
COM or call 866-355-2930
(781-430-2100
key industry executives come to learn from industry innovators, exchange ideas,
outside the US).
cutting-edge
on improving supply chain efficiency.
approaches. Speakers will discuss ways to optimize operations and
and network withknowledge
their peers.
Power companies, contact:
James Gillies, tel: 781-430-2110
maximize performance to ensure the reliable flow of power.
_
72 |
2013 Discussion Themes Include:
james gillies@platts.com
Generation sustainability and reliability Navigating coal-red

generation retirements
Transformation of the US power eet to natural gas Financing, gas
deliverability concerns
Capacity markets evolution or revolution?
The state of project nance Investment approaches for a changing
power supply
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2014
M&A A buyers market
Product and service providers,

contact:
Lorne Grout, tel: 781-430-2112
lorne_ grout@platts.com
For media inquiries, contact:
christine_benners@platts.com
Registration Code: PC312ET
Editorial Contributors
JOHN SIMMINS, Electric Power Research institute (EPRI)
John Simmins is a technical executive at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) where
he manages the Information and Communication Technology for Distribution project set. His
current research focuses integrating back-office applications and integrating with devices and
personnel in the field. Dr. Simmins also leads EPRI efforts in the use of augmented reality, social
media, data analytics, and visualization to improve grid resilience. Prior to joining EPRI, Dr. Simmins was with Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative where he managed engineering and operations applications. He received his B.S. and a Ph.D. in Ceramic Science from Alfred University.
Mobile Workforce Using Augmented Reality: Plugging workers into data analytics and
information technologies, page 46
CLICK HERE
ERIC BYRES, Belden

Eric Byres is one of the worlds leading experts in the field of SCADA security. With a background
as a process controls engineer, he brings a unique combination of deep technical knowledge plus
practical field experience to his role as CTO and VP Engineering for Tofino Security at Belden Inc.
He is also the recipient of the 2013 International Society of Automation (ISA) Excellence in Leadership Award for his contributions to the industry, including advancements in automation.
The Substation Defense: Improve protection with a layered security approach, page 14
CLICK HERE
CLAYTON JAMISON (JAMIE) UYEDE, UTS Consultants Inc.

Jamie Uyede has been working in the telecommunications/utility industry since 1982, most recently as vice president at UTS Consultants Inc. in Fergus Ontario. With the introduction of Ontario
Regulation 22/04: Electrical Distribution Safety in 2004, Jamie saw an opportunity to develop a
process to ensure that engineering in the utility sectorbased on accurate surveybecame the
standard rather than the exception. Mr. Uyede has a Bachelors of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
CLICK HERE
Making Waves: The evolution of utility pole engineering, page 28
IVANA STRGACIC, Strategies for the Environment

Ivana Strgacic has been implementing, improving, auditing, and training on management systems
for over 15 years. This includes occupational health and safety as well as environmental and quality
management systems for the utility sector. Ivana has worked with power generation, electrical
distribution, and utility construction companies. She is a professional chemical engineer from
the University of Toronto and has a Masters in Environment and Management from Royal Roads
University. She is also the President and Founder of Strategies for the Environment.
Better Safe than Sorry: How to protect workers with an OHSMS system, page 54
CLICK HERE
This issues contributors

Scott Ball, Motion Computing
Marcella Matzeit, National Energy Board
Eric Byres, Belden Inc.
Vesna Plazacic, Ontario College of Trades
Steven Collier, IEEE Smart Grid
John Simmins, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Ingrid Ektvedt, National Energy Board
Ivana Strgacic, Strategies for the Environment Inc.
Tab Gangopadhyay, National Energy Board
Clayton Jamison Uyede, UTS Consultants
Michel Gilles, Intergraph
Tim Wolf, Itron
Andrew Ginter, Waterfall Security
Bob Zappitelli, Nordmin Engineering
Harold Harkonen, Nordmin Engineering

Advertiser Index
ADVERTISER
PAGE
WEBSITE
American Connectors, Inc.
74
www.americanconnectors.com
13th Annual Utility Supply Chain Management Conference
26
www.platts.com/events/2015/pc501/index
Canadian Copper & Brass Development Association
www.copperalliance.ca
Candura Instruments
17
www.candura.com
Cantega Technologies Inc.
29
www.cantega.com
Composite Power Group Inc.
42
www.compow.com
EasyPower LLC
37
www.easypower.com
EDIST 2015 Conference & Exhibition
59
www.edist.ca
5th Electric Energy Storage Conference
74
http://ow.ly/DNONV
Energy, Utility & Environment Conference
30
www.euec.com
FLIR Systems
www.flir.ca
Glen Raven Technical Fabrics, LLC
41
www.glenguard.com
International Fluid Power Society
15
www.ifps.org
JOMAR SOFTCORP SERVICES INC.
27
www.jomarsoftcorp.com
K-Line Insulators Ltd.
www.k-line.net
LaPrairie Inc.
11
www.laprairieinc.com
Linemans Testing Laboratories (LTL)
www.ltlutilitysupply.com
Mattracks
13
www.mattracks.com
Megger
22, 23
www.megger.com
Motion Computing
39
www.motioncomputing.com
P&R Technologies
25
www.pr-tech.com
Phenix Technologies Inc.
21
www.phenixtech.com
Pioneer Transformers
45
www.pioneertransformers.com
Tallman Equipment Co., Inc.
www.tallmanequipment.com
Utilismart Corporation
19
www.utilismartcorp.com
UTS Consultants Inc.
35
www.utsconsultants.ca
Valard
33
www.valard.com
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A merican Connectors
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Cathodic protection for T&D
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82nd International Conference
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THE
NB Power crews, with neighboring utilities and other

companies, restored power to 170,000 customers
in 11 days, during the series of fierce ice storms that
hit New Brunswick in December 2013. The storms
caused extensive damage to NB Powers lines and
infrastructure as well as leaving 88,000 customers to
have power restored more than once, some as many as
six times. At the peak of restoration, approximately 264
crews were in the field working to reconnect customers.
Photo credit (power restoration during winter storm): Tony Crawford, NB Power
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