Utility Automation & Engineering T&D articles from May 2004

Utility Automation & Engineering T&D archives from May 2004

Good news, bad news from ComEd.(From The Editor)(Commonwealth Edison Co.)(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... As contributor David Wagman notes in this issue's cover story (which begins on Page 12), the road ahead for transmission investment and expansion is not without its bumps, twists and blind turns. Considering the difficulties of siting new...

Task Force presents final report on aug. 14 blackout; FERC responds.(News)(Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task Force)
May 1, 2004... In early April, the final report of the U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task Force was released. The report identified the causes of the power outage and why the outage was not contained. It also presented comprehensive technical and policy...

OG & E enhances web-based outage information system.(News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... For nearly three years, Oklahoma Gas & Electric's (OG & E's) web-based outage tracking system, System Watch, has been a useful source for outage information. Several enhancements were recently added--just prior to the spring storm season. ...

SW florida co-op finds innovative uses for AMR.(News)
May 1, 2004... Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) in southwest Florida can't leave well enough alone. In this case, that is a good thing. In 2002, LCEC announced a project to install automatic meter reading (AMR) technology throughout its...

NERC reports Midwest ISO has made 'extensive changes'.(News)
May 1, 2004... The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) in early April released a final report on an audit of the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (Midwest ISO) that commended the power grid monitor for instituting a series of...

The outlook for Transmission Investment and ownership.(Transmission Investment)
May 1, 2004... When it comes to electrical transmission, it sometimes seems as though FERC is from Venus and state regulators are from Mars. Like an unhappy couple squabbling, federal and state regulators may see the same transmission system, but they...

Progressive strategies to improve vegetation management.(Vegetation Management)
May 1, 2004... The significant value that utility vegetation management adds to an electric utility and its stakeholders is well-documented--particularly in the wake of the Aug. 14, 2003, blackout and subsequent blackout investigations. But, because most...

Mobile workforce management: South Kentucky RECC puts GIS and AVL to work.(South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, geographic information system, automatic vehicle location)
May 1, 2004... With portions of 13 counties to cover in south central Kentucky, the management of crews and outage restoration efforts has traditionally been a cumbersome chore for managers and dispatchers at South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative...

Multi-network: a new requirement for C & I data collection.(commercial and industrial)
May 1, 2004... Prior to the introduction of multi-vendor commercial and industrial (C & I) data collection systems, utilities were required to implement multiple systems to utilize multi-function C & I meters from different manufacturers. During the 1980s and...

Ethernet in substations helps SRP build for today and plan for tomorrow.
May 1, 2004... The Salt River Project (SRP), based in Phoenix, Ariz., has a reputation as an industry leader in power reliability, system performance, power restoration and customer satisfaction. One reason for SRP's leadership is its willingness to plan...

Leave the shovels at home: subgrade inspection of T & D structures without excavation.(Getting Equipped)
May 1, 2004... Business consultants will tell you that you nurture and maintain the assets you own because it is by far the cheapest way to manage your investment for continued success. Those assets may be intellectual property, human resources, material...

Remote control system.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... NightHawk Systems Inc. introduces the ST1500, a satellite-based remote control system that is fully integrated and ready-to-install. The system allows users to turn any electrical device "on" or "off"--worldwide. Delivered preprogrammed to the...

Field design.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... StakeOut 6.0, from MiniMax, is a field design and work order automation system that allows utilities to view ESRI or AutoCAD-based data at high rendering speeds, enabling more accurate station placement, more detailed sketching and effective...

Handheld computer.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... DAP Technologies launched the Microflex CE5000X, a handheld computer designed to collect and transmit field data in harsh environments. The CE5000X, a member of the Microflex CE5000 family, offers enhanced functionality and productivity with...

Mobile data software.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Version 4.0 of Padcom's mobile data software platform, TotalRoam, has many new features geared toward IT management, bridging the gap between wireline and wireless communication data. Improved features such as seamless roaming, increased...

Color Tags.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Easy Color Tags from Almetek Industries are available as a one-piece, 3-D engraved aluminum insert or as an individually engraved E-Z tag. Easy to read and quick to install, the tags and inserts feature deeply engraved vertical or horizontal...

