Utility Automation & Engineering T&D articles from January 2005

Utility Automation & Engineering T&D archives from January 2005

10 years of covering technology for you.(FROM THE EDITOR)
January 1, 2005... This issue marks the beginning of Utility Automation & Engineering T & D's 10th year of publication. At first glance, 10 years may not seem like a significant milestone in the world of magazine publishing. Most of the venerated power industry...

Report reveals lower-than-average IT spending for utilities in 2005.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... The annual "Worldwide IT Trends & Benchmark Report" reveals a lukewarm IT economy at large, and an even cooler climate for IT spending in the utilities sector. The report, published by META Group--a provider of IT research, advisory services...

Company downsizing Canadian transformer factory.(NEWS)(VA TECH )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The VA TECH supervisory board has decided to significantly downsize and restructure its Ferranti-Packard Transformers factory in St. Catharines, Canada, which presently employs a workforce of 230. The production of new transformers at the...

G & W Electric celebrates 100 years of service.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... G & W Electric Company is celebrating 100 years of service to the electric power industry. The company was founded in 1905 when Harry Gear and Paul Williams, two Commonwealth Edison engineers, had a better idea for connecting underground to...

Smart building controls may help manage peak energy demand in Northwest.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Can information technology and smart building controls reduce the need to build new transmission lines? Researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory think they might. In a demonstration with the Bonneville...

EPRI reaches advanced power electronics milestone with silicon carbide switch.(NEWS)(Electric Power Research Institute)
January 1, 2005... Researchers at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have announced the development of high-power switches made from silicon carbide (SiC) crystals. The one-square-centimeter devices represent a milestone in power and size that could...

CTC supervises ACCC cable installation in Kansas.(NEWS)(Composite Technology Corporation)(Aluminum Conductor Composite Core)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Composite Technology Corporation (CTC), a developer of high-performance composite core cables for electric transmission and distribution lines, recently announced a commercial overhead installation of its proprietary Aluminum Conductor...

NERC president set to retire at year's end.(NEWS)(North American Electric Reliability Council)(Retirement)
January 1, 2005... Michehl R. Gent, president and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), announced in mid-January that he intends to retire at the end of 2005. Gent, who is 64, joined NERC in 1980 as executive vice president and was...

Alabama Power Company trials 500 AMDS meters.(NEWS)(Advanced Metering Data Systems)
January 1, 2005... Advanced Metering Data Systems, a metering and wireless connectivity company based in New Orleans, La., is proceeding with a 500-meter trial at Alabama Power Company. The initial installations in Alabama Power Company's Birmingham, Ala.,...

Exelon Corp. and Public Service Enterprise Group Inc.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Exelon Corp. and Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) have entered into a merger agreement to create Exelon Electric & Gas. It would be the nation's largest utility. The combined company would have total assets of $79 billion and serve 7...

Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution has acquired the business activities of Shaw Power Technologies Inc. in the U.S. and Shaw Power Technologies Limited in the U.K.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution has acquired the business activities of Shaw Power Technologies Inc. in the U.S. and Shaw Power Technologies Limited in the U.K. With this acquisition and its Siemens Network Calculation product suite,...

GFI Energy Ventures completed its majority share acquisition of SPL WorldGroup Inc. as well as the completion of the merger of Synergen Inc. with SPL.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)
January 1, 2005... In late December, GFI Energy Ventures completed its majority share acquisition of SPL WorldGroup Inc. as well as the completion of the merger of Synergen Inc. with SPL. The new company will be known as SPL WorldGroup Inc., and will offer a...

MRO Software and MDSI Mobile Data Solutions.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... MRO Software, a provider of asset management solutions, and MDSI Mobile Data Solutions, a provider of mobile workforce management solutions, have formed an alliance to offer a complete work and asset management solution for electric, gas and...

MacLean Power Systems has acquired the assets of Joslyn Manufacturing Co.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)
January 1, 2005... MacLean Power Systems has acquired the assets of Joslyn Manufacturing Co. The acquisition creates one of the broadest-based suppliers of transmission, distribution and substation products to the electric utility industry.

Alliance Data Systems' Utility Services Division has acquired Capstone Consulting Partners Inc.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)
January 1, 2005... Alliance Data Systems' Utility Services Division has acquired Capstone Consulting Partners Inc. The acquisition will enable Alliance Data to expand its capabilities for utility clients beyond billing and customer care to services within the...

ABB has acquired the assets of Pacific Breaker Systems Inc.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... ABB has acquired the assets of Pacific Breaker Systems Inc., a supplier of solutions that improve the performance of installed medium-voltage switchgear and circuit breakers.

Telvent has acquired a majority equity stake in Miner and Miner Consulting Engineers Inc.(Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions)
January 1, 2005... Telvent has acquired a majority equity stake in Miner and Miner Consulting Engineers Inc. Telvent reports that the acquisition is part of the company's strategy of offering seamless enterprise integrated real-time data to increase the...

Utility Automation & Engineering T & D looks back on its first decade.(Editorial)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... With this issue, Utility Automation & Engineering T & D (formerly Utility Automation) begins its 10th year of publication. During that relatively short period of time, the magazine has undergone a number of changes--from supplement to...

Pain vs. promise: AMR's long journey to mainstream acceptance.(automated meter reading)
January 1, 2005... "Cellnet's communications modules and wireless network represent a technological breakthrough in end-to-end communication services, enabling--for the first time--wireless data communication at a very low cost." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

SCADA/EMS developments mirror market changes.(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/Emergency Medical Systems)
January 1, 2005... For many years, SCADA/EMS was the system for the vertically integrated utility, and, in many ways, these systems are still vital to the continuous operation of power delivery systems. Changes in both technology and the business environment,...

