This complex substation project under Kendall Square in Cambridge, Mass. brings together a dozen different disciplines.
By CHRISTOPHER J. ARNIERI and JOHN ZICKO, Eversource Energy, and MIKE BEEHLER, Power Delivery Intelligence Initiative
Can the U.S. rebuild its power grid by rebuilding its domestic manufacturing capacity for grid-critical components?
When it comes to substation security, auditors and designers often have differing priorities that can lead to misalignment and consequently stifle progress in implementing effective security upgrades.
By MEGAN HAPPEL
Simulation Training Closes the Skills Gap
Traditional on-the-job training methods can sometimes lack standardization and rely heavily on the transfer of tribal knowledge. Simulators, by contrast, offer a structured learning environment.
By SHANE MATTHEWS, ElectriCom and, DEVON VAN DE KLETERSTEEG, CM Labs
List for a
With more than 3000 GW of renewable energy waiting in the grid connection queue according to the IEA, the bottleneck is the outdated electric grid.
By
PHILIPPE PIRON, GE Vernova
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From Helicopters to Hand Saws: Inside Utility Vegetation Management
What’s great about the electric utility industry is just how many different careers it includes. Sure, power engineers are a big part of the picture; they’re the ones who design, maintain, and help run the grid. And then there are lineworkers, the true first responders out in the field, building, fixing, and restoring power when it goes out. But beyond those well-known roles, the industry is powered by a huge variety of professionals, likely dozens of distinct roles — all working to keep the lights on.
Another sector that T&D World started comprehensively covering years ago was vegetation management. Over the years, we have watched (and written about) how this discipline has changed and emerged and is even more entrenched in the utility industry now due to the increasing severity of wildfires.
T&D World partnered with the International Arborist Society over a decade ago when we first started our Vegetation Management Resource Center website along with our Vegetation Management newsletter, and shared links to many of the society’s whitepapers. We also had already been publishing a yearly Vegetation Management supplement in partnership with the Utility Arborist Association.
A utility vegetation manager can have a lot of variety even within one role. One of NM Group’s managers shared his experience in a Q&A recently: “One day, you might be up in a helicopter, flying along transmission corridors. The next, you’re meeting with frustrated customers, listening to their concerns about how their trees were trimmed near power lines. You’re also out in the field visiting crews, doing audits, checking quality, and making sure people are notified before work begins. And then there’s the office side — reviewing budgets, planning trim schedules, putting together bid packages, and keeping safety front and center for the whole team.”
Tree trimmers, often part of vegetation management crews, can also be at the front lines after storms; clearing fallen trees, broken limbs and vegetation. They create safe work zones for other utility workers, as well as enable access so bucket trucks and diggers can get to damaged areas.
The Evolution of Utility VM
Among a continuing flurry of executive orders, President Trump signed one to boost logging on federal lands. Some people believe that this could help with wildfire mitigation. But in covering utility VM for many years, I know it’s more complicated than that. Many scientists agree that many federal forests are in rough
condition. Years of aggressive wildfire suppression and logging have changed the makeup of our forests. Instead of the large, fire-resistant old-growth trees that used to dominate, we’re now left with dense thickets of smaller trees and shrubs. On top of that, many trees are stressed or dying because of disease, insect outbreaks, and drought — issues that are only getting worse with climate change. So maybe some SMART selective logging could help. It remains to be seen, however, whether this will be an educated and organized process, particularly with how complicated everything in America is, and how complex federal processes can be.
Scott Stephens, a fire ecologist at the University of California, Berkeley, told Science magazine that forest health problems have “been discussed ad nauseum since 2000. Federal initiatives have come, good ideas have come, and this [problem] continues.”
Utility vegetation managers know that’s just one part of the picture, and the public and politicians often underestimate or don’t understand how much work and research our industry puts into vegetation management, wildfire mitigation and environmental sustainability.
Not only that, but they have adapted and evolved as conditions and technology have changed. A decade ago, outages and customer complaints were really the primary concerns; now it’s preventing catastrophic wildfires, especially in high-risk areas.
Some of the processes have changed as well. Utilities used more time-based trim cycles a few years ago but are now adopting risk-based or condition-based strategies.
They have also dealt with increased regulation and oversight with the increase in wildfires; compliance hasn’t necessarily gotten easier, but it’s an important part of the job.
But one of the biggest changes has come in technological advancements. Ten years ago, LiDAR was still emerging in vegetation management and wasn’t widely adopted. Now LiDAR, satellite and drone imagery are common for mapping vegetation and assessing clearance around lines. AI and machine learning, and GIS tools are also being put to good use. One of our recent Line Life podcasts explored the impact of AI, virtual reality and augmented reality on utility vegetation management and the electric utility industry.
We continue our tradition of covering vegetation management in this month’s special supplement featuring wildlife conservation, SMUD and ROWs, and other new technologies and best practices. I always like looking at this issue with all the plants, flowers AND power lines.
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It’s Costing Us Big-Time
Imay have mentioned several times the large amounts of emails, white papers, and reports that vie for my attention every day. It’s a normal occurrence, and every editor looks forward to finding the jewels hidden there, and every now and then we do. Not long ago I hit the jackpot that I had been waiting for. It was four years in the making and it was worth the wait. It was ASCE’s (American Society of Civil Engineers) 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.
ASCE compares it to a comprehensive snapshot of the nation’s fragile infrastructure, and it takes 18 categories ranging from aviation to wastewater to do that. The ASCE infrastructure report card has been a tradition for over two decades now. The 2025 report card is the best since its start. It’s the first time the overall grade hit the C rating. That doesn’t mean our infrastructure is average.
According to ASCE, the C rating represents mediocrity requiring attention, but it’s moving in the right direction. Our power delivery system is part of the energy sector, but it’s going in the wrong direction. The energy sector dropped to a D+, which is shocking after the highest demand growth in decades, but it’s being supported by an antiquated infrastructure. We work extremely hard keeping it powered properly, but then everybody forgets how brittle it is!
Can’t Beat Murphy’s Law
It’s the old out-of-sight, out-of-mind philosophy everyone is guilty of having. But if we consider how interconnected electricity is with the other infrastructures listed on the report card, we can’t ignore it. Take for example, a few months ago, there was an oil fire in an electrical substation in London. It resulted in Heathrow
airport being shut down for 18 hours, disrupting air traffic worldwide. It was a classical single point of failure scenario and should not have happened in today’s digitally enhanced world, but it did.
Granted, London is not part of the U.S. infrastructure, but our infrastructures have a lot in common. It emphasizes how critically important the operation of the energy infrastructure is to society. There are several good accounts of the incident available for readers interested in the details, but for this discussion, let’s keep this simple.
The North Hyde 275kV substation was the direct supply point for electricity to Heathrow. The power network dates back more than 60 years. It’s an area that has been experiencing rapid load growth, which has been challenging its aging infrastructure. There were other substations on the network that could have provided power.
Heathrow’s emergency backup power procedure, however, relies on manually reconfiguring the power feed rather than having an automatic throw-over scheme. In addition, Heathrow does not have backup generators with sufficient capacity to meet the airport’s peak loads. Lack of redundancy can be an expensive lesson when it comes to system reliability and helps explain why modernization is so important to counter the network threats.
As Strong as Its Weakest Link
Back in the day, we weren’t so interconnected as today’s world is. Nowadays a single point of failure can lead to cascading failures. Once they’re triggered the failure can expand to an entire facility or system if there’s no adaptability built into the scheme. Aging infrastructure adds to the problem with its limited flexibility, making widespread failures possible because it can’t compensate for the failed element.
Taken in that context, it’s easier to understand the ASCE grade explanations presented in the report card. When I first saw the C grade designated as requiring attention, it wasn’t apparent as to why. After reading about the disruption of an airport by a single point of failure event, it was. One expert looking into the Heathrow event said it was possible to create backup systems robust enough to maintain normal operations, but it’s expensive. Ultimately, it was a cost-benefit analysis, but is it? That may be legacy thinking talking.
Moving those infrastructure categories into what ASCE refers to “as a state of good repair” is more of a cost-benefit-risk analysis. That’s going to require major infrastructure investments because they all need improving. We can’t afford to pick and choose, they’re all interrelated.
ASCE’s report card included some enlightening facts and figures. There’s one chart listing the price-tag for moving each infrastructure into that “state of good repair,” which totals US$9.14 trillion. We had US$5.45 trillion funded, but those funds are uncertain. Unfortunately, our infrastructure doesn’t have time for uncertainty!
Optimizing Technology Makes It More Efficient
Battery storage needs smarter management for the 21st century power grid.
Did you ever think there would be a time when wind and solar generation produced more electricity than coalfired power plants? That’s what happened last year and many experts say this event represents critical breakthroughs for wind and solar technologies, but it shouldn’t be surprising. In 2023 a report from Energy Innovation found that 99% of the U.S. legacy coal-fired plants were more expensive to keep operating than replacing them with new wind or solar generation. That also includes the cost of battery storage systems necessary to make this clean energy dispatchable.
Developers of large wind and solar facilities have been utilizing large-scale battery storage systems for many years and so have utilities and grid operators. They’re all taking advantage of battery storage systems to make solar resources more dependable, but they also need battery management systems (BMS). Even when they’re found behind-the-meter (BTM) they need these BMSs. This technology has become critical as more wind, solar, and storage takes up the slack in power generation.
Gigawatts Get Noticed
To put this in perspective, the figures from 2024 have been compiled and are starting to be digested by a number of authorities. Several research group websites announced that last year 93% of all the new energy capacity coming online in the US. was solar, wind, and storage. It really got interesting as they broke that down into more tangible terms. This 93% equated to about 49 GW. It also brought
about the overall capacity of clean energy to a record of over 300 GW connected to the power grid.
SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association)/Mackenzie Power & Renewables publication “U.S. Solar Market Insight 2024 Year in Review” included some facts and figures that got attention. SEIA reported that 4.7 GW of residential solar was installed last year along with about 3.8 GW of solar in the commercial and community solar segment.
That may not seem like much when compared with the overall gird-scale solar capacities making headlines, but consider its location. It’s on the BTM segment, which is essential when it comes to grid decentralization.
One other point the review made was, “Homeowners and businesses are increasingly demanding solar systems that are paired with battery storage. Over 28% of all new residential solar capacity was paired with storage in 2024.” All of the solarplus-storage has an economic value to its owner and it needs an efficient BMS. Imagine if developers, utilities, and BTM customers had an application that tells them when to sell their power at the exact time that would get the highest dollar per kilowatt.
Speaking of the BTM customers, aggregators have identified this segment as a lucrative resource of revenue with the huge amount of solar-plus-storage gigawatts available here. Still, utilizing all of these solar-plus-storage resources is challenging. Combining individual systems into larger amounts has been the subject of past “Charging Ahead” articles concerning AI-driven microgrids and VPPs (virtual power plants). It’s the ultimate non-wire, grid-enhancing technology and it’s available today.
CHARGING AHEAD
Needed Active Not Passive
Today’s BMSs can no longer be passive like they were initially. When storage was first added to solar energy systems it was a simple and passive device, but as technologies moved forward, more is expected from them. The basic tasks of limited monitoring aren’t sufficient any longer. A BMS can no longer only observe, it has to interact and take an active role in the battery’s health and operation. Once again, it’s the old “what if” syndrome popping up.
If you remember, we discussed that a few months ago with maturing technologies. Users started asking those loaded questions and suppliers valued the feedback. Questions like, “What if BMSs could be less reactive and more proactive” came up. Some users asked if BMSs could be more adaptive and optimize on the fly? Utilities questioned if these systems could interact directly with the power grid’s needs? The manufacturers had their own lists of “what ifs” too.
They were interested in the BMS transitioning toward a more autonomous approach. The smart grid’s technology has shown the value in being smarter and more efficient in its operation. The introduction of the power of cloud computing to grid resulted in the addition of sophisticated software and cutting-edge communications, which expanded applications. Somewhere along the way BMSs evolved into BMS platforms. These upgrades were superior to earlier versions, and there was no turning back.
