Archive of the '2010 Transmission Technologies' Category

Have you seen the Thomas & Betts area? If you are looking for transmission structures or distribution poles, you will find them there. Between them and SD Myers I don’t think you will be disappointed. When you include all the divisions this is one huge area to look at. I think it will take a couple of hours to get through all the product displayed here.

Animals and electrical equipment just don’t mix! It’s not good for the equipment and it can be fatal to the animals. I have known Mike Lynch of Eco Electrical Systems for years. He was involved with a lot of the working groups in the T&D Committee when I was the Chairman of that committee. Mike showed me new animal barriers at his booth. It is amazing what is available now. We have come a long way from plastic owls.

The folks at Osmose have great digital tech toys on display. I’m are real sucker for the digital lines, structures, and all the other things found on distribution lines. If you can take that data, show pole heights, wire configurations, and measurements well I’m hooked. I love to play with these programs and see how they can make life easier in the engineering department. Lauren Glass kept a smile with all my crazy questions.

The folks at Southwire have a very cool project. They are installing their HTS cable (Triax). This is technology you have to see to believe. The cable will be installed in the Metairie area of New Orleans. Go talk to David Lindsay about it. You will be amazed at how this technology has matured.

Go to Alcan’s booth. Ask them to show you their new transmission line technology. They have advanced conductors.

They have monitors for the line that lets you transfer more power down the line without re-conductoring. Its magic Mike Francher will fill you in. That is all I am going to say you have to visit them. Also, they are winning my booth toy so far let Mike show you what I found. It is toooooo Cool.

Have you seen the Hubble Booth - how could you miss it. It is huge. Its jam-packed with technology. Look for the wind turbine model. My friend Dick Erdel took me all through the booth. Hubble had to have 4 semi-trucks to bring all this stuff here. It took them 5 days to fill their 4,000 sq ft.

They have a real neat booth toy too. They are giving away a Bass Pro certificate to some lucky person or persons. Ask about it.

I am an HVDC junkie. The technology is addictive. I found a valve module at ABB’s booth and two of my HVDC friends were there ahead of me. Ben Mehraban (AEP) and Aftab Khan (ABB) were inspecting the components. We had a great time visiting. If you want to find out about the technology talk to ABB.

American Superconductor has a way cool project and they are talking about. My buddy Jack McCall took me through a project called Tres Amigas. It is going to have superconducting underground cable system connecting the HVDC portion of the project. The cables will transfer over 5,000MW or more this way. Go to Jack and ask about it. He is excited.

Go to the Siemens exhibit! Run - don’t walk. They have a really cool smart chopper there. You can climb all over it. They will even take your photo (green screen). You can be a biker dude - really impress your friends.

I wanted everyone to see the set up. I’ll download my photo and post it later. While you are there sign up for the technology tour in the dome.