The evolution of utility GIS: from 'good-looking maps' to mainstream application.(geospatial information system)
January 1, 2005... In his 1999 bestseller "Business @ the Speed of Thought," Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates wrote, "... we always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next...

What it takes to make smart power grids a reality.(SMART POWER GRIDS)
January 1, 2005... While current power delivery system infrastructure is still serving the industry well, by most standards, new load demands and aging assets are forcing the industry to begin looking to the future with hope of finding solutions that will...

Field service management.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Indus International launched Release 6.0 for the Indus Service Suite, the company's robust field service management and optimization solution. Indus' Customer, Asset and Service Suites collectively provide the functionality required to drive...

Power usage software.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Electro Industries' new Energy Management software suite is designed for analyzing and controlling electrical power usage and power quality for electrical power distribution systems. Energy Manager EXT is a suite of many applications allowing...

Digital multimeters.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Signametrics' new 7-1/2 digit, digital multimeters (DMM), the SM2060 and the SM2064, boast high measurement rates up to 20,000 reading/second and very low current measurement ranges down to 50 pA, satisfying the needs of test systems developers...

Substation Computing Platform.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... The SEL-3351 Substation Computing Platform, from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), is designed to replace office-grade PCs in substation environments. The SEL-3351 is a customized solution configured by the SEL Systems and Services...

Crimping tool.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... FCI-Burndy introduces the Patriot PAT600-18 V, 6-ton battery actuated crimping tool for all electrical markets. The PAT600-18 V has a crimp speed of less than four seconds and 160 to 200-plus crimps per charge. It also features the latest...

Substation automation solution.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... The BiTRONICS 70 series measurement system, released by AREVA's T & D division, is a substation automation solution that continuously, quickly and accurately monitors electrical parameters, tests for any anomaly and then records these...

Three-phase voltage logger.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Acksen Ltd. has launched a three-phase model in its successful Electrocorder (voltage logger) range, the EC364-V. The Electrocorder is designed for use on systems up to 600 Vac. It allows users to quickly and cost-effectively monitor voltages...

Solid-state meter.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Itron Inc.'s Sentinel solid-state electric meter is equipped with the SmartSynch GPRS SmartMeter Module, a powerful commercial and industrial meter with adaptable architecture and advanced data collection capabilities. The end-to-end system...

Circuit Switcher.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... S & C Electric Co.'s 138 kV Mark VI Circuit-Switcher is specifically designed for switching single or back-to-back ungrounded capacitor banks up to 95 MVAR. This new model features a high 31.5-kA fault-interrupting rating and 3-cycle...

Utility asset manager.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Osmose Utilities Services Inc.'s FastGate Manager is a new software product designed to help utilities of all sizes manage and maintain their pole and related field assets. The application provides viewing and editing of poles and other network...

Energy Transaction Manager.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... SoftSmiths introduces Energy Transaction Integration Manager (ETIM), which features SoftSmiths' Transaction Management suite and web-services based Integration Platform. SoftSmiths' ETIM solution enables companies operating in the wholesale...

System Controller Software.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... The X-Pulse System Controller Software, from BLP Technologies, enables utilities to remotely access and control X-Pulse's disconnect and reconnect capabilities from any Internet-enabled computer workstation. The X-Pulse was introduced by BLP to...

Rugged portable notebook.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Getac Inc.'s newest rugged portable notebook computer, the MobileForce M220, runs on Intel's 1.4 GHz Dothan LV Processor. The MobileForce M220 is a laptop computer that endures extreme use and meets the needs of today's "on-the-go" road...

Spatial intelligence solution.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Smallworld Spatial Intelligence 4, from GE Energy, is the latest addition to the Smallworld 4 product suite. The product offers a comprehensive business intelligence solution, offering powerful, yet simple-to-use data access, visualization,...

AM/FM/GIS viewing software.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... NMT Corp.'s FAAR 3 represents the next generation of AM/FM/GIS viewing software packages. FAAR 3 maintains the easy-to-use search and navigation functions of previous versions, but now offers many powerful new functions. It also combines data...

Wireless transmission system.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... Adalet Wireless's battery-powered, wireless transmission system is designed for measuring and transmitting temperature and pressure signals out of a Division 1 area to a safe area, eliminating the need for costly conduit and cable runs in...

Labeling software.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2005... LABELShop 2010-PC printer and MaxiLabel V2 Windows software, from K-Sun, are used to design and print professional labels in-house and on-demand for hundreds of applications, such as safety identification to industrial parts, equipment, wire...

Calendar.(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... DistribuTECH 2006: The utility industry's most comprehensive conference on automation, information technology and T & D engineering Feb. 7-9, 2006. Tampa, Fla. // Phone 918.831.9443 // Fax 918.831.9875 // Website www.distributech.com ...

Question: what have been the most significant advancements in utility technology or philosophy over the course of the last decade?(PARTING SHOTS)
January 1, 2005... Question: What have been the most significant advancements in utility technology or philosophy over the course of the last decade? Answer: The advent of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), with their internal processing...

CPUC approves accelerated construction of SDG & E transmission line.(NEWS)(California Public Utilities Commission)(San Diego Gas & Electric)
January 1, 2005... The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in mid-December approved San Diego Gas & Electric's (SDG & E) proposal to accelerate construction of a key transmission line to try to put it in service by September 2005--or sooner, if...