Wanted - Smarter Systems
Once BMSs moved from being passive to a more active mode, it seemed there was interest in moving from proactive to predictive. Visualize being able to make intelligent decisions about how the BMSs interacted with the power grid in real-time. Sounds more like science fiction than scientific fact, but it’s happening. The combination of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and BMS applications has changed the BMS’s operational efficiency. It’s able to manage larger and more complex storage systems than ever before. Once more AI has enabled a technology to leapfrog the status quo. In this case it’s BMSs platforms.
There is a variety of AI groupings available, but let’s concentrate on the AI-driven application integrated into the BMS platform. An AI-driven application uses the AI component as the dominant driving force of the system’s functionality. It’s part of the AI spectrum that has proven very adept at taking applications like BMS to its next level. It not only makes BMS platforms smarter, but they’re more adaptable. The AI-driven BMS takes advantage of all the AI tools like advanced algorithms, machine learning, and predictive analytics. AI has made the BMS platform an intelligent tool that learns from the data being fed to it and makes informed decisions, which enhances its capabilities.
One advantage of an AI-driven BMS platform is its ability to perform real-time monitoring in conjunction with data analysis to determine what is taking place within the battery. It also predicts what is going to happen next. Predictive algorithms classify and organize the flood of big-data produced by the BMSs. It is classified into well-defined groupings. Then the
data could be processed by conditional analytics, which makes predictions based on sets of probabilities.
AI-Driven Advantages
Case in point, there are many factors that impact a battery’s health and service life like battery degradation and component failure. Generative AI identifies these patterns and makes predictions. Those predictions are used by many of the AI-driven BMS platforms for predictive diagnostics, adaptive control, and predictive maintenance. Without taking too deep a dive on generative algorithms, machine learning, and pattern recognition analysis. Let’s look at some generalities.
Reducing maintenance is a much sought after goal by budgetstrapped utilities and grid operators around the world. AI-driven BMS platforms are heavyweights when it comes to reducing maintenance costs through predictive diagnostics applied to predictive maintenance. The platforms excel at identifying potential issue before they become problems or catastrophic faults. In many cases it’s a simple autonomous adjustment that corrects the situation.
Wouldn’t it be handy to be able to differentiate between regular aging and an emerging failure? Predictive diagnostics can do that, which in turn reduces downtimes and maintenance costs. Another use of AI pattern recognition is adaptive management, which can be combined with external databases like environmental conditions, demand forecast, operational grid constraints, and energy trading. This gives providers of ancillary services an advantage when it comes to the question of getting the most money for the sale of their services to the power grid.
Making a Difference
These are only a few of the advantages AI-driven BMS platforms provide. As they mature, they’re making a difference for their owners. Some suppliers of BMSs using AI their offerings are able to free up 10% of additional capacity from a typical battery storage system. There are also claims of being able to double or triple the battery’s life with their technology. Others are focused on improving the numbers of charge and discharge cycles and the list goes on.
With all of these options, potential customers need to do their homework. The technology offers many benefits and features, but it’s easy to get them confused. It’s also easy to get on the wrong side of technological assumptions. That’s why it’s a good idea to understand both what is needed from the application and what the particular AI variation can do. It’s easy to get mixed up when talking about AI-enhanced, AI-powered, and AI-driven, which was discussed a few months ago in a previous “Charging Ahead” article. These grid-enhancing technology are used on both sides of the meter and they offers substantial dividends to well-informed users. The 2025 power demand predictions show high demand, but supplying electricity to our customers is going to be challenging with the Washington chaos. AI-driven BMSs, however, offer a technical end-around to the political flip flopping that’s trying to derail clean energy deployments. Remember the BTM side of the grid has lots of gigawatts that AI-Driven BMSs can quickly supply for growing demand!
Boardman Substation Expands Regional Power
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has completed and energized a new high-voltage substation in north-central Oregon to address increasing electricity demand and support the integration of new energy generation resources in the Pacific Northwest.
The Longhorn Substation, located near Boardman, is part of BPA’s broader effort to expand and modernize the region’s electric grid. The facility will enable approximately 2,500 megawatts of new generator interconnections and is intended to enhance the reliability and capacity of the transmission network serving local and regional needs.
much of the Columbia Basin and Blue Mountain areas of Northeastern Oregon.
The substation provides a direct interconnection to BPA’s McNaryCoyote Springs 500-kV transmission line, as well as multiple 230-kilovolt connections that will support both immediate and future customer needs. These upgrades aim to strengthen local infrastructure, improve regional connectivity, and support economic development by enabling new industrial, agricultural, and commercial investments in the Boardman area.
BPA executives, along with representatives from Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC), elected officials, and industry leaders, are marking the substation’s commissioning and the completion of its first phase of operation. Longhorn Substation also serves as a key connection point for UEC, which purchases wholesale electricity and transmission services from BPA and supplies power across
Longhorn is part of BPA’s larger grid expansion plan, which includes approximately 23 proposed transmission projects totaling around $5 billion. These efforts are designed to meet future energy needs across the Pacific Northwest and to bolster the reliability and affordability of the electric system.
The construction of Longhorn Substation and related infrastructure reflects ongoing regional efforts to enhance the electric grid’s resilience and capacity to meet evolving electricity demands.
Trump Issues EO to Strengthen Electric Grid
The U.S. President, Donald Trump has issued an executive order (EO) on April 8, 2025, titled Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the United States Electric Grid.
The order will address the increasing challenges faced by the nation’s energy infrastructure. As technological improvements and increased domestic manufacturing are leading to a record electricity demand, ensuring a stable and resilient power grid is a priority for industry sectors such as domestic manufacturers and the growing numbers of data centers around the country.
The EO addresses the critical need to enhance the stability and resilience of the nation’s power infrastructure. The EO emphasizes the necessity of utilizing all available power generation resources to meet electricity demand and address the national energy emergency declared in EO 14156 on January 20, 2025.
Additionally, the EO urges the DOE secretary to develop a uniform methodology for analyzing reserve margins across regions regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Overall, the EO aims to strengthen the electric grid’s capacity to support the nation’s technological and economic growth while safeguarding national security interests.
The provisions highlighted in the EO have implications for energy policy and national security. The EO seeks to support the nation’s ability to remain at the forefront of technological innovation and economic growth.
The focus on utilizing all available power generation resources, particularly those with secure and redundant fuel supplies, demonstrates the importance of a diversified energy portfolio in meeting future electricity demands. Additionally, the EO emphasis on maintaining critical generation resources within at-risk regions highlights the strategic importance of energy infrastructure in national security planning.
Finally, the EO’s directive asking the DOE to take measures to prevent system-critical generation resources in excess from 50 MW from closing or converting to a different fuel type warns of a boon for older, fossil fuel-powered generators that would otherwise retire.
$8B in Clean Energy Cuts
Approximately $8 billion in clean energy investments and 16 large-scale projects were canceled, closed, or scaled back during the first quarter of 2025, according to a new report from E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs). The figure represents more than triple the amount of canceled investments seen over the previous two years combined, reflecting rising uncertainty as federal lawmakers consider changes to clean energy incentives.
Despite this, investment in the U.S. clean energy sector continues. In March, companies announced $1.6 billion in new projects across six states. Overall, 10 projects announced during the month are projected to generate at least 5,000 permanent jobs if completed.
The data is part of E2’s Clean Economy Works monthly update, which tracks major clean energy and clean vehicle projects across the country.
Since August 2022, when federal clean energy tax credits were enacted, 34 projects have been canceled, downsized, or closed, totaling over $10 billion in planned investments and more than 15,000 associated jobs, according to E2 and Atlas Public Policy data. The pace of these changes has increased in recent months, with 13 projects and over $5 billion in investments affected in February and March alone.
The report also highlights geographic trends. A majority of clean energy activity — 62 percent of announced projects, 71 percent of projected jobs, and 83 percent of planned investments — has occurred in congressional districts represented by Republicans. These areas have also experienced the most cancelations to date, accounting for more than $6 billion in withdrawn investments and over 10,000 jobs.
To date, E2 has tracked 390 major clean energy projects across 42 states and Puerto Rico, totaling over $133 billion in planned investment and more than 122,000 permanent jobs. E2 plans to continue updating its data, including details on cancelations, at e2.org/announcements.
E2 representatives, including Executive Director Bob Keefe and Communications Director Michael Timberlake, will be attending the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference in Tempe, Arizona, on April 24. The organization will host the conference’s networking reception at the Omni Hotel at ASU.
$422M Boost for GPL Expansion
Power China and Kalpataru have signed contracts worth $422 million for the extension of transmission lines for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to help generate and distribute power from a 300 MW Gas-to-Energy power plant.
The contracts will be distributed in three lots, with Lots 1 and 3 awarded to Power China ($256.7 million) and Lot 2 awarded to Kalpataru ($156.5 million).
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar said the signing of the contracts marks the start of building infrastructure for the future. The contracts include the construction of 155 km 230 double circuit transmission lines, 167 km of 69 KV double circuit transmission line, five new substations and the upgrade of the Kingston Substation.
The new substations will be at La Bonne Intention, Enmore, Trafalgar and Williamsburg and East Berbice. The projects are expected to be completed in a year.
“The substations will be completed in June, the control centre will be completed in August, all the parts are being completed to receive the power, so we want to make it, so when it comes it is distributed to the country and that is why we are doing this today,” Indar added.
Indar has revealed some 13,974 new customers requested power from GPL in 2024. Currently, the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System accommodates some 230,000 customers. Indar also noted that there is more reliability in power supply with minimal complaints about blackouts on social media.
In 2024, the grid experienced an increase of 124 MW to address growing demand for electricity. The DBIS reached a peak of 205 MW in 2024 and is expected to reach 250 MW for 2025.
This complex substation project under Kendall Square in Cambridge,
Mass. brings together a dozen different
disciplines.
By CHRISTOPHER J. ARNIERI and JOHN ZICKO, Eversource Energy, and MIKE BEEHLER, Power Delivery Intelligence Initiative
Substations are a necessary part of the energy delivery value chain amidst the accelerated push for electrification in communities across North America.
Increased electrical loads require more high voltage substations, but a scarcity of available space, especially in urban areas, is forcing creative innovation and collaboration with nonutility entities like never before.
“As city planners, we have a hard time finding a place for bike racks in Kendall Square, so finding a spot for a 35,000-square-foot
(outdoor substation) facility was no small task,” said Tom Evans, executive director of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority.
Eversource Energy, a large investor-owned utility serving electricity and natural gas to 4.6 million customers in New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts, faced just such a challenge in Kendall Square in their Cambridge, Massachusetts, service territory.
Kendall Square is a neighborhood full of tech companies and home to Massachusetts’ institute of technology (MIT) and is
Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The underground substation project required the coordination of many city officials, local stakeholders and others.
“the most innovative square mile on the planet” according to Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang.
Going Underground
Eversource Energy realized that an underground substation might be their best option, but building a substation underground dramatically increases engineering complexity and its cost. While there are several indoor substations across the U.S., the only other underground substation in the U.S. was the 69 kV Park Substation in Anaheim, California, built nearly 20 years ago. That project could be considered underground because it is partially set into a hill. Notwithstanding the challenge, Eversource pivoted to a fully underground substation while maintaining their commitment to delivering safe and reliable power to their customers.
Eversource would overcome several layers of complexity to realize these benefits and would strike a delicate balance of safety, technical design, new technologies, efficiency, and environmental sensitivity.
Project Timeline
In early 2014, the utility determined a substation project would be required to serve growing electrical demand and eliminate the electrical islanding issue in most of Cambridge, where two major distribution substations were supplied by a pair of underground transmission lines with a common source and path.
Cutaway view of underground substation.
Photo courtesy of Eversource Energy.
In 2018 and 2019, The City of Cambridge and Eversource sought out an acceptable location for the substation. This effort identified eight potential sites to assess for the substation relocation. Boston Properties (now BxP) and the utility collaborated and agreed on the Kendall Square location, where BxP would develop the site underground. Eversource integrated its project plan with BxP’s overall site development plan, the city’s urban development plan, and the plans won majority agreement with neighborhood associations.
