Creating an Underground Inspection Program
Creating an Underground Inspection Program Nathan Hodges and Kurt Towler Sulphur Springs Valley Electric
Inspection Program Goals and How Do We Start?
Catalyst for Change Improving the Safety Culture
Program Goals Internal Discussions: Change from Ad-hoc to a Formally Defined Program
•
Reduce outages due to equipment failure
•
Safely operate the underground system.
•
Hazard recognition of code and safety violations.
•
Validation of known equipment inventory and mapping of electric network.
•
Modify culture from reactive-emergency work to a preventative maintenance program.
•
Lower overall cost to maintain the underground system through improved reliability..
The Big Push – Internal and External Drivers Internal Lessons Brought Forward •
•
•
Improve operational safety -
Reduce the risk and frequency of near misses
-
Improve GIS to support new switching procedures.
Increase system reliability -
Reduce damage to facilities.
-
Prevent consumer outages.
Create a realistic budget for rehabilitation and replacement -
Increased age of underground system.
-
Move from a reactive to preventative maintenance environment.
The Big Push – Internal and External Drivers External Lessons: A Surprising Risk Assessment from an Insurance Company •
“…lack of a formal documented and detailed Underground Inspection Program. In the event of a serious or fatal accident involving a member of the public, the Cooperative’s inspection and maintenance program will come under close scrutiny.”
•
“…in the event of litigation, documentation will be required and a complete paper trail of inspection and repairs will help contribute to an effective defense.”
•
“…also very important to document this information digitally.”
Rapid Development and Implementation In three weeks we created and implemented a comprehensive program to • Inspect • Identify • Track …every piece of underground equipment. Total
19,422
Junction Cabinets
2,371
Pad
238
Switch Cabinets
163
Pullbox
262
Transformers
7,941
Vault
352
Secondary Pedestal
8,095
Requirements for a Successful Program
•
Digital Records of inspection •
include photographs for passes and failures.
•
What did it look like when we left?
•
A qualified lineman dedicated exclusively to the process.
•
Tools for Underground Inspector:
•
-
Infrared Camera
-
Phase Identifier
-
Tracer
GIS Map and Reports for repair crews that shows facilities that failed inspection.
Phase Identifier uses reference phase and GPS clock signals to indicate conductor phase
Resolving Conflicts: Red label on conductor indicates A phase. Mobile GIS shows B phase. Phase Identifier resolves the dispute - B Phase.
Infrared camera identifies hidden defects Identify the failure before the outage! • • •
Small arcs generate heat. Conductive paths may not be solid. Balanced system should have similar temperatures across phases.
•
Pictures are captured and stored as part of the inspection record.
ST500 Flow Tracer identifies the source of the current Tracer connected to meter panel Mobile GIS shows downstream flow. Source is to the northeast.
Fundamentals: Where the Rubber Meets the Road •
Implement quickly to capture the organizational energy.
•
Let the users drive the process, not the technology.
•
Keep it simple: -
Inspections are pass/fail. Emergency items are called in over the phone.
-
Failures stay on the map until they are fixed and the user marks them as back in service.
-
No office middleman – linemen enter the information, linemen update it.
•
Use mobile GIS since it is already used extensively for outages, creating switching programs, and operations planning.
•
New programs create additional work – simplify by giving linemen power over the data and the process.
Working Together to Create the Inspection Forms Collaboration improves communication… Maintenance Dept Tasks
GIS Team Tasks
•
Inspection Items
•
•
Safety and regulatory checks
Self-serve map based inspection forms.
•
Photo capture.
•
Process and training
•
Data management
•
Physical Logistics of how each piece of equipment will be inspected.
•
Reporting
…and increases acceptance.
Demonstration
Reporting • • • •
Dashboard style reporting for quick answers. SQL Server Reports reflect maps – same database, same data Provide monthly, quarterly, and yearly statistics used for departmental reports. Show counts of facilities repaired as well as inspected.
Results •
Major Outages Avoided -
•
4 significant thermal failures identified and fixed.
Avoided Issues: -
54,000 consumer outage hours
-
Lost Revenue
-
Response Time
-
Overtime Costs
-
Material Supply Issues
-
Unnecessary Facilities Damage
Benefits •
Major and minor outages avoided.
•
Maintenance needs are better understood and supported by data.
•
Map is more accurate.
•
Management approval is high
•
GIS more tightly integrated into maintenance work, making it easier to track changes to system.
•
Teamwork and communication is improved.
•
The self-serve approach serves as a model for future programs.
Thank you!
