Are Power Lines on the Way Out?

Alan Drew, Author of The American Lineman, Retired SVP of Research & Development at NLC

Since electric power was developed for productive use in the late 19th century, power has been delivered to consumers via overhead and underground conductors. The delivery system gradually evolved into today’s power grid, a maze of transmission and distribution lines spreading across the country. While Nikola Tesla is credited with his development of alternating current lines, he also had the vision of using electromagnetic waves to transmit electric power. To this end, he conducted extensive experiments at his Long Island, New York, laboratory.

The telegraph started the telecommunications industry in the 1840s. For decades, the telegraph and later telephone systems required physical conductors to send and receive messages. Around 1900, wireless telegraphy was developed by Guglielmo Marconi. This remarkable achievement opened the door for wireless technology in the telecommunications industry. In the 1930s, microwave technology was introduced for use in the military. More improvements in wireless transmission prompted the removal of telephone pole lines across the country.

Fiber optics were born in the early 1960s. In 1968, NASA used fiber optics in conjunction with television cameras sent to the moon. Cellular technology began in the 1970s and would be a game changer. Interestingly, while wireless technology has eliminated the need for lines with conductors, fiber optics require pole lines or underground facilities to place the cable. Most fiber-optic cable installations utilize existing wood pole lines that support electric power lines.

The Wireless Transmission of Electric Power

Wireless power transfer (WPT) is the transmission of electrical power without wires and is based on technologies using time-varying electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic fields. Most of the early efforts for wireless power transfer used microwave frequencies as used with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. These efforts have been successful, and hold promises for future applications such as wireless device charging. However, larger volume power transfers over longer distances is beyond the capability of microwave frequency technology.

Laser-based power beaming has emerged as a promising technology for longer-distance WPT. This system uses a power supply that generates a laser beam of light energy through the air to a photovoltaic receiver, where the light energy is converted back to electricity.

New Zealand’s second biggest utility, Powerco, is in the process of conducting a test of its system at a grid-connected commercial power station. The company hopes to bring energy to communities far from the grid or transmit power from remote renewable sources, like offshore wind farms. Several other research projects are experimenting with laser-based power beaming, which is the most promising technology for longer-distance electric power transmission.

The Future

There are numerous promising near-term applications for laser power beaming, such as keeping drones up in the air continuously. Radiated energy could power autonomous ground vehicles or provide a temporary power source on the battlefield or in a disaster area. It could even transmit power wirelessly from a solar or wind energy facility to a central grid.

Wireless power transfer technology can reduce the need for copper and aluminum used for electric conducting wire. Research indicates that metals used to make electric conductors will become extinct in the distant future as other materials are being explored.

The wireless power industry is expected to grow exponentially. Wireless power has a significant impact on almost all fields because it enables the Internet of Things to develop faster. Wireless in the low-voltage medium for various applications in buildings and other short-range situations will continue to evolve. Scientists predict that, someday, it may be possible to beam energy directly from the sun to each location where electric power is needed.

Conclusion

Let’s note the magnitude of power lines in the grid: The century-old U.S. electrical grid is the largest interconnected machine on Earth: 200,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 5.5 million miles of local distribution lines, linking thousands of generating plants to factories, homes, and businesses. The role of the electrical grid in our economy has been so significant that it was named the “greatest engineering achievement of the last century” by The National Academy of Engineering.

In addition, with the emphasis of de-carbonizing the grid, thousands of miles of new lines are under construction or are in the planning stages. The number of transmission and distribution lines are increasing daily. Additionally, the use of electric power largely due to EV charging is projected to increase from 4,000 terawatt hours in 2020 to 7,000 terawatt hours by 2050.

So, we return to our original question: Are power lines on the way out? What is the future of linework? The answer should be centered around the fact that power lines and their components, such as structures, conductors, and transformers, will remain a vital component for the foreseeable future. Well-trained, qualified lineworkers are needed to continue constructing, maintaining, and operating the grid. There are no indications whatsoever that careers in the power and communications industries are in jeopardy. The dynamics of both industries offer more options for employment and career paths than ever before.