After executing commercial agreements with BxP, the engineering and design phase began. From 2019 through early 2025, the utility had weekly (or even more frequent) meetings with BxP and the engineering teams on this purpose-built underground structure. The project won Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) approval on June 28, 2024, and construction started in January 2025. The substation is slated for completion in March 2029, with an initial energization date in June 2029, and full energization (all 115 kV lines cut over) in December 2031.
Intricate Engineering
From early on, project partners realized that co-locating and co-developing the underground substation along with the residential buildings and the commercial buildings would mean that using typical two-dimensional drawings would not be a viable approach. With multiple structures under development on the same site and the substation’s complex building systems, Eversource realized it would need a full 3D integrated design and building information model (BIM).
The new substation would connect to eight underground 115 kV transmission lines routing from five remote substations.
Top: Construction photograph of first below grade floor future installation of medium voltage switchgear. Inset: Construction photograph of second below grade floor future station ventilation and medium voltage cable routing level. Photos courtesy of Eversource Energy.
This meant completely redeveloping the electrical infrastructure and addressing the existing islanding issue from a single shared substation. The transmission part of the project required six series reactors on six of the eight transmission lines to balance power flows in the Cambridge area.
To resolve the issue of rapid population growth and electricity demand, the substation will ultimately have four 90 MVA power transformers installed to ultimately serve 48 15 kV underground distribution circuits. Due to the limited space in the below grade substation, engineers deployed 2,800 linear feet of
Performing engineering and design in 3D gave all parties access to the model, allowing each to design each respective part of the full site development model.
Above: Construction photograph of excavator digging out Third below grade floor future location of Gas insulated switchgear.
Left: Construction photograph from 2nd below grade floor of soil being removed from 3rd below grade floor.
gas insulated bus (GIB) to route the transmission lines and transformer primaries throughout the entire substation.
Avoiding Greenhouse Gases
The GIS was originally to use sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as an insulation medium. In addition to being a colorless, odorless,
Photo courtesy of Eversource Energy.
non-flammable gas used for insulation and arc quenching in high-voltage equipment, SF6 is also a potent greenhouse gas.
Working with Hitachi Energy, project partners decided to use the manufacturer’s EconiQ gas in all passive components in the GIS. EconiQ uses a combination of fluoronitriles (C4FN), carbon dioxide (CO 2), and oxygen to replace SF6 in gasinsulated switchgear (GIS). Using Hitachi’s insulation medium eliminated about 65% of the SF6 footprint (8,801 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent avoided).
Four 90 MVA power transformers with six (ultimately eight) sections of metal-clad switchgear in a main tie main ring bus configuration will be installed to boost the 15 kV distribution system. Connections from the power transformers to the metal clad switchgear will use 15 kV bus duct. To support voltage stability, six 15 kV metal clad capacitor banks will connect to the metal-clad switchgear.
Engaging the Public
From the lessons learned during the early project outreach stage, project partners knew community outreach and stakeholder engagement was critical to the success of the Greater Cambridge Energy Program. Eversource and BxP set up a series of open houses, community group meetings and city department meetings to review and discuss all project design elements to obtain full agreement prior to the permitting process.
“There were several business considerations with the thirdparty developer who is building the core of the city of Cambridge and granted zoning relief needed to make this come to fruition. These business considerations included a purchase and sale agreement, numerous easements, and planning/zoning discussions with the City of Cambridge. These are not typically considered in the realm of engineering scope, but due to the large number of items that needed to be included, Engineering held a key role in these negotiations and discussions,” said Asim Fazlagic, Vice President for Substation and Transmission Line Engineering at Eversource Energy.
These meetings took stakeholder comments to the engineering teams to help design the project to meet a fully acceptable solution. Community outreach allowed Eversource and BxP to deliver a design that met the electrical needs while blending in
with the existing city landscape and ultimately was able to provide public improvements that did not exist in the current area.
“As the area above the substation is going to be an open green space accessible to the public, safety was an area of high focus. Normal and emergency egress, equipment access, air intake and air exhaust all needed to be considered and made harmonious with the surrounding uses,” Fazlagic said.
3D Modeling
Performing engineering and design in 3D gave all parties access to the full site development model, allowing each to design their respective parts of the project. This direct design implementation allowed for the cross coordination of transmission lines under the floor slab of the BxP residential property and the distribution duct banks through the basement level of the commercial building. This ensured all cables entering and leaving the substation would not thermally impact electrical ratings or impact the residential and commercial building designs.
The 3D model could also coordinate the placement of all required building systems (ventilation, life safety, site communication, lighting and auxiliary power) so abutting buildings would not be interfered with. This had the bonus effect of producing a road map on how to install, operate and remove all equipment within the substation over its lifetime.
Eversource expanded the 3D BIM model to 4D (schedule integration), 5D (estimating and cost planning) and 7D (facility management and as-builts through BIM scanning). The 4D and 5D tools allow for any user to accurately see the progression of the construction and cost through the 3D model in real time. The 7D tools will bring new tools to setup Eversource’s first substation with a full digital twin. Operations and engineering will see the station’s current state and track past, current and future maintenance cycles for all equipment within the substation over the life of the assest(s).
Winning Notice
Eversource and BxP won the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce 2024 Visionary Award in November 2024 for the application of advanced design tools and processes on this project.
The Eversource Team poses with the Visionary Award. Due to the advanced tools used and new processes to design and build this project, Eversource and BxP won the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce 2024 Visionary Award November 21, 2024.
“This recognition emphasizes the critical role of collaboration and compromise in delivering innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of the communities we serve. We’re pleased to have had the opportunity to collaborate with BXP, the City of Cambridge, the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, as well as the City of Somerville and Allston/Brighton on this important project. By investing in advanced technologies and infrastructure, we aim to meet the evolving energy needs of our customers in an environmentally responsible way, creating a cleaner, more resilient, and efficient grid for the future,” said Bill Quinlan, President of Transmission and Offshore Wind Projects, Eversource Energy.
On April 8, 2025, Eversource was awarded the Decarbonization Leadership Award 2025 from Hitachi Energy for the utilization of the EconiQ gas GIS equipment. Eversource was proven to be recognized by a major manufacturer and utility peers as a leader in the world’s sustainability efforts to minimize the harmful greenhouse gasses being used in the electric utility industry. “The grid of the future is sustainable, and Hitachi Energy’s EconiQ technology is the catalyst for this vision. Our partnership with Eversource in deploying the world’s first SF6free 420 kV dead tank circuit breaker (and utilization of EconiQ on this project) is more than a technological achievement – it’s a monumental step toward a more sustainable and reliable energy system. Together, we’ve proven that the future of energy can and should be innovative, responsible, and free from SF6.”, Said Markus Heimbach Executive Vice President, Managing Director Global High Voltage Products Hitachi Energy.
Eversource Energy is building a complex transmission and distribution, fully underground substation to improve system resiliency and allow for future growth. Project partners collaborated with developers, city municipal departments, operations and maintenance crews, cable and equipment suppliers and just about every engineering discipline including electrical, civil,
structural, geotechnical, life sciences, HVAC/mechanical, and plumbing and fire protection.
This required coordinating partners toward the goal of a safe, cost effective and reliable facility. Furthermore, negotiations and commercial agreements needed engineering involvement, requiring engineers to understand the big picture, the business aspects and the community relations aspects of the project.
“Wow, this day finally came,” said Eversource CEO Joe Nolan at a ceremonial groundbreaking event in January 2025. “I am on the road quite frequently with our investors, and key decisionmakers, and not a day goes by that I don’t brag about this project. No one can quite believe that we’re able to do this.”
CHRISTOPHER ARNIERI is currently the Manager of Substation Design Engineering for Eastern Massachusetts at Eversource Energy. In his current role, he oversees a team of engineers and coordinates the engineering efforts for all Substations within the eastern Massachusetts territory. Prior to this he was the Manager of Capital Project Engineering for the three state Eversource Service Territory. He has 22 years of experience in the utility industry and holds a BSEE and BSCE from Northeastern University.
JOHN ZICKO is currently the Director of Capital Project Engineering at Eversource Energy. In this role, he coordinates engineering efforts among disciplines and is the interface between engineering and other project team members internal and external on certain projects. Prior to this he was the Director of Substation Design Engineering for the utility’s three-state service territory and the Director of Substation Design, P&C, Substation Technical and Overhead Transmission Line Engineering for the Eastern Massachusetts service territory. He has 41 years of experience in the utility industry, holds a BSEE from Northeastern University, and MS Mgt from Lesley University and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
MIKE BEEHLER is the national spokesperson for the Power Delivery Intelligence Initiative and the chief opportunity officer for Mike Beehler & Associates LLC.
4D BIM seeing the project come to life one step at a time image visualizing construction progress and schedule.
Photo courtesy of Eversource Energy.
Reshoring the Power Grid
Can the U.S. rebuild its power grid by rebuilding its domestic manufacturing capacity for grid-critical components?
By JEFF POSTELWAIT, Managing Editor
The word on many people’s minds in the business press for at least the past year has been “reshoring.”
Through some policy or another, presidents have promised to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. since deindustrialization hit in the 1970s and 1980s, when free-trade agreements resulted in labor intensive industries moving their manufacturing bases to developing countries.
They make these promises because it sounds good. Americans like to feel that this is a country that makes stuff. Offshoring much of U.S. manufacturing, however, was not done in a day. It took place across decades.
Reshoring, whatever you think about how or whether it should be done, will take time. Bringing factories back to the U.S. will be a long, involved process. In the meantime, the latest effort to spur it is causing some disruption.
Tariff policy is becoming increasingly complicated — and talked about. President Trump, who likes to say “tariff” is “the most beautiful word in the English language,” is making imposing duties on goods from around the planet a key part of his economic revitalization plan.
At the time of this writing, there are 10% blanket tariffs on almost everything the U.S. imports, which includes raw materials manufacturers use to make their
The ABB Albuquerque campus currently employs more than 565 full-time associates and aims to staff some 50 jobs in the coming months.
ABB Installation Products has opened a new manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico to meet increased demand for Elastimold cable accessories and Fisher Pierce circuit solutions. The new South Building expands ABB Installation Products’ on-site operations. The facility brings more than 150 new full-time jobs to the area and integrates ABB robotics technology, digital equipment, and areas for quality, testing and distribution, helping double production capacity.
Photos courtesy of ABB.
Furthering the company’s strategic focus on electrification, an additional $15 million was invested in both buildings over the past year to add production shifts, equipment upgrades and automation technology, as well as continue to drive sustainability initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce waste and water usage.
It also houses a dedicated Pioneering Innovation Center to support customer collaboration, job training and advanced research and development, while showcasing product installations.
products or expand their operations. There are especially high tariffs on China, and that nation has retaliated with steep duties of its own.
Rebuilding Supply Chains
Still, in some cases, there could be opportunities for manufacturers. One such area of need exists here in the power sector: We need transformers, switchgear, conductors, power poles, meters, sensors and dozens of other categories of goods, many of which need to be specifically tailored to the job for which they are needed.
Doug Houseman, Senior Managing Consultant with 1898 & Co., a unit of Burns & McDonnell, said just as they have been since about 2020, order lead times for needed goods are up, and the cost for a used transformer are up about 20% over the past year.
“There is a limit to used or remanufactured equipment at the very large size, and those supplies are being drawn down by industrial customers, Bitcoin and renewables. We may hit the wall on used equipment in the next two to three years,” Houseman said.
Some relief should show up, he said, in about 12-36 months as some of the promised manufacturing spending takes place and more workers are trained. Houseman said the workforce training will be a bottleneck for reshoring even more than the time it will take to build, expand or retrofit factories.
“Supply for what we make is tight, but
adequate for pieces made in the US or Canada, the tariffs may impact what pieces that are not sourced here,” he said. “One of the fun things to think about are the railcars and semi-trailers to move the larger transformers to site, those can take 18 months to build and test.”
Houseman said Hitachi Energy got out in front of the issue by announcing and executing on a major transmission capacity expansion.
Long Wait Times Persist
Travis Edmonds, Vice President of Supply Chain, Transformers, North America, Hitachi Energy said lead times for key transformer types are 3-4 times longer than they were a few years ago.