LED lamps.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... The PNL-1145 series LED lamps from LEDtronics are direct incandescent replacements for discontinued GE ET5/6 high-voltage panel indicator lamps found in control rooms of power plants and substations. They feature a fixed LED, a removable lens,...

Substation Design System.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Armilian Technologies announced the availability of the Armilian Substation Design System. The system allows users to create and maintain substation documentation with a simple dialog interface, making familiarity with CADD tools, document...

Multiplexer.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... TC Communications released the Model TC2850 12-Channel Multi-Drop Multiplexer, a new fiber optic, self-healing ring multiplexer that features the potential benefits of channel mapping. Channel mapping enables users to configure specific...

Sub-meter GPS.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... GPS PostPro 2.0, from DeLorme, is a post-processing software application with submeter GPS accuracy. The GPS PostPro 2.0 allows organizations to obtain high-level, precise spatial data at a fraction of the price associated with GPS data...

Moisture detector.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Megger offers three products for detecting moisture in insulating oils, primarily within oil-filled transformers and switchgear: KF-LAB, KF875 and KF-UNI. Now with these three options, users have the ability to choose from a product range that...

Recloser monitoring.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Cooper Power Systems and Telemetric Corp. introduced the Recloser Management System (RMS), a new solution helping electric utilities better manage their distribution systems. The RMS is a cost-effective means for remote monitoring and...

Enterprise Solution.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... ArcFM 8.3.2 Solution, the 11th release of Miner & Miner's ArcFM Solution on ArcGIS 8 for electric, gas and water/wastewater utilities, comprises ArcFM, Designer, ArcFM Viewer, Conduit Manager and Network Adapter components to improve its...

Multi-Function Monitor.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Carlo Gavazzi released the WM12 Multi-Function 3-Phase Power Monitor. The WM12 is available in a 96-square-mm panel mount 1/4 DIN housing with only 46-mm behind panel depth or DIN rail mounting style for mounting within electrical enclosures....

Bird repellent.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... QuadBlaster QB-4, from Bird-X Inc., repels unwanted birds using ultrasonic sound to eliminate the expense, mess and disease they cause property, products and employees. QuadBlaster QB-4's ceramic speakers project ultrasonic waves in an...

Application integration.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... MITEM released MitemView, Version 6.1, an integration engine used for middleware products, application and web servers and vendor-specific interfaces, while preserving the performance and reliability of business-critical applications. Version...

Meter configuration/analysis.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Metercat Software Version 1.5, released by Elster Electricity, is a configuration and analysis software application that programs and reads Elster's A3 ALPHA meter, as well as power quality monitoring information. Version 1.5 also offers...

Broadleaf herbicide.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Overdrive herbicide from BASF Professional Vegetation Management is a post-emergent herbicide that provides long-term broadleaf weed control in key, non-crop markets, such as roadside, industrial and rangeland areas. Overdrive reduces active...

Control Indicator Module.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... A new Control Indicator Module (CIM) from Electroswitch contains SCADA interface for remote control and monitoring of power circuit breakers and reclosers. Front-panel switches permit manual control when needed. The CIM can control and monitor...

Weather service.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Meteorlogix has launched MxVision WeatherSentry Energy Edition, a real-time weather service designed for electric utilities. Features include real-time lightning data and ability to predict precipitation and high-impact weather events. The...

Grounding clamps.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... The SRC series ground rod clamps from Galvan Industries are designed to accommodate all sizes of ground rods and wire gauges. Approved for burial in soil and concrete, the clamps can withstand torques of 250 in.-lbs. or more. The clamps handle...

COTS CIS.(New Products)
May 1, 2004... Peace 8 from Peace Software is a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) customer information system (CIS). Peace 8 is scalable and flexible to support all business models and any size customer base. It provides a single platform for regulated and...

Calendar.(Calendar)
May 1, 2004... DistribuTECH 2005: The utility industry's most comprehensive conference on automation, information technology and T & D engineering Jan. 25-27, 2005. San Diego, Calif. // Phone 918.831.9443 // Fax 918.831.9875 // Website www.distributech.com...