Alan Drew, Author of The American Lineman, Retired SVP of Research & Development at NLC

The electric power grid is fundamental to modern living. So much of society runs on electricity that, without it, things would fail and break down. From storing food, to communicating with family, to performing business and financial transactions, to providing medical services, nearly every facet of modern life depends on electricity. Losing the power grid would prove a catastrophic interruption—and our current lifestyle would cease to exist.

Alarmingly, power outages in the United States are climbing as extreme weather gets worse due to the climate crisis. Additionally, the demand for electricity is climbing and the country’s energy infrastructure is getting older and more vulnerable.

State of the Grid

The Department of Energy estimates that grid power outages cost U.S. businesses approximately $150 billion in direct losses annually. A recent University of California Berkeley lab study assessed the social and economic costs of longer and more frequent power outages. These costs arise from impacts such as school closings, food spoilage, supply chain disruptions and deleterious health outcomes. The following facts underscore the need for improvements:

• The U.S. has more power outages than any other industrialized nation.
• The average annual number of weather-related power outages increased by roughly 78% during 2011–2021, compared to 2000–2010.
• Both frequency and duration of grid outages are at the highest level since 2013.
• Forty states are experiencing longer grid outages than ever. California, Louisiana, Maine, and Florida are at the forefront with greater than a 50% increase in power outage duration.
• The average age of key power grid components is 40 years old, with more than a quarter of the grid 50 years old or older.

There is no question that extreme weather events and wildfires have been major contributors to this downward trend in reliability. It has been a rude awakening for the power industry to realize that the current grid isn’t aging well and was not built to withstand the current climate we’re experiencing. Considerable work must be done to make it more resilient to today’s climate and for the future.

Improving the Reliability and Resiliency of the Grid

The terms reliability and resilience are closely related and frequently used interchangeably.  Reliability is a measure of the ability of a power system to supply power to customers in a continuous manner.  Resiliency is the ability of a power system to withstand severe weather conditions resulting in less damage and a more rapid return to normal. The U.S. power grid needs considerable improvement in both factors. To this end, power companies and grid operators will typically focus on one or more of the following elements in their improvement plans.

Hardening the System

Hardening the system refers to taking deliberate measures to minimize the impacts of severe weather events, such as installing stronger structures, fire-resistant poles, and shorter spans, undergrounding existing overhead lines, and installing stronger conductors. 

As an example, for nearly two decades, Florida Power & Light invested significantly in building a stronger, smarter, and more storm-resilient grid. As a result of this effort, their transmission system showed its resilience during 2022’s Hurricane Ian by not having one structure go down. Another hardening measure that involved undergrounded lines also paid dividends during Ian as initial reports indicate that the underground sections performed five times better than existing lines in Southwest Florida.

Replacing Outdated Lines and Equipment

Thousands of miles of lines and equipment will need to be replaced soon. These replacements offer many opportunities to harden the system, convert to a higher voltage, install state-of-the-art equipment, and make other advancements. It is estimated that 200,000 miles of transmission lines will need to be replaced over the next 10 years.

Improvements to the Grid

Thousands of miles of new transmission lines will need to be constructed to connect renewable energy sources to the grid.  New substations and switching stations will also need to be constructed to facilitate the delivery of renewable energy.

The numerous additional improvements around control and automation include the need for more smart grid technology such as sensors to provide real-time conditions of lines and equipment, smart meters, smart switches, and smart reclosers. Electric Vehicle (EV) charging capacity will drive demand for upgrades on the distribution systems. Florida Power & Light recently installed thousands of smart grid devices throughout its energy grid. They reported that this helped the company restore service to customers before it was safe to send crews into the field and helped to avoid more than 400,000 customer outages during Hurricane Ian.

Preparing for the Future

Having enough highly trained and qualified lineworkers is critical to operating, maintaining, and expanding the power grid. Northwest Lineman College plays a key role in optimizing the lineworker workforce of the future. For nearly 30 years, NLC has and will continue to provide relevant, practical education and training vital to the well-being of the industry and our country.