In addition to changes in tariff policies and the accompanying economic turbulence that accompanied them, Edmonds said the tightening market is the result of multiple trends converging: accelerated energy transition goals, grid modernization efforts, transportation electrification and the rapid of energy demand in key markets like data centers.
“Our most critical suppliers have invested hundreds of millions alongside us as we have grown together,” Edmonds said. “We are investing heavily to expand capacity across all our North American manufacturing footprint. This includes the recent announcement of a $250 million global investment in our transformer insulation and components business, roughly 40% of which will be in the U.S.”
New Investments in Manufacturing
Most recently, on April 25 Hitachi Energy announced a $22.5 million investment to make dry-type transformers in southwest Virginia, and Edmonds said there is more to come.
Some other manufacturers of power grid supplies that have announced new supply chain investments:
In Albuquerque, N.M., a unit of ABB opened a 90,000 square foot, $40 million manufacturing facility to produce components used in grid hardening, undergrounding and wildfire mitigation applications. These include Elastimold cable accessories and Fisher Pierce circuit indicators.
ABB also spent tens of millions on new production facilities in Selmer, Tennessee, and Senatobia, Mississippi. These factories will produce components to serve electrical distribution equipment and circuit breakers for large-scale industrial and technology-driven facilities, including data centers, factories and high-rise residential and office spaces. April 25, MGM Transformers and VanTran Transformers opened a new 30,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in Waco, Texas. This facility will provide 700 jobs and $1 billion in annual transformer production capacity, the companies said in a joint release. April 23, GE Vernova said it would invest $600 million in its U.S. factories in Clearwater, Fla. and Charleroi, Penn. These factories make high-voltage
Liquid-filled transformers on an MGM Transformers factory floor.
Photo courtesy of MGM Transformers.
instrument transformers and high-voltage circuit breakers.
In South Carolina, Eaton spent $340 million on a new facility in Jonesville that will build three-phase transformers, which it will also continue to build in existing facilities in Wisconsin.
Schneider Electric is spending $700 million through 2027 on facilities in Tennessee, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Texas and North Carolina. These facilities will produce medium voltage products, build molded case and air circuit breakers, and produce switchgear and power distribution products.
Pennsylvania Transformer Technology (PTT) is spending $102.5 million in Raeford, North Carolina to expand its transformer manufacturing and create some 200 new jobs, according to an announcement from the North Carolina governor’s office.
Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. plans to invest about $86 million to build a switchgear factory in Western Pennsylvania that, once at full capacity, is expected to be home to more than 200 workers.
TMC Transformers USA is spending more than $15.3 million over the next five years in a new manufacturing facility in Waynesboro, Georgia, creating at least 110 jobs, according to an announcement from that state’s governor.
Electric Research Manufacturing Cooperative Inc. (ERMCO) is expanding its transformer manufacturing capacity in Tennessee in a move that company says will create 400 jobs.
The leaders of steel manufacturer Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. said in July they convert part of a shuttered West Virginia plant into a distribution transformer manufacturing center. That project is valued at $150 million.
Critical Components and Raw Materials
Specially-milled steel is a critical component of making transformers and other power grid components. Cleveland-Cliffs is one of the last remaining outfits in North America that mills grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES), which is a critical component in transformer cores and laminations.
Edmonds said Hitachi Energy has seen its suppliers invest in new transformer component manufacturing. However, the availability of key raw materials remains a complex challenge.
“Without proactive upstream investment, these material shortages are likely to maintain long-term constraints on the industry. The raw materials themselves are much more abundant, but the equipment
needed for follow on processing as well as available labor in their locations, are the bigger challenges,” Edmonds said.
The newly imposed tariffs from the Trump administration, he said, are viewed by Hitachi Energy as short-term adjustments, and should not cause any interruptions in longer-term planning.
“Our team is continually monitoring and assessing the tariffs imposed by the
administration,” he said. “These tariffs represent short-term adjustments, common with any change in government leadership. We aim to stick to our long-term plans and adapt as necessary to meet our goals and the needs of our customers.”
In many industries, the U.S. remains the fastest growing market in the world. Hitachi Energy’s domestic production is used almost exclusively in the U.S. power grid with a small fraction shipped to Canada and Mexico.
“The tariffs could make it more expensive to build here and, in some cases, cheaper for our customers to source from outside of the U.S.,” he said. “Historically, U.S.-based operations may have been viewed as one component within a diversified global footprint. Today, however, the U.S. is emerging as a strategic priority.”
Planning Long Term
Supply chains, regulatory support, and end-market demand are driving a reassessment of the region’s value proposition, he said.
“That said, uncertainties around longterm policy and regulatory frameworks may still give pause. As a result, many companies are maintaining optionality while awaiting greater clarity and alignment between public and private stakeholders,” he said.
Another important factor is that even within favorable conditions for expanding manufacturing, a global supply chain and free trade are still necessary so the U.S. can access goods it cannot produce within its own borders. Some may take decades to catch up on production, and some much longer.
“Building local capacity is critical to strengthening supply chain resilience, but it doesn’t eliminate the need for a global supply chain to meet demand when it can’t be fully served from within the U.S.,” he said. “Most of the transformers we deliver into the US are built in American plants by American workers, using largely domestic materials. Still, we rely on global supply chains to provide surge capacity in response to rising demand.”
Learn how real-time simulation and HIL testing are changing the grid
Building a truly scalable, cost-effective manufacturing base in North America will require continued collaboration across industry and government, as well as clear, supportive policy, he said.
Policy shifts and presidents come and go, at least from the point of view of a multinational manufacturer operating across a host of countries. However, the drivers are remaining steady: The U.S. needs power grid components because of the increased demand for renewable energy integration, electrification of homes and transportation, and the boom in data centers and the industries that require them.
“These trends are structural in nature. That said, fiscal constraints and political headwinds can affect the availability of funding for critical grid upgrades. This underscores the importance of coordinated action among utilities, manufacturers, and policymakers,” he said. “International examples, such as procurement guarantees in Canada, demonstrate how targeted policy measures can de-risk investment and maintain momentum in grid transformation.” The RTDS® Simulator is the world standard for real-time power system simulation and hardware-inthe-loop testing of control and protection equipment. RTDS Technologies offers an extensive library of free recorded webinars covering various applications - renewable energy, HVDC & FACTS, smart grid, and more - and including demonstrations with real equipment. Visit the website below to learn more.
The Innovation Rift in Substation Security
When it comes to substation security, auditors and designers often have differing priorities that can lead to misalignment and consequently stifle progress in implementing effective security upgrades.
By MEGAN HAPPEL, POWER Engineers
In the rapidly evolving landscape of substation security, the importance of clear and effective communication cannot be overstated. However, the necessity for information security and confidentiality means that miscommunication and information silos are still prevalent at these facilities. This disconnect often leads to inefficiencies, gaps in knowledge transfer and missed opportunities for innovation, especially between security auditors and designers.
The current process for auditing physical substation security typically begins with regulators or auditors notifying utilities in advance about their intent to conduct an audit. During this notification, auditors request records from the utility covering a specific timeframe — typically 30, 60 or 90 days.
The utility is responsible for compiling the requested information and sending it to the auditors for preliminary review
prior to a site visit. These records are reviewed against established standards, which allows auditors to gain an initial understanding of the utility’s compliance efforts within the specified time.
Then, during the on-site review, auditors will indicate a specific standard or piece of evidence and ask the utility to provide a subject matter expert who can speak about the associated documents, procedures or processes in an interview. These interviews may lead to requests for additional evidence based on initial findings. The primary goal of these audits is to identify any gaps in compliance.
At the end of the audit, auditors will state if they found any areas of non-compliance or any large gaps in supporting documents. They may recommend changes to processes or procedures to close those gaps.
It is important to know that auditors have their own interpretations of
standards based on their individual perspectives, which may be different than the utility’s. There is a lot of back-and-forth discussion before any official findings are determined.
An Expert’s Perspective
Chris Ott began his career in the late 1990s, joining the United States Marine Corps as a power generation and distribution expert. Following the events of 9/11, he was tasked with supporting war efforts by identifying critical infrastructure in foreign nations such as Iraq and Afghanistan. His role involved determining how to neutralize power grids, when necessary, based on available military assets.
After leaving the Marines in 2006, Ott completed an electronics engineering degree before dedicating nearly 15 years to designing security systems, mitigations and protections for various sectors, including utility companies.
Auditors operate within large regulatory territories and are responsible for ensuring compliance with established security standards.
In 2013, Ott joined a corporate security team for a prominent utility company in the Pacific Northwest. In this role, he specialized in threat vulnerability assessments, subsequent mitigations, designs and protections. Now, he serves as a senior physical security expert for POWER Engineers, creating tools and processes to facilitate better protections for the grid.
“I’ve been on both sides of this coin,” says Ott. “I’ve been the designer, and I’ve worked closely with auditors before, during and after audits. I’ve also done preaudit preparations, which is like a mock audit where I would think about what an auditor might ask, look at the documents they might pull and talk to my coworkers who they might interview. That experience puts me in a unique position to see the inefficiencies on both ends.”
The following are some of the inefficiencies Ott has noticed.
Communication Silos
According to Ott, one of the biggest problems during physical substation security audits is that the right information isn’t being communicated to the right people. The designers on these security upgrade projects aren’t always in-house teams. In fact, they are often contractors and subcontractors. Auditors interview utility members, not contractors, which means that if the subject matter expert that is being interviewed by the auditors receives any feedback, there is no guarantee that the information will be conveyed back to the designers.
On top of that, some people are told not to talk to the auditors outside of an interview, which prevents more in-depth, informal discussions on ways to improve security.
“Auditors aren’t trying to trick you,” says Ott. “They genuinely want the site to do well. If these lines of communication weren’t so formal and closed off, we’d be able to talk about our challenges and work together to mitigate vulnerabilities much more effectively.”
Misaligned Priorities
When it comes to substation security, auditors and designers often have differing priorities that can lead to misalignment and consequently stifle progress
in implementing effective security upgrades.
Auditors operate under a mandate to ensure that utilities comply with established standards and best practices. Their primary focus is on adherence to regulatory requirements, maintaining a high level of security compliance and ensuring that all measures are up to code. While auditors possess some flexibility within
their mandate, they strive to uphold the highest standards of safety and security for critical infrastructure.
On the other hand, designers are driven by financial constraints and the need to keep costs low. Utilities face significant pressure to maintain affordable rates for customers, which often leads designers to prioritize cost-efficiency over comprehensive security measures. This financial focus
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When budget concerns override security priorities, necessary improvements may be delayed or neglected. This can lead to vulnerabilities that could have been proactively addressed.
can sometimes result in compromises on security enhancements if deemed too expensive.
“But the upfront cost of a security upgrade project is nothing compared to the aftermath of an attack,” says Ott. “We’re seeing unknown grid downtime, long lead times for replacement equipment and sometimes tens of millions of dollars in repair costs across the country. And on top of that, these attacks are becoming
more prevalent every year. More sophisticated, too. As technology evolves, so do bad actors. We’re at a point now where mitigation tactics that worked a few years ago are no longer sufficient against modern methods of attack.”
The divergence between auditors’ emphasis on strict compliance and best practices and designers’ focus on costefficiency creates obstacles in achieving meaningful progress in substation security
upgrades. When budget concerns override security priorities, necessary improvements may be delayed or neglected. This can lead to vulnerabilities that could have been proactively addressed.
Mutually Misunderstanding
Both substation designers and security auditors can misunderstand limitations due to an incomplete understanding of each other’s requirements and constraints.
Designers must often adjust their designs to accommodate specific environmental conditions. For instance, they may need to consider factors such as local weather patterns, geographical challenges or site-specific requirements. These adjustments are crucial for ensuring that the infrastructure functions effectively and safely within its environment.
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Auditors operate within large regulatory territories and are responsible for ensuring compliance with established security standards. Their focus is on implementing best practices that ensure a baseline level of safety and security across all regions under their jurisdiction. However, these territories can be vast, making it challenging for auditors to have detailed knowledge of the unique environmental conditions that designers must consider. What auditors deem as best practices may not always be feasible or optimal for the local environment. For example, while a concrete wall designed to withstand tornadoes might be a best practice in one region, it may not be suitable or necessary in another area with different environmental conditions. This lack of alignment can lead to frustration and inefficiencies in implementing security measures.
“There’s a lot of overbuilding and overspending happening across the industry because analyses aren’t catching everything and security solutions aren’t being tailored to the unique needs of each site,” says Ott. “My team and I have been experimenting with new ways to improve the quality of communication and collaboration amongst designers, decision makers, auditors and other stakeholders who are involved in substation security upgrades. There’s a lot of potential to save time, money and resources if you use the right tools and involve the right people.”
Building a Bridge
Meeting compliance standards establishes a baseline for substation security measures, but true excellence requires continuous improvement and proactive strategies. Simply adhering to basic standards is not enough; failing to do so indicates that minimum requirements for effective substation security are not being met.
To bridge the innovation rift, there needs to be more open dialogue between
utilities and auditors. Both parties should feel comfortable sharing information without fear of repercussions. Transparent communication allows designers to better understand the security requirements set by auditors, while auditors gain insights into the design constraints faced by designers. This mutual understanding is crucial for developing security measures that are both compliant with regulatory standards and tailored to fit specific site conditions.
Collaboration is key. Auditors and designers must work closely together to balance high-security standards with project cost management. By aligning their priorities and working towards common goals, they can ensure that substation security upgrades are both effective and cost-efficient.
Ultimately, this collaborative approach enhances the protection of critical infrastructure while meeting financial objectives. Addressing these mutually misunderstood limitations through open dialogue ensures a more practical and comprehensive approach to substation security, fostering innovation and progress in the field.
MEGAN HAPPEL is a content developer, writer and editor for POWER Engineers. She specializes in transforming complex engineering projects into concise, relevant content for a wide variety of audiences and channels. She holds both a bachelor’s degree in engineering management and a bachelor’s degree in scientific and technical communication from Michigan Technological University.
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Chris Ott demonstrates POWER Engineers’ interactive, data-backed threat assessment tool, Meerkat™.
Photo by POWER Engineers.
A utility crew operates a boom truck while working on a distribution line. For early adopters, simulation training is an addition that is proving to be a game changer for the utility industry.
Simulation Training Closes the Skills Gap
Traditional on-the-job training methods can sometimes lack standardization and rely heavily on the transfer of tribal knowledge. Simulators, by contrast, offer a structured learning environment.
SHANE MATTHEWS, ElectriCom and DEVON VAN DE KLETERSTEEG, CM Labs
The executive team at ElectriCom has worked on enhancing the company’s operator training program, making changes that bolstered one-on-one coaching, shortened learning curves, kept productivity high, and improved safety.
Based in Paoli, Indiana, ElectriCom is a full-service utility solutions and maintenance company that works on projects of all sizes and levels of complexity — from connecting communities to broadband to reducing service outages. The company employs almost 500 people, with roughly 300 of those employees working
in an operations capacity and nearly 200 operating construction equipment such as excavators, digger derricks, skid steers and backhoes.
Enhancing training while shortening learning curves isn’t an easy feat — but it is one that is becoming increasingly important as companies navigate the labor shortage. Fortunately, the company was able to do so, all while keeping productivity high and enhancing safety. It was even
Photos courtesy of ElectriCom.
able to upgrade its recruitment strategy and lower its training costs, too. How was ElectriCom able to achieve these outcomes? The answer lies in simulation training. Over the last few decades, advancements in computer processing and simulation technology have made simulations incredibly detailed and realistic.
Some simulation training solutions are even able to accurately recreate how cables swing in the wind, how equipment behaves as it tips, and how dirt clumps, spreads and moves. CM Labs engineers each of these sensations with such precision that veteran operators have reported that they can operate a simulated machine relying on nothing more than the sounds and vibrations from the controls and seat.
For early adopters, simulation training is an addition that is proving to be a game changer for the utility industry. While ElectriCom’s adoption of simulation training began as an effort to enhance its training program for excavator, digger derrick, and other heavy equipment, it quickly became a cornerstone of its workforce development strategy.
Training Efficiency and Effectiveness
Today, when a new operator starts their training at ElectriCom, they begin with a classroom Q&A session and written test.
After passing the test, they move on to a simulator for several hours of initial training. The operator becomes familiar with the controls and how the machine behaves. They receive feedback from their instructor — who has access to detailed metrics on their performance in real time — then proceed to real equipment to finish the last of their training.
“It’s a standardized approach that means every operator gets the same instruction,” said Steve Putt, the VP of Human Resources at ElectriCom. “They’re evaluated with the same objective metrics, they complete the same exercises, and they all get individualized feedback and instruction to correct mistakes.”
Traditional on-the-job training methods can sometimes lack standardization and rely heavily on the transfer of tribal knowledge. Simulators, by contrast, offer a structured learning environment. This means that every operator is trained and tested to the same, measurable standard — while any operator struggling with lessons can receive extra guidance and feedback to address mistakes. It’s also an approach that makes it easier to train many operators to proficiency quickly.
“Training solely on real equipment made coaching challenging,” explained Kyle Lautner, a Safety Manager at ElectriCom. “With the simulator, I can physically
guide the trainee’s hands, provide direct instruction, and engage in real-time discussions. It’s a far more effective approach, which is why we’re noticing significantly shorter learning curves.”
With simulation, operators can practice exercises over and over, gaining the concentrated seat time they need to rapidly develop their skills. The latest generation of simulation training tools also offers an incredible amount of training management, data reporting, and student monitoring features that allow one instructor to train more students simultaneously.
“Simulation technology has evolved,” said David Mailhot, the Director of Product Management at CM Labs. “Our Intellia Instructor tool, for example, allows trainers to inject faults into exercises, monitor multiple students at once, gain detailed insights on performance, craft custom learning paths, and export training data for further analysis and safekeeping. This helps trainers teach more students at once, as well as streamline administrative tasks.”
As a result, training new operators, or cross-training and upskilling experienced ones, becomes much faster.
Enhancing Safety, Reducing Risk
Exporting training data for recordkeeping helps with meeting compliance and regulatory requirements, as well as
A simulated boom truck prepares to move a cylinder representing a heavy weight. Operators receive feedback from their instructor — who has access to detailed metrics on their performance in real time — then proceed to real equipment to finish the last of their training.
improving workforce development tracking and performance tracking over time. It also provides proof of training — which can be especially useful in the event of a safety incident. Using simulators for training also benefits safety, reducing the likelihood of an incident occurring in the first place.
“One of the most significant advantages of simulation training is its impact on safety,” said CM Labs’ Mailhot. “If a student makes a mistake in a simulation, they can learn from it. But if they make that same mistake on real equipment, it could result in a serious injury or damage.”
ASPEN
ENGINEERING SOFTWARE
OneLiner
Operating heavy machinery in a live environment carries inherent risks, particularly for inexperienced workers. According to OSHA, nearly 25% of all constructionrelated fatalities involve heavy equipment operations. Simulators allow trainees to familiarize themselves with equipment controls, learn best practices, and make mistakes in a zero-risk environment. As a result, by the time they transition to real equipment, they already have a solid understanding of how the machine works and how to operate it safely.
Another key benefit of simulation training is its ability to train workers for emergency scenarios, such as equipment malfunctions, adverse weather conditions, distraction, and hazardous jobsite environments. These scenarios would be difficult, costly and dangerous to replicate in a realworld setting, but can be safely practiced on a simulator.
“There are certain scenarios you wouldn’t want to try on real equipment,” Mailhot said. “It would simply be too dangerous. But having that experience can
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This exercise involves loading a dump truck using an excavator.
make a huge difference in the field when an operator does encounter something like a machine malfunction. Simulation training can help an operator gain that experience, which can be life-saving.”
Cost Savings
According to Dodge Construction Network Data & Analytics, companies that adopt simulation-based training see up to a 30 percent reduction in training costs compared to traditional methods. There are a few reasons why.
When training operators on real equipment, fuel costs, equipment maintenance, and lost productivity from machines taken off worksites all contribute to high training expenses. Simulation training cuts these costs down by allowing operators to practice on a simulator instead. As a result, equipment can stay in the field earning money, while less fuel is burned during training.
“With simulation training, there are no fuel expenses and there is no equipment damage,” said ElectriCom’s Putt. “New
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The display and controls for virtual training exercises. The operator becomes familiar with the controls and how the machine behaves.
operators can be tough on machinery. Simulators protect fleets from that added wear and tear, which helps keep them operational for longer. Meanwhile, the actual equipment stays in the field where it generates revenue, ensuring no loss of income.”
These benefits can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. “We’ve had clients who were able to reduce their training costs by more than 50%,” said CM
Labs’ Mailhot. “Those lower training costs make it a lot easier for companies to bring in new talent with no prior experience. It’s an advantage that can make a real difference in today’s competitive landscape.”
A Pipeline of Skilled Operators
Simulators are most often used to train operators, but a few innovative organizations have started to use them in other ways,
too. Some have found that simulators are especially good at generating excitement among younger generations at career fairs, job fairs and other recruitment events. Screens and controls are familiar to many young people, who may not have had exposure to cranes and other lifting equipment. Simulators provide an opportunity for young people to see these careers in a new light and envision themselves working as operators.
As a recruitment tool, simulators allow companies to engage potential candidates through interactive and immersive experiences, demonstrating the technological advancements within the industry. Unlike traditional job presentations, simulators provide a hands-on experience, making it easier to capture the interest of someone who may not have previously considered a career in utility construction. As a result, recruiters using simulators often see a spike in interest.
But simulators also support recruitment in other ways. At ElectriCom, they’re used to evaluate new talent. Every time a new employee joins the ElectriCom team, they spend some time on the simulator, completing basic exercises to see if they have a natural aptitude and interest in equipment operation.
“We evaluate factors like hand-eye coordination,” said ElectriCom’s Putt. “For example, someone might be hired as an overhead power lineman, but after seeing their performance on the simulator during orientation, we realize they could quickly develop the skills needed to become a proficient equipment operator.”
Simulators shine a light on talent within a workforce. The objective metrics they provide give recruiters a data-driven view on performance.
Some CM Labs clients use simulators when hiring experienced operators, which Mailhot says helps detect the best operators. “Sometimes candidates might lie about their experience. By testing their skills on a simulator, hiring managers can determine who really has the skills they claim to,” he said.
Gaining a Competitive Edge
As the industry continues to face labor shortages and rising training costs, simulation technology stands out as a solution
that addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. “The technology has come a long way,” said Mailhot. “Our simulations have more than 25 years of research powering them. It’s technology that has been trusted by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). These are highly realistic, detailed simulations.”
For early adopters in the utility industry, it’s proven to be a boon.
“We really trust the quality of our simulators and what our trainers can achieve with them,” said ElectriCom’s Lautner. “There have been times when a real machine wasn’t accessible for training, or when weather conditions made outdoor practice impractical. In those situations, we simply conducted the full training session using the simulator.”
By leveraging cutting-edge training tools, utility companies can build a workforce that is skilled, safe, and prepared for the demands of the job quickly and effectively.
SHANE MATTHEWS is the Director of Training and Development at ElectriCom, a utility infrastructure company specializing in electric, telecommunications/ fiber optic, and storm response. Currently, Matthews oversees ElectriCom’s LMS platform, new employee orientation, Leadership Development programs, and DOL Apprenticeship programs. Matthews is the Chair of the PCCA (Power and Communication Contractors Association) Education Committee, as well as the Chair of WIA’s (Wireless Infrastructure Association) TIRAP Advisory Committee.
DEVON VAN DE KLETERSTEEG is a Product Growth Manager at CM Labs, the leading developer of simulation-based training solutions for the utilities, construction, and ports industries. Van de Kletersteeg leverages his engineering background to drive market expansion and product alignment. He focuses on addressing real-world training needs with simulation technology, ensuring CM Labs’ solutions continue to evolve and drive measurable results across industries.
Simulated excavator with quick coupler and bucket.
ID 99044416
With more than 3000 GW of renewable energy waiting in the grid connection queue according to the IEA, the bottleneck is the outdated electric grid.
Renewable power generation—wind, solar and hydropower—now exceeds the electric utility industry’s ability to use it. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates more than 3000 GW of renewable energy are now waiting in the grid connection queue—more than five times the amount of solar and wind capacity added in 2022.
The bottleneck is the electrical transmission and distribution grid. Outdated grids around the world are slowing progress to net zero because they are no longer fit for purpose. For the last 100-plus years, grids were designed around a central generation source powered by fossil fuels that sent energy out to users over transmission and distribution lines.
Now, energy comes from every direction: offshore wind farms in the North Sea, the Bahdla solar farm in India, hydropower from the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state and even the rooftops of individual houses. Wedging distributed energy resources (DERs) onto unidirectional legacy grids is creating a huge traffic jam of renewable energy projects around the globe, idling as they wait in a connection queue.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) of Great Britain, for example, reported in November 2024 that renewable
energy projects looking to join the grid now are receiving connection dates of 2030. The queue includes 210 GW of solar and 112 GW of wind—enough to meet the country’s 2030 renewable energy demand, estimated at 200 GW to 225 GW. In a poll of 20 energy experts conducted by energy consulting firm Cornwall Insight, 75% identified grid connection time as the biggest challenge to the UK’s integration of renewables into the energy mix.
Transmission Investment
If the world wants to meet growing electrification demand while continuing its journey to net zero, utilities need transformative investment in distribution grid modernization and new transmission corridors. Yet, global investment in grids is stagnant at US$300 billion a year, according to the IEA—a number that needs to double.
Grids are the backbone of today’s electricity systems but, as the IEA asserts, “They currently receive too little attention.”
The agency estimates that 40 million miles (64 million km) of grid transmission and distribution need refurbishment. Its calculations show the costs of limited investment
Offshore wind turbine parts being loaded onto supply vessel in the UK.
and delayed modernization, digitalization and operational advancement would stall the energy transition, leading to a slower uptake of renewables and an increase in fossil fuel use. In its modeled scenario, the IEA estimates cumulative carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector to be 58 gigatons higher by 2050 than if grid investment aligned with national climate targets.
Utilities can efficiently and cost-effectively transmit bulk power over long distances, allowing for the integration of offshore renewables and interconnection of desynchronized grids. For example, in the North Sea, GE Vernova is using a 2-GW bipole high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) system to connect 40 GW of power generated at offshore wind farms to high-voltage grids in the Netherlands and Germany. For the national grid in the UK, a 2-GW HVDC electric superhighway is being built between Scotland and England, enabling the transmission of reliable, renewable energy to consumers.
Robust Management
In addition to building new transmission lines and distribution systems, utilities must also rethink how to manage all these converging electrons.
The integration of renewables, decarbonization of end uses and connection of DERs creates unprecedented complexity.
Smart Automation Starts
The intermittent nature of solar and wind requires more robust management to account for fluctuations in power generation. Grid operators must also digitize the grid and invest in intelligent, AI-enabled grid orchestration software, like GE Vernova’s GridOS, that can manage multidirectional transmission systems, make full and efficient use of all available renewable energy generation, conduct transactions in the electron marketplace and guard against cyberattacks.
Smart grid technology is a boon for both operators and end-use customers. The IEA estimates that digitally enabled demand response could reduce the curtailment of variable renewable energy systems by more than 25% by 2030, increasing system efficiency and reducing costs.
Investment is Critical
Utilities have no time to lose. In its current state, the global grid structure cannot handle both increasing energy demand and decarbonization. The exponential growth of data centers to support AI will further strain the system. Utilities must expand investment now to focus on modernizing the grid. The future of energy is electric, and there will be no transition without transmission.
PHILIPPE PIRON is chief executive officer, Electrification Systems at GE Vernova.
FACES OF THE FUTURE
BY AMY FISCHBACH, FIELD EDITOR
Vincent Napolitano
Ameren Illinois
To learn more about Vincent (Vinny) Napolitano and his career in the line trade as an apprentice, visit linelife. podbean.com to tune in to our “Faces of the Future” series for the Line Life Podcast.
Courtesy of Vincent Napolitano
• Third-year apprentice.
• His father is a cable splicer in New York City, and his uncle was a lineworker.
• Enjoys cabinet making, bowling, golfing and softball.
• Can’t live without hydraulics and power tools. Using the right tool for the job and learning to use positioning is important. He is thankful to have good training and mentors, so he can use his brain over brute force to work his way out of a bind or avoid it completely. The number one tool is your brain, he says.
• In the future, he sees job security and more advances in tools. He also hopes lineworkers will one day be nationally recognizable as first responders.
Training in the Trade
Our training center has a nice climbing facility outdoors and several simulated workstations as well as a good transformer program in the classrooms. We learn on live models and play different troubleshooting scenarios. It’s a good blend of information on distribution systems.
Learning How to Climb
I didn’t go to a line school, which for climbing, meant I had to work harder to learn this skill. As far as work, I think it was better to be trained from scratch and molded into the apprentice they wanted me to be rather than have to unlearn certain things.
Day in the Life
I mainly focus on customer jobs and work both overhead and underground. Outages pull us off more times than not, so we are constantly having to fight fires. There’s always a learning opportunity in every job, and no two jobs are the same. At first, the journeymen are holding your hand and walking you through the safe practice of how to do a job. Then you get to
do it yourself, and at the end, you reflect back on how you can improve for the next time and make all your moves count.
Challenges of Working as an Apprentice
The competitive nature can be challenging, but can also be equally as fun. We push each other to do better each day. Sometimes you may not see the same job for a long time, so it’s good to have a journal and log what you do and jot down the do’s and dont’s. There’s a lot of information to retain, but if you love what you do, you will make that a priority.
Training Then and Now
I think today’s apprentices have access to better equipment and tools. At the same time, I feel the art of old school line work shouldn’t die either because it teaches grit, which I think you need to have in the trade.
Memorable Storm
I haven’t had a chance to do much crew work on storm or go out of my area. Storms for me is a lot of troubleshooting, which can be fun and challenging. The more you do it, the more familiar you get with the process, and it’s fun to be able to fast track the problem to get it isolated and restore as many customers as possible in the process.
Life in the Line Trade
I love what I do, and I love this trade. My favorite part of working in the trade is the camaraderie and how it could be pouring rain, and you can be slopping through the mud and you and the crew still manage to share laughs and have fun.
Secrets to Success
It takes heart, grit and a good attitude. If you do it just for a paycheck, it probably won’t work. Be humble and take criticism well and if you have one bad day, don’t let it compound but use it as a learning lesson. My advice to other apprentices is to win every day. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Take advantage of all down time. You get what you put in so take charge and develop confidence in yourself what you know. Never saying the words “I know” or “I can’t” might help too.
Focus on Safety
Safety is everything. Everyone has a reason to come home every day. Don’t take any shortcuts and your body and your family will thank you.
Future Plans
I hope to get to travel the country for a while and spend time with loved ones. I hope to learn more and pay it forward to the next generation coming up.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to nominate an apprentice for Faces of the Future, please email Field Editor Amy Fischbach at euoeditor@endeavorb2b.com . All profiled apprentice lineworkers will receive a tool package from Milwaukee Tool.
Lineman’s Rodeos: A Tradition Unlike Any Other
On the road to the international event, Duke Energy’s lineworkers compete in regional competitions.
By AMY FISCHBACH, Field Editor
From population growth to the expansion of manufacturing and other major economic development, the regions that Duke Energy serves are growing rapidly, and the company’s increasingly modern and resilient grid is evolving to meet current and future energy needs. Duke Energy’s trusted lineworkers play a critical role in maintaining and enhancing the energy grid now and in the future.
“Beyond battling extreme weather, the valuable work our line teams do every day is enabling Duke Energy to build a grid that is smarter, stronger and more reliable,” said Jason Williams, Duke Energy Regional Senior Vice President, Power Grid Operations. “It’s through their efforts that we’re able to safely and efficiently deliver power and better serve our customers.”
Beyond serving as protectors of the grid, Duke Energy’s lineworkers also
showcase their skills at the International Lineman’s Rodeo. Last year, Duke Energy’s lineworkers were not able to compete on the international level as they were responding to back-to-back Hurricanes Milton and Helene. This year, however, they are qualifying for the opportunity to advance to the 2025 event by earning the highest scores at the Florida, Midwest or Carolinas regional rodeos held every spring.
In addition to the standard skills tests, International Lineman’s Rodeo events include the hurtman rescue, where competitors must lower and save a dummy representing an injured lineworker from the top of a power pole, and even mystery trials that they don’t know about until the rodeo begins — all of which require teammates to collaborate and effectively solve real-world problems as quickly and safely as possible.
Lineworkers compete at the 2025 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo.
But no matter their age or experience level, at the International Lineman’s Rodeo, all the lineworkers — whether they’re an apprentice, journeyman or senior — have the same goal at this prestigious, high-stakes competition: to take home as many awards as possible on behalf of their families, communities and companies.
Not His First Rodeo
One of those lineworkers is Ivan White, who joined Duke Energy Florida in 2000 as an apprentice and quickly rose through the ranks. After becoming a journeyman, he transitioned to a technical skills specialist and then an operations supervisor, and now, he’s a lead environmental health and safety consultant. During his 25 years with the company, he’s participated in about 20 Florida Lineman’s Rodeos and made it to the International Lineman’s Rodeo 10 times.
“The lineman family, or brotherhood, is strong and rich in tradition,” White said. “I have competed head-to-head with many
Breaking Down the Competitor Divisions
The International Lineman’s Rodeo is just that a rodeo but instead of calf roping and bull riding, there’s equipment repair and power pole climbing. And rather than cowboys, there are electric lineworkers determined to prove their speed, agility and technical expertise.
Every year since 1984 26 years and counting lineworkers from across the globe have gathered at the National Agricultural Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, Kansas, for the gridiron gala that is the International Lineman’s Rodeo. There, teams compete among the best in their trade by participating in various simulations (using de-energized equipment) of on-the-job work.
At the Lineman’s Rodeos leading up to the international event, teams are based, in part, on tenure:
• An apprentice is a lineworker with less than four years of utility experience.
• A journeyman or senior journeyman with Duke Energy has more than four years of utility experience.
• Lineworkers who are 50 years or older may compete in the senior division.
of my best friends at these events for over two decades. They’re all about having fun and making memories that will last a lifetime — but still, the competition is fierce.”
At the 2024 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo, Ivan and his teammates, Zac Bichard, a power grid operations supervisor, and Brandon Bagley, a lineworker who joined the company in 2023, earned first place. While the team remained intact, poised to defend their title at this year’s regional rodeo on March 8 — and they did come in first place in the pole climb and second place in the hurtman rescue events — they weren’t among the top finishers overall.
However, because they qualified for the 2024 International Lineman’s Rodeo, and Duke Energy didn’t send any competitors
to last year’s event because they were needed for hurricane response, White, Bichard and Bagley will still be heading to Kansas on October 18.
“Putting in a little extra to have a chance to compete with the best of the best is worth it,” White added.
A Family Affair
Each rodeo is typically open to the public, allowing competitors’ family members and friends to watch and cheer for them. White’s cheering section includes his wife, Sara, and their three kids: Ember, Bodhi and Koa.
“Giving my children the opportunity to see this business and meet the people who work so hard in it is priceless,” he said. “Building camaraderie with other
Left: Ivan White participates in the hurtman rescue at the 2005 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo.
Below: Ivan White and his family are shown at the 2024 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo, where his team took home first place.
Right: Brandon Bagley, Ivan White and Zac Bichard competed on a journeyman team at the 2025 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo. Images courtesy of Ivan White
Searching for Talent in the Line Trade
As Duke Energy continues to develop its workforce to meet surging energy demands, there is also increasing demand for skilled workers, available jobs and opportunities for advancement. Hiring and developing entry-level lineworker talent is critical for the longterm success of the company, which has evolved its hiring process to collaborate more with local community colleges across its service areas that have lineworker training programs.
From these training programs, Duke Energy recruits skilled candidates who have a desire to enter the field and who reflect the diversity of the communities it serves. Individuals interested in a career in line work with Duke Energy should contact community colleges directly in North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio at https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/careers/line-workers/advance-your-skills for information on their specific training programs and available funding.
families living the same life is an incredible feeling. Showing our kids what we do has been one of my greatest joys.”