Nathan Hodges nhodges @ssvec.com
Kurt Towler [email protected]
Inspection Program Goals and How Do We Start?
Catalyst for Change Improving the Safety Culture
Program Goals Internal Discussions: Change from Ad-hoc to a Formally Defined Program
•
Reduce outages due to equipment failure
•
Safely operate the underground system.
•
Hazard recognition of code and safety violations.
•
Validation of known equipment inventory and mapping of electric network.
•
Modify culture from reactive-emergency work to a preventative maintenance program.
•
Lower overall cost to maintain the underground system through improved reliability..
The Big Push – Internal and External Drivers Internal Lessons Brought Forward •
•
•
Improve operational safety -
Reduce the risk and frequency of near misses
-
Improve GIS to support new switching procedures.
Increase system reliability -
Reduce damage to facilities.
-
Prevent consumer outages.
Create a realistic budget for rehabilitation and replacement -
Increased age of underground system.
-
Move from a reactive to preventative maintenance environment.
The Big Push – Internal and External Drivers External Lessons: A Surprising Risk Assessment from an Insurance Company •
“…lack of a formal documented and detailed Underground Inspection Program. In the event of a serious or fatal accident involving a member of the public, the Cooperative’s inspection and maintenance program will come under close scrutiny.”
•
“…in the event of litigation, documentation will be required and a complete paper trail of inspection and repairs will help contribute to an effective defense.”
•
“…also very important to document this information digitally.”
Rapid Development and Implementation In three weeks we created and implemented a comprehensive program to • Inspect • Identify • Track …every piece of underground equipment. Total
19,422
Junction Cabinets
2,371
Pad
238
Switch Cabinets
163
Pullbox
262
Transformers
7,941
Vault
352
Secondary Pedestal
8,095
Requirements for a Successful Program
•
Digital Records of inspection •
include photographs for passes and failures.
•
What did it look like when we left?
•
A qualified lineman dedicated exclusively to the process.
•
Tools for Underground Inspector:
•
-
Infrared Camera
-
Phase Identifier
-
Tracer
GIS Map and Reports for repair crews that shows facilities that failed inspection.
Phase Identifier uses reference phase and GPS clock signals to indicate conductor phase
Resolving Conflicts: Red label on conductor indicates A phase. Mobile GIS shows B phase. Phase Identifier resolves the dispute - B Phase.
Infrared camera identifies hidden defects Identify the failure before the outage! • • •
Small arcs generate heat. Conductive paths may not be solid. Balanced system should have similar temperatures across phases.
•
Pictures are captured and stored as part of the inspection record.
ST500 Flow Tracer identifies the source of the current Tracer connected to meter panel Mobile GIS shows downstream flow. Source is to the northeast.
Fundamentals: Where the Rubber Meets the Road •
Implement quickly to capture the organizational energy.
•
Let the users drive the process, not the technology.
•
Keep it simple: -
Inspections are pass/fail. Emergency items are called in over the phone.
-
Failures stay on the map until they are fixed and the user marks them as back in service.
-
No office middleman – linemen enter the information, linemen update it.
•
Use mobile GIS since it is already used extensively for outages, creating switching programs, and operations planning.
•
New programs create additional work – simplify by giving linemen power over the data and the process.
Working Together to Create the Inspection Forms Collaboration improves communication… Maintenance Dept Tasks
GIS Team Tasks
•
Inspection Items
•
•
Safety and regulatory checks
Self-serve map based inspection forms.
•
Photo capture.
•
Process and training
•
Data management
•
Physical Logistics of how each piece of equipment will be inspected.
•
Reporting
…and increases acceptance.
Demonstration
Reporting • • • •
Dashboard style reporting for quick answers. SQL Server Reports reflect maps – same database, same data Provide monthly, quarterly, and yearly statistics used for departmental reports. Show counts of facilities repaired as well as inspected.
Results •
Major Outages Avoided -
•
4 significant thermal failures identified and fixed.
Avoided Issues: -
54,000 consumer outage hours
-
Lost Revenue
-
Response Time
-
Overtime Costs
-
Material Supply Issues
-
Unnecessary Facilities Damage
Benefits •
Major and minor outages avoided.
•
Maintenance needs are better understood and supported by data.
•
Map is more accurate.
•
Management approval is high
•
GIS more tightly integrated into maintenance work, making it easier to track changes to system.
•
Teamwork and communication is improved.
•
The self-serve approach serves as a model for future programs.
Thank you!
Nathan Hodges nhodges @ssvec.com
Kurt Towler [email protected]
