Transmission structure risk management

Abstract

Electric transmission providers across the United States are undergoing dramatic changes and challenges in many facets of their business. While the upheaval in the industry has at times been significant, one area remains largely unchanged from years prior, in spite of emerging, persuasive evidence to employ a different course of action. Specifically, many transmission companies still adhere to a traditional approach of inspecting overhead lines, steel towers and poles solely with aerial and foot patrols. While effective in their own right in identifying certain types of overhead issues, these inspection by Len Martin, Osmo se Utilities Services, Inc. Transmission Structure Risk Management tactics unfortunately fail to detect transmission structure foundation degradation occurring below-ground,the presence of which represents a significant and growing risk. Serious foundation issues have been uncovered while conducting thousands of below-grade inspections across the United States, making it evident that transmission entities need to supplement traditional overhead inspection activities by adopting foundation assessment and mitigation programs that will vastly improve the health of existing structures, thereby reducing the risk of eventual, catastrophic failures.