White said he encourages his peers to participate if they can. Whether they are a first-time competitor at the journeyman or senior level, showcasing their skills gives a sense of appreciation for the line trade.
“Sharpening our skills under pressure while focusing on safety and process adherence helps us perform better for our customers,” White said. “At the end of the day, getting the lights on safely and efficiently is ingrained in lineman culture.”
And the Winners Are…
Several Duke Energy Florida lineworkers had reason to celebrate this year. The winners of the 2025 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo who will now advance to the International Lineman’s Rodeo this October are as
Apprentice Overall Awards
First Place: Corey Sill (Ocala)
Second Place: Alejandro Guillen (St. Petersburg)
Third Place: Brent Griswold (Apopka)
Journeyman Overall Awards
First Place: Dalton Adams (Southeast Orlando), Vincent Lombardo (Apopka), Roger McBride (Jamestown)
Second Place: Bobby Akos, Chris Clark, Russel Goodhead (Jamestown)
Third Place: Scott Morgan, Joey Quimby, RJ Rampi (Southeast Orlando)
Journeyman Senior Overall
First Place: Chet Braden (Walsingham), Ed Filor (Inverness), Henry Shupe (Seven Springs)
Jason Williams, Duke Energy Florida’s senior vice president of grid operations, said Duke Energy puts complete trust in its lineworkers to perform challenging, highly skilled work and provide the energy everyone relies on, all while keeping safety for both the customers and each other as the top priority.
“While we’re always proud of our line
teams, their resoluteness to compete in the rodeo this year, after the significant impacts of Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton last fall, is an affirmation of how strongly committed they are to our customers and the communities we serve,” Williams said.
Editor’s Note: Duke Energy’s media relations team contributed to this article.
PARTING SHOT
PHOTO BY BILL WRIGHT
On November 19, 2024, Puget Sound Energy’s service area was hit by a bomb cyclone, a strong wind storm that brought hurricane force winds to areas of western Washington. The storm left a path of destruction that affected more than 700,000 customers in PSE’s service area. Crews said it was like working a logging and construction site with hundreds of trees down and extensive system damage. All available PSE resources were mobilized and outside resources brought in, totaling more than 2,700 personnel working on restoration efforts.
Arthur William Muñoz
The journeyman lineworker for Salt River Project volunteered with Light Up Navajo to provide firsttime power to homes on Navajo Nation.
Early Years
When I was 24 years old, I tried to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. My dad worked for Salt River Project (SRP), and he told me I should try to get a job at the utility. I got a job as a trades helper on a construction and maintenance crew. I started my workday at 5:30 in the morning and performed cleanup for crews, added rock, removed trees and picked up oil. On the job, I could also see the line work that was happening, and I decided it was right for me, and if I worked hard, I could be an apprentice and see where the job would take me. I loved the camaraderie of the crew and the hard work that went into it.
Moving from the Field into Leadership
After topping out as an apprentice, I became a lead lineman and eventually a working foreman. You’re always progressing, and you can tell in your mind when you’re ready for the next part of your career. When I got my working foreman job, I was totally ready for that and felt comfortable in that role. After a year, I moved into a section supervisor position, and I’ve been in that role for about seven years now. I had to learn how to talk and listen to people and lead senior linemen and working foremen. It was eye-opening and difficult at times, but we respected each other.
Day in the Life
Right now, I’m at Tempe Line Maintenance, our maintenance division at SRP. My usual day starts at 5:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. We maintain the whole distribution system valley-wide in Arizona and have a big territory. We also have a preventative group, a pole replacement group, support services, digger operators and a construction and maintenance division.
Responding to Trouble Calls
I’m on the reactive side right now, and my day consists of maintaining the system and responding when someone hits a pole or does an underground dig-in. From the preventative side, we try to prevent things from happening like swollen elbows in an underground transformer or downed overhead conductors. It can change at any point during the day, so we have to be extremely flexible. We try to schedule as much work as we can, but we definitely have to leave room for any major unforeseen circumstances that can create a hazard for the public. Every five weeks, I’m on on-call duty for a week at a time. Your shift starts at 11:30 a.m. through 4 a.m. Monday through Friday. The dispatchers can call you at any time until 4 a.m. for a broken pole or a transformer that blows.
Arthur Muñoz says the line trade has been nothing but rewarding for him, and he wants to thank everyone who has believed in him and helped him get to where he is today. To learn more about him and his experiences with Light Up Navajo, listen to the Line Life Podcast at linelife.podbean. com.
Courtesy
• Born in Manhattan, Kansas, and has an identical twin brother.
• Has four kids: Ava (14); Cruz (13); Remy (13); and Max (11).
• Joined the line trade 23 years ago.
• Won the David G. Hollis Award for Outstanding Apprentice at SRP.
• The year he volunteered, the SRP crews set 137 poles, ran 80,000 ft of overhead primary wire and 2,300 ft of overhead secondary conductor, hung 16 transformers and energized 17 customers during their two weeks on Navajo Nation.
• Encourages other lineworkers to jump on the opportunity to volunteer for Light Up Navajo to help others in need, get experience and put their skills to the test.
Memorable Experience
When I was a fifth-step apprentice, I participated in a climband-shake inspection. The helicopter pilot would long line me down from the chopper on to the very top of the tower. When I climbed down, I would inspect the steel for any kinds of loose bolts or rattling, and then I would make note of it. It was scary, but also extremely cool. Since then, I got to ride in a helicopter after a huge microburst came down into the Valley and took out a lot of transmission poles and towers and distribution poles. Because SRP has its own helicopters, I was also able to ride in them for other inspections as well.
Focus on Safety
You just can’t think of line work and not even think of safety at the same time. That’s something that has been passed down to me from the guys above me. Some try to cut corners to try to get everybody back in power in a reasonable time, but I have never compromised safety. I preach that to my crews. There is no job that is important enough to compromise your safety.
Plans for the Future
I’m open to an opportunity as a manger or director. I’m taking a break now, but I’ve already spent a year working on my bachelor’s degree in business management from Grand Canyon College.
of Arthur Muñoz
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International Linemen’s Rodeo, and Events
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New NEMA Program is Key to Bolstering U.S. Manufacturing Amid Trade, Supply Chain Challenges
America’s electrical manufacturing sector is at a pivotal moment, as the industry navigates supply chain challenges, evolving trade policies, and a new political landscape in Washington. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and its members across the electroindustry are laser-focused on meeting this moment, as NEMA members contribute 1% of U.S. GDP, provide nearly 460,000 American jobs, and have invested $185 billion in the past eight years to expand domestic manufacturing.
This dynamic environment brings new opportunities and new uncertainties. To successfully revitalize American manufacturing, trade policy must be aligned with domestic industrial goals. We must ensure incentives, regulations, and implementation strategies are coordinated and mutually reinforcing. As the second largest importer and exporter of manufactured goods, NEMA’s members play a key role in expanding the U.S. manufacturing base and rely on a certain and predictable business environment to continue to manufacture in America and compete globally.
helping government agencies, customers, and partners easily identify products that meet domestic content requirements with confidence.
This new certification builds upon NEMA’s Make It American Process Standard, which outlines a clear and applicable supply chain evaluation framework specific to BABA for all company types. In addition, companies may certify specific products to NEMA’s BABA product specifications, currently available for low-voltage power distribution equipment (LVDE) and wire and cable with more to come.
To successfully revitalize American manufacturing, trade policy must be aligned with domestic industrial goals. We must ensure incentives, regulations, and implementation strategies are coordinated and mutually reinforcing.
In particular, the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) is designed to promote domestic manufacturing by establishing strict domestic content requirements for products and materials used in federally funded infrastructure projects. While well-intended, BABA implementation has been complex and challenging, not just for the electroindustry, but across the manufacturing sector. There is also a significant gap between the guidance made available to implement BABA and what steps manufacturers need to take to be compliant.
To help manufacturers navigate the complexity of federal sourcing requirements, NEMA launched the Make It American™ program — a first-of-its-kind initiative that provides a clear, standardized pathway for BABA compliance. By turning complex mandates into actionable standards, the program offers third-party certification and trusted guidance that bring clarity, consistency, and credibility to compliance efforts.
Make It American strengthens critical supply chains, supports U.S. manufacturing, and helps companies maintain a competitive edge in federally funded markets. Through this program, NEMA certifies compliant products and facilities,
NEMA is actively developing the next phase of BABA product specifications, including a new standard for high and medium-voltage distribution equipment such as switchgear and transformers. These components are essential to delivering reliable power across the U.S., yet persistent production challenges have made it difficult to meet rising demand. Expected in summer 2025, NEMA’s new BABA product specification will support efforts to address the national transformer shortage by providing clear guidance for domestic manufacturing. This specification will help U.S. manufacturers produce BABAconforming transformers with confidence, accelerating market access while strengthening America’s energy infrastructure. Companies that meet NEMA’s process or product certification requirements receive certification marks to demonstrate their transparency in offering BABA-compliant products to market. Eaton, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Southwire, and TESCO Metering are among the first NEMA member companies to achieve the process certification. In addition, Siemens, Southwire, and TESCO have earned product certifications.
Revitalizing American manufacturing requires trade policy and industrial strategy to move in concert. Incentives, regulations, and implementation must be aligned and mutually reinforcing to create an environment where domestic industry can thrive. If trade policy is going to drive domestic content requirements and reshoring efforts, the U.S. must be ready to meet that demand. NEMA’s Make It American program is a blueprint for this needed alignment.
Alexa Burr is vice president of Strategic Growth and Market Development, NEMA.
POWER OF ONE THE
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IVM for ROWs
Rights-of-way (ROWs), those oftenoverlooked corridors stretching across landscapes, are more than just strips of land. They are critical arteries for energy transmission, transportation and communication. However, uncontrolled vegetation can pose risks, including power outages, infrastructure damage, wildfire hazards, public safety concerns and travel obstructions within the ROW corridor. Integration vegetation management (IVM) can mitigate these risks and unlock the full potential of these corridors.
Historically, vegetation management often relied on reactive, blanket approaches to activities such as pruning, mowing or herbicide applications, often with time-based maintenance intervals. This is not optimal from a cost, efficiency or environmental perspective. IVM, in contrast, takes a proactive, holistic approach, integrating various control methods tailored to specific site conditions and vegetation types. This involves a comprehensive understanding of the ecosystem, including soil composition, climate and the life cycles of target species.
Creating Awareness of Risks
Risk awareness is a key aspect of IVM, helping address the potential risks consequences of uncontrolled vegetation. For energy companies, encroaching trees can lead to potential issues such as power outages and equipment damage, which can impact reliability and cause significant financial losses. For transportation agencies, overgrown vegetation can obstruct visibility, creating potential safety hazards. In wildfire-prone areas, dense vegetation can increase the risk of fires.
Tools, Tech and Talent: The Pillars of Modern IVM
Modern IVM relies on a combination of cutting-edge technology, specialized tools and the expertise of skilled foresters and arborists.
Technology: Remote sensing, including LiDAR and aerial imagery, provides detailed information about vegetation density, height and species composition. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enable the integration of this data with infrastructure maps, soil surveys and other relevant information.
Tools: Specialized equipment, such as forestry mulchers, brush cutters and targeted herbicide application systems, allow for precise and efficient vegetation control. Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors are used for inspections and monitoring. Predictive modeling tools can forecast vegetation growth and identify high-risk areas. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms are being used to automate vegetation identification and optimize treatment prescriptions. Talent: Skilled foresters and arborists possess the knowledge and expertise to develop and implement effective IVM strategies.
They understand the complex interactions between vegetation, infrastructure and the environment. They can interpret data, assess risks and prescribe appropriate treatments.
Optimizing Work Prescriptions with Tech-Driven Insights
The integration of technology allows for the optimization of work prescriptions, ensuring that the right treatment is applied at the right time and in the right place. For example, LiDAR data can be used to identify areas with tall trees that can pose a potential risk to surrounding power lines. This information can then be used to prioritize pruning or removal efforts. Similarly, GIS data can be used to map sensitive environmental areas, allowing for the selection of environmentally friendly control methods.
Evolving KPIs for a Sophisticated Approach
Traditional key performance indicators (KPIs) for vegetation management often focus on simple metrics, such as the number of miles treated or the amount of herbicide applied. However, these metrics fail to capture the complexity and effectiveness of modern IVM. KPIs should evolve to reflect the sophisticated calculations and data-driven decisions that underpin effective vegetation management. This includes:
Risk reduction: Measuring the reduction in potential power outages, infrastructure damage and wildfire risk.
Environmental impact: Assessing the impact of vegetation management practices on soil health, water quality and biodiversity.
Cost-effectiveness: Evaluating the efficiency of different control methods and the return on investment. Understand costs over time for prescriptions or the program cost benefit.
Vegetation health: Monitoring the health and diversity of desired plant communities. Gain awareness of compatible species instead of only documenting control of incompatible species.
Predictive maintenance: Tracking the accuracy of predictive models and the effectiveness of proactive interventions. Monetize the value of the customer experience by valuing avoided impacts to service or reliability.
The transformation of ROWs from liabilities to assets requires a paradigm shift towards IVM, risk awareness and a commitment to investing in technology and talent. By embracing these principles, stakeholders can ensure the reliability and safety of critical infrastructure, minimize environmental impact and unlock the full potential of these valuable corridors.
MATT GOFF (DMGOFF@southernco.com) is the president of the Utility Arborist Association (UAA). He also serves as the manager of forestry and ROWs for Georgia Power. He is a certified UVM professional, an ISA utility specialist and a State of Georgia registered forester and is ISA TRAQ qualified.
Protecting and Conserving Wildlife in UVM
A Mississippi utility becomes an accidental steward of a threatened population of gopher tortoises.
By LOGAN MARTIN, Corteva Agriscience; and WES GRAHAM and BRAD MORRIS, Cooperative Energy
Wes Graham holds up his hand like a sergeant halting his squad. “See him? There he is,” he said. The rightof-way (ROW) manager with Cooperative Energy, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, points toward a half-moonshaped hole in the ground about 15 ft away. A flash of a figure just disappeared into the burrow. It’s unseasonably warm, and the gopher tortoises are active, “doing maintenance,” as he said, on their underground burrows.
“In the spring, the females will lay their eggs on the apron of that burrow,” said Brad Morris, ROW specialist, Cooperative Energy. “They’ll start to hatch in September or October, and from the moment they hatch, they’re on their own. They’ll start to dig almost immediately. It’s an incredible thing to see.”
That the gopher tortoise is here is no surprise at all; where Graham and his visitors are standing is at the edge of, but still well within, its native territory. But the fact that gopher tortoise numbers have increased — dramatically — in the years since Cooperative Energy established its current vegetation management
(VM) protocol, and the level to which they’ve increased? Even Graham and Morris are shocked.
If You Build It …
Once you get past the idea of a burrowing tortoise, it’s hard to imagine many other animals better suited to a life lived mostly underground. Scaled front feet and powerful back feet give the gopher tortoise both the leverage and the tools necessary for building the burrows that average 15 ft to 20 ft in length. Most of the water they need for survival comes from their diet—mainly grasses, young shoots and stems, certain flowers and the occasional berry or mushroom.
From a regulatory perspective, the gopher tortoise enjoys something of a complex status. The western populations, which include Mississippi’s, are listed as “threatened” under the U.S.
The climate in southern Mississippi is “almost subtropical”, says Brad Morris, ROW Specialist, Cooperative Energy; some plant species may not even go into true dormancy, underscoring the need for a year-round IVM strategy.
Improved vegetation management practices have helped boost gopher tortoise populations on Cooperative Energy’s ROWs and are allowing crews to respond faster to outages.
Mississippi’s gopher tortoise population has been noted for its low recruitment, meaning birth and survival rates aren’t keeping up with adult mortality rates. Juvenile gopher tortoises are especially susceptible to predation by invasive fire ants.
Endangered Species Act; state-level listings vary from “endangered” to “protected.” The threats faced by the gopher tortoise are, for the most part, the same as those faced by most other non-human species: fragmentation or outright destruction of habitat; predation by native and invasive species; changing weather patterns and declining genetic diversity. Mississippi’s gopher tortoise population has been noted for its “low recruitment”—that is, the birth and the survival rates of hatchlings can’t keep up with adult mortality rates.
Yet despite its vulnerability, the gopher tortoise is considered a keystone species; its burrows — both active and abandoned — serve as homes for up to 350 other species of animals. Their diet and feeding patterns help spread seeds, contributing to the preservation of the ecosystem in which they live.
And while few animals have enjoyed the protection of such committed guardians as Graham, he insists that neither he nor Cooperative Energy has ever intended to be caretaker to an endangered species.
“It was by accident that we got into the gopher tortoise management business,” he said. “We’re not doing anything but managing the vegetation to maintain reliability and create a safe working environment for our crews.”
In the process of creating that safe environment, however, something else happened.
“It’s just like the line from the movie,” Graham said. “‘If you build it, they will come.’”
A Post-Katrina VM Reckoning
Cooperative Energy’s current VM program was put into place in 2008, shortly after Graham started and just three years after Hurricane Katrina cut its devastating path across the southeastern United States. For Cooperative Energy, the storm cleanup was
a time-consuming, labor-intensive, but ultimately eye-opening, exercise.
“Katrina showed us we had a problem,” Graham said. “All of our lines were affected to some degree. So, in 2007, once we’d finally cleared all the debris from our rights-of-way, we decided to refocus on vegetation management.”
Working with a team of advisers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and outside conservation groups, Graham developed a program that, for the first time in Cooperative Energy’s history, integrated herbicides into the overall VM toolkit. But as carefully as the program was planned, it had to be even more carefully executed.
“If you don’t have a herbicide program already, you can’t stop mowing cold turkey,” Morris says. “Mississippi, especially southern Mississippi, is almost subtropical. We have plants that don’t go into true dormancy, so if you go three years without mowing or applying herbicides, you’ve lost it. You’re back to square one.”
Graham remembers the early meetings with Cooperative Energy’s senior leadership — meetings in which he, as a relatively new employee, had to ask for a significant increase to the VM budget. He credits those managers with having the foresight to understand and accept that changes needed to be made and with the trust they placed in him and his plan.
“We had to almost double our vegetation management budget,” Graham said “So, there was some hesitation on the part of our management and executive leadership. But when I laid out what we wanted to achieve and how we wanted to do it, they were open to it. We wanted to mow, then follow up the next year
with an herbicide treatment. That first year, we did about 4,000 acres; the following year, it was 12,000. Now, we’re spraying half our system every year.”
By any standard of measurement, the program is working.
Cooperative Energy’s ROWs are carpeted in native grasses and wildflowers. Application rates have steadily dropped from 20 gallons per acre (GPA) to 3 GPA, all by low-volume backpack spraying. Spraying costs are less than $75 per acre, while per-acre mowing and side-trimming costs are well over $1,000. Utilities like Duke Energy and Tennessee Valley Authority have come to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to learn more about Cooperative Energy’s integrated vegetation management (IVM) program.
And then, there are the gopher tortoises.
Increasing the Habitats
“This is a special place,” Graham tells his visitors. “This is one of the first places we had gopher tortoises that I knew of, and they have just thrived as we’ve introduced IVM principles.”
The group is standing in the shadows of Cooperative Energy’s Plant Morrow generating station, just outside Hattiesburg, Mississippi. As many as 30 active burrows are within sight here, in what Graham calls the “gopher tortoise resort.” Each burrow, whether it’s active or abandoned, is marked with a yellow guy-wire protector. Graham tells the story of how he and Cooperative
Energy came to understand the cause-and-effect relationship between their VM efforts and the presence of the tortoise.
Just a couple of years into their herbicide program, Graham was scouting on USFS land, preparing to change out damaged utility poles. While performing an endangered species survey, he noticed and marked a handful of burrows; no more than three or four, he said. He delivered his report to the USFS and was cleared to do the pole change-outs.
Two years later, after Cooperative Energy had established its herbicide program, Graham was doing a similar survey on adjacent land.
“So, while I was there,” he said, “I went through the area we were in two years prior. I wasn’t paying much attention, just marking the burrows I found. When I got back to the office and dumped the data, I said, ‘Wow, we’ve got a few more burrows out there.’ During this time, thanks to our herbicide program, we were also seeing the transition from rank woody vegetation to native grasses and low-growing shrubs on our rights-of-way. So, the very next year, on another line, I went and did the same thing. And I noticed immediately the presence of gopher tortoises had increased.”
Graham, anxious to have confirmation of what we saw in the field, gathered his maps and waypoints and sent them to a
Gopher tortoise burrows average 15 ft to 20 ft in length but can stretch to 40 ft.
Crews and contractors receive regular training on operating in gopher tortoise habitat; each crew member receives a hard-hat decal indicating they’ve completed the training.
Native groundcovers and early successional plants have returned to Cooperative Energy’s ROWs, replacing the tangled undergrowth and other undesirable vegetation.
colleague at Mississippi State University in Starkville for analysis.
“He called me back a few days later and said, ‘Yeah, you’ve got something happening. Your gopher tortoise populations are increasing,’” Graham says.
But it wasn’t just that the numbers were going up, although they were — significantly. The tortoises were establishing new burrows off the centerlines, closer to the ROW margins and out of the main path of travel for crews and machinery.
“When I started,” Graham said, “every right-of-way had a use trail or game trail going from structure to structure. That’s what our line crews would use to get down the right-of-way as best they could. But because the tortoises can’t live in tangled, overgrown habitat, that’s also where the gopher tortoises were digging their burrows — on or close to these game trails. Once we started spraying and opening up these rights-of-way, we saw populations increase; but we also saw burrows being moved off the centerlines.”
Even now, years after the fact, Graham shakes his head at the simple but profound realization.
“Through the use of herbicides, we’d created habitat for an endangered species,” Graham said.
Doing the Right Thing
Today, Cooperative Energy’s program is a model of integrated vegetation and habitat management. Utility vegetation management and conservation organizations from across the South and
Southeast come to see the results for themselves, to learn and to offer their own knowledge.
“Once we started seeing the population increases, I wanted our crews to get some formal training on working around the gopher tortoise,” Graham said. “So, we brought in an expert from Florida to see what we were doing and what more we should be doing.”
As a result, Graham and Morris worked with the USFWS field office in Jackson, Mississippi, to develop an annual certification program for Cooperative Energy’s crews and contractors. Each participant receives a hard-hat decal indicating they’ve completed the training.
And while Graham insists that helping preserve an endangered species was never the goal of his program, he, Morris and Cooperative Energy take seriously the role they’ve inherited.
“Our job is to make way for our crews to go out on a Saturday night after a thunderstorm and get power back on,” Graham said. “So, operationally, the presence of the gopher tortoise does cause some challenges. But from a conservation standpoint, anything we can do to help a threatened species and still provide electric service to our customers—to me, that’s what we’re supposed to be doing. It just proves what I tell people all the time: if you’re doing the right thing, everything else will fall into place.”
LOGAN MARTIN (logan.martin@corteva.com) is a VM specialist for Corteva Agriscience. WES GRAHAM, ROW manager for Cooperative Energy, and BRAD MORRIS, ROW specialist for Cooperative Energy, also contributed to this story.
Get ready for engaging workshops and multi-track educational sessions on storm preparedness, response, and sustainable energy corridor stewardship solutions, all designed to help you shape the future of vegetation management.
This year’s highlights:
• Dynamic sessions on safety, resilience, emerging technology and regulatory updates
• Expert panels and case studies from utilities leading the way in sustainable UVM practices
• Exhibits showcasing the latest industry tools and technologies
ELEVATE YOUR PROGRAM
Connect with friends, colleagues, and industry experts to exchange ideas, unlock opportunities, and grow your knowledge.
ROWs and Corridors: Nature’s Treasured Pathways
Sacramento Municipal Utility District drives biodiversity through its ROW and utility corridor management program in Northern California.
By ANAND B. PERSAD, Ph.D. and BCE; and ERIC BROWN, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
The Union Valley Reservoir (SMUD Hydro Generation Penstock and Electric Transmission Corridