Utility Automation & Engineering T&D articles from June 2006

Utility Automation & Engineering T&D archives from June 2006

Automation separates the successes from the failures.(FROM THE EDITOR)
June 1, 2006... "The success or failure of utility companies is measured by their efficient handling of outage situations i.e., restoring services with minimum downtime." That's the thesis of the newly released "Report on emergency restoration practices...

Siting, investment, regionalism the hot topics at 8th Transmission Summit.
June 1, 2006... In March, Infocast conducted its eighth annual Transmission Summit in Arlington, Va. FERC Chairman William Kelliher was on hand for the keynote address and outlined the major issues that panelists would grapple with during the summit. ...

Data the buzz at GITA's 29th annual in Tampa.(Geospatial Information & Technology Association)
June 1, 2006... Approximately 1,850 attendees and 100 exhibitors gathered in Tampa, Fla., April 23-26 to take in the Geospatial Information & Technology Association's (GITA) 29th annual conference. Attendees and exhibitors strolled the tropical pastels-painted...

California PUC approves BPL regulatory Framework.(Public Utilities Commission, broadband over power lines )
June 1, 2006... The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) took action to foster the deployment of a new broadband over power lines service to California consumers. "BPL has the potential to bring broadband Internet services to communities who do...

Current announces $130M to accelerate smart grid.(Current Communications Group L.L.C.)
June 1, 2006... Current Communications Group says it has gained $130 million in equity investments from new and existing investors to accelerate deployment of BPL-enabled "smart grid" electric utility networks and alternative broadband communication services....

ComEd buys GIS as part of $200M reliability project.(Commonwealth Edison Co., Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution Div., gas insulated switchgear)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) has awarded a contract to Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution's high-voltage division to supply a 345-kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) for the West Loop Substation Project. This GIS installation consists of an...

ComEd adds hybrid bucket truck to fleet.(Commonwealth Edison Co.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Consumers aren't the only ones feeling the fuel pinch. It hits businesses, including utility companies, in the pocketbook as well. In an attempt to counter rising fuel costs Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) is now testing a first-of-its-kind hybrid...

Elster goes citywide.(electric and water meter automation deployed)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Elster Electricity has announced its first EnergyAxis System deployment in the Lone Star State's City of Fredericksburg, Texas. This is Elster's first commitment for a complete system-wide deployment of both electric and water meter automation...

Bangor Hydro to build N.E. Reliability Interconnect.(Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. signs contract with InfraSource Underground Services)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... InfraSource Services Inc., a specialty contractor servicing utility transmission and distribution infrastructure in the United States, and Bangor Hydro-Electric Co., an electric utility wholly owned by Emera Inc., announced that Bangor Hydro...

OPPD to deploy 326,000 solid-state AMR meters.(Omaha Public Power District signs contract with Itron Inc. for automated electric meters)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Itron Inc. announced a contract with Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) to install more than 326,000 CENTRON solid-state electricity meters equipped with Itron's AMR technology, within two years, throughout Omaha and parts of southeast...

No GIS? No problem! Outage management without GIS.(geographic information systems)
June 1, 2006... The Belfast city fathers were a foresighted group. In the late 1800s, they inaugurated an electrical system that has been growing for more than 100 years. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] In central Belfast, the system is largely underground. But,...

Power and data restored in Mississippi, but rebuilding continues.(Mississippi Power Co.)(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... The power is out at every home and every business. It's the kind of nightmare electric utility managers, field technicians and customer service personnel wake up from in a cold sweat. There's no power anywhere. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

ROW management: high-quality results from low-volume herbicide.(right-of-way corridors)
June 1, 2006... Vegetation management, as most utility managers know, is a gargantuan challenge. When mechanical vegetation control methods are overused, the costs of employing contracted workers and the risks of machine-operator injuries are great. This is...

OG & E goes wireless with substation monitoring.(Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co.)
June 1, 2006... Critical substation equipment must be inspected periodically to ensure system reliability and efficient operation, but the application of technology allows utilities like OG & E to go beyond periodic inspections. Available communication tools,...

Can transmission stand on its own two feet?(INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION)
June 1, 2006... Those apron strings linking generation and transmission are coarse, tough, thick--difficult to sever. Only a handful of companies have sliced through here in the United States: American Transmission Co., ITC Transmission, METC and its parent...

The urban challenge: completing America's electricity superhighway system.(urban utilities)
June 1, 2006... After a long hiatus, major electric transmission projects are once again under way. Yet land use conflicts and high construction costs in our growing metropolitan areas pose barriers to the completion of an integrated "National Transmission...

Serial-to-Ethernet Converter.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... A new Serial-to-Ethernet Converter that converts RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485 asynchronous data to packets for poll/response transmission over Ethernet networks is now available from TC Communications. The Model TC3420 RS-232/422/485 "Ethernet...

Signal conditioner.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... FISO Technologies introduces the Nortech TT, a signal conditioner designed for direct and real-time measurement of hot spot monitoring in lower rating transformers. It is intended for energy utilities concerned about safety and reliable...

Thermal imagers.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... FLIR Systems Inc. has added three new models to its line of thermal imagers: the ultra-portable InfraCAM (see photo), the high-resolution ThermaCAM EX300, and the affordable ThermaCAM E45. Maintenance-free, uncooled FPA infrared detectors...

Outage Assessment System.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Distribution Control Systems Inc. (DCSI) has released its advanced Outage Assessment System (OASys) Version 3.0, that leverages the TWACS system connectivity data to provide electric utilities with valuable outage and distribution system...

PoE ports.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... GarrettCom Inc. has integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports into its line of Magnum 6K Series Managed Ethernet Switches to support PoE appliances such as video surveillance cameras in power utility substations and other industrial...

Field ops platform.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Powel-MiniMax has introduced StakeOut 6.6, a powerful new version of its industry-leading technology platform for field operations and work order management. StakeOut 6.6 allows utilities to use the same technology investment to expand field...

Power quality monitoring.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Dranetz-BMI has introduced its Encore Series, for power quality, demand and energy and process monitoring. The Encore Series' configurable design allows users to specify the right instrumentation configuration for their specific application....

Remote telemetry modules.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Telemetric Corp. has added three new models to its family of intelligent wireless remote telemetry modules (RTMs). The first new model communicates with up to five different IEDs or RTUs using DNP 3.0 protocol. The new model allows users to...

Single-phase recloser.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... The latest addition to ABB's feeder automation portfolio, the OVR-1 single-phase recloser uses the same modular technology as ABB's popular OVR-3 three-phase recloser. In addition, the OVR-1's innovative pole design lends itself to improved...

Connector.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... FCI-BURNDY Products showcased BURNDY WEJTAP system at the IEEE PES Transmission & Distribution Conf. in Dallas. Connectors use a power-driven, aluminum alloy wedge to lock the tap cables into a self-adjusting "C" shaped spring body, maintaining...

Mobile products.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Tensing USA's new SPY .NET suite of mobile GIS products are 100 percent based on the Microsoft .Net Framework. This platform-independent suite will run on any Windows-driven device that utilizes the .NET Framework 2.0 or .NET Compact Framework...

Calendar.
June 1, 2006... DistribuTECH 2007: The utility industry's most comprehensive conference on automation, information technology and T & D engineering. Feb. 4-6, 2007. San Diego, CA // Phone: 918.832.9265 // www.distributech.com JUNE 18-21 EEI Annual...

Smart grid tipping point.
June 1, 2006... Last month I introduced one conception of the smart grid. This month I want to explain why the smart grid is a question of when, not whether. Along the way, I'll explain why you'll soon be able to ask for a raise. Convergence Changes...