Travis Horton, SVP Utility Training Services and Apprenticeships

This year we celebrate the 85th anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act, also known as the Fitzgerald Act. In the early 20th century, it established apprenticeships as a means of supporting workers in the skilled trades. The act’s value still resonates today in thousands of registered apprentices in skilled trades across industries like energy, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. However, with nearly 6 million workers currently unemployed—and employers, workforce organizations, or hiring agents searching for skilled labor—we see a clear gap that questions how apprenticeships are valued in America.

Historical And Cultural Perspective

Apprenticeships have been training workers for as long as civilizations have been building empires. While the term “apprentice” did not appear in modern vernacular until the Middle Ages, for many generations it was the only way to pass on knowledge of the arts and trades from person to person.

The concept itself is simple: a master or journey-level worker would take on someone with little to no experience and commit to training them. This would typically involve a written agreement making the apprentice an indentured servant for an established time in exchange for their education. Until the rise of medical schools and law schools, even doctors and lawyers would learn their craft by apprenticing under a master. Some of history’s most influential people like Leonardo De Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison were all apprentices at one time.

In 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor reported just over 593,000 active apprentices representing only 0.4% of the 164.36 million people in the U.S. civilian labor force.¹ While apprenticeships in America are beginning to rise in popularity, they saw a large decline in the 19th and 20th centuries due to the cost of training employees and more automation in the workforce. In comparison, northern European countries have not seen this historical decline. Germany and England are both vastly smaller in population but have more active apprentices than the United States, with England at more 900,000 apprentices and Germany with 1.3 million.²

The Value Of Apprenticeships

As we look at career and growth opportunities today, too few people in the United States understand apprenticeships and the true value they offer employees as well as employers.

With a national employee turnover rate that averaged just over 47% in 2021, employers have found themselves scrambling to fill vacant positions.³ On the other hand, the retention rate of workers who retain employment after apprenticeship completion is 93%. The average starting salary after an apprentice completes an apprenticeship program is $77,000, which is comparable to the median salary of a graduate with a master’s degree. In fact, apprenticeship graduates earn $300,000+ more over their lifetime compared to those who don’t pursue a registered apprenticeship.⁴

As an educational path, apprentices “earn while they learn.” Unlike in colleges and universities, where many students and families struggle financially, apprentices get paid a comfortable wage while they learn—with many companies even providing benefit packages. Additionally, 65% of employers with apprenticeship programs reported that over 70% of their apprentices completed their apprenticeships while nearly half of them reported with over a 90% completion.⁵ Comparatively, colleges have had a history of troubled success rates. Recent data shows up to 40% of students don’t finish college with 24% dropping out before the end of their freshman year.⁶

In addition, investments in apprenticeships also benefit taxpayers. Increased spending on apprenticeship programs is more than offset by higher tax revenues and reduced spending on public assistance programs and unemployment insurance.⁷

Supporting Apprenticeships

In general, apprenticeships have strong bipartisan support from the public and from political parties, but gaps remain in public perception and equal provision.

For example, in 2018 the federal government spent $149 billion on higher education.⁸ Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Justification Employment and Training Administration with the United States Department of Labor reported that apprenticeships and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) received a little more than $2 billion.⁹

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 to support the expansion of registered apprentices, create nearly 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities and to encourage employer participation and recruitment for individuals with barriers to employment. If passed in the Senate and signed into law, this act will invest $3.5 billion over 5 years to expand apprenticeship opportunities.¹⁰ Even as political support continues to grow, some employers wonder if it is enough to fill gaps in the labor workforce.

Filling these gaps requires changing public perceptions about skilled labor, that somehow these careers are less meaningful, less fulfilling, or less reputable.¹¹ According to the Brookings Institution, many cultural stumbling blocks may contribute to this stigma. These include misperceptions that apprenticeships “are only an option in the trades,” “require a labor union to be registered,” and “have lower social status than a college degree.”¹²

The Path Forward

As we celebrate 85 years of the National Apprenticeship Act, we recognize the history of apprenticeships and their impact on industries throughout our nation. We equally acknowledge the value of apprenticeship programs and college degrees that provide successful careers and educations to hard-working men and women who make up the backbone of the American workforce. Your deliberate effort will help expand cultural support for apprenticeship programs. Join with Northwest Lineman College and similar organizations to promote apprenticeships as an equal and honorable pathway to successful, rewarding careers in the trades.

Celebrate National Apprenticeship Week November 14th-18th

References

1. U.S. Department of Labor. “Registered Apprenticeship National Results Fiscal Year 2021.” DOL.gov. www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about/statistics/2021
2. Fortwengel, Johann (2018, Nov. 21). “Apprenticeships in America: four ways to get the country to take them seriously.” The Conversation. www.theconversation.com/apprenticeships-in-america-four-ways-to-get-the-country-to-take-them-seriously-106822
3. U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS.gov. www.bls.gov
4. U.S. Department of Labor. Apprenticeship.gov. www.apprenticeship.gov
5. Lerman, Robert, et al. (2009, Mar.) “The Benefits and Challenges of Registered Apprenticeship: The Sponsors’ Perspective.” The Urban Institute Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population. www.urban.org/research/publication/benefits-and-challenges-registered-apprenticeship-sponsors-perspective
6. Hanson, Melanie (2022, June 17). “College Dropout Rates.” Education Data Initiative. educationdata.org/college-dropout-rates
7. House Committee on Education and Labor (n.d.). edlabor.house.gov/download/national-apprenticeship-act-reauthorization-of-2021-fact-sheet
8. USAspending Data Lab. “Federal Investment in Higher Education.” usaspending.gov/colleges-and-universities (as cited in Lake, Rebecca (2022, Aug. 30). “How Colleges Make Money.” Investopedia.com. www.investopedia.com/how-colleges-make-money-5199835)
9. U.S. Dept. of Labor Employment and Training Administration (2022). “FY 2022 Congressional Budget Justification.” DOL.gov. www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/general/budget/2022/CBJ-2022-V1-03.pdf
10. U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor (n.d.). Fact sheet on National Apprenticechip Act of 2021 (H.R. 447). edlabor.house.gov/download/national-apprenticeship-act-reauthorization-of-2021-fact-sheet
11. Fadulu, Lola (2017, Nov. 15). “Why the U.S. Fails at Worker Training.” The Atlantic. www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/11/why-the-us-fails-at-worker-training/545999/
12. Goger, Annelies, and Sinclair, Chenoah (2021, Jan. 27). “Apprenticeships are an overlooked solution for creating more access to quality jobs.” Brookings Institution. brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2021/01/27/apprenticeships-are-an-overlooked-solution-for-creating-more-access-to-quality-jobs/

Alan Drew, Author of The American Lineman, Retired SVP of Research and Development at NLC

Storm season is here. Hurricane Fiona caused an island-wide power outage along with heavy rainfall, fierce winds, and severe flooding to Puerto Rico and then weeks later, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida and wreaked havoc across the state all the way over to Daytona Beach and Orlando. This time of year, and into the winter months ahead, extreme weather can create dangerous working conditions and environments for electrical lineworkers across the country. As we continue to move through the storm season, we want to share a helpful article on grounding and bounding during extreme weather.

This article will focus on regulations, procedures, and best practices that should be followed to safely work on de-energized lines during extreme weather conditions. The scenario is that a host power company experiences a catastrophic event that causes significant damage to its system. It assumes that damage to the T&D systems is severe with structures and conductors damaged that are both in the air and on the ground. Multiple crews or a single crew could be assigned to repair the damage and restore service. It is also assumed that crews could be any of the following:

• Host power company crews and personal
• Mutual aid power company crews from outside the area
• Line contractors

The scenario includes the possibility that multiple crews from any or all the crew types could be working together to repair damage and restore service.

With the increase in the use of portable generators and behind-the-meter solar generation and storage, precautions must be taken to prevent back-feed into the cleared line section. Several measures can be taken depending upon the interconnection at the meter. 

• The solar disconnect switch can be opened, locked, and tagged
• The meter can be removed
• Or the service can be disconnected

Some power companies have ground sets that crews use on the secondary side of transformers. In any event, lineworkers must be aware of back-feed sources when clearing and working on lines. In addition, any sources of induced voltage shall be considered as a source and proper precautions taken.

Applying Personal Protective Grounds

Temporary protective grounds are to be placed at such locations and in such a manner as to prevent each employee from being exposed to hazardous differences in electrical potential. The proper size and type of grounding devices must be selected. Testing the circuits that have been cleared prior to grounding should be stressed in every way.

In the case of multiple crews working under one clearance, it is a common practice to install master or bracket grounds near the clearance points such as open jumpers, open switches, or open disconnects. These are intended to function as tripping grounds that will create a fault current to open the nearest protection device in the case of inadvertent energization. They should not be considered personal protective grounds for lineworkers working on the cleared section. Each crew will apply its own personal protective grounds at the worksite as appropriate.

In the case of a single crew working on their own clearance, they might provide tripping or bracket grounds at clearance points and then personal protective grounds at the worksite. They might also provide just personal protective grounds at the work site. When several spans of conductors are down it can be practical to install personal protective grounds at a point where the conductors leave the ground and rise to a pole that is still in the air.

Personal Protective Grounds Should Provide an Equipotential Zone

Insulating and isolating a lineworker is the only way to completely prevent current from flowing through that lineworker. This is the usual approach to performing live-line work. However, for working on de-energized lines and equipment, use protective grounds. Protective grounds act as a direct, low-resistance path to ground in order to:

• Minimize the time it takes to trip the circuit.
• Limit the current flow and voltage drop across the lineworker’s body.

Equipotential zone (EPZ) grounding provides a low-resistance, short-circuited connection from the line to a ground source. It creates a zone of protection to reduce hazardous differences in electrical potential between objects in the work area. EPZ is the best grounding method for limiting current flow through the body and should be applied to the structure being worked on.

Bracket grounding provides a low-resistance, short-circuited connection from the line to a ground source at key locations on one or both sides of the work site.

The bracket grounding method has been used for decades to help protect lineworkers. But over time, research proved that EPZ grounding provided better protection for the lineworker. As EPZ grounding became more common, the role of bracket grounding evolved. It is now used primarily to trip the line’s protection devices as quickly as possible. This protects the worker and the system as a whole.

If the line becomes accidentally energized with only bracket grounds installed, hazardous levels of current will flow through the lineworker’s body. Even with an EPZ in place, small amounts of current will flow through the lineworker because the EPZ grounds and the lineworker form a parallel path to ground.

EPZ and bracket grounding work together to accomplish the two purposes of grounding and bonding.

Key Considerations

• Some power companies and line contractors have adopted the practice of marking grounds during a widespread clearance with multiple crews involved. This consists of installing an orange or green flag (app. 24 inches x 24 inches) on the grounds at the top of the pole.  This makes it easier to observe the grounds when they need to be checked or removed. The grounds can also be tagged, listing the crew member in charge and contact information.
• Workers on the ground may be exposed to step and touch potentials even if personal protective grounds have been installed adjacent to the work area. To provide adequate protection when crews are working between grounds on the ground handling conductors, many companies are requiring the use of rubber gloves and super dielectric overshoes. 
• When line conductors must be cut into or spliced back together – the use of a grounding jumper as a bypass should be considered. In some cases, a grounding mat may be a good choice to minimize potential differences.

We hope these tips can help you and your company be efficient and safe during this storm season. We’re grateful for all those involved in helping to aid those in need during such extreme weather events like hurricanes or ice storms. Together, we can help make the industry and world a safer place.

For more information, please see OSHA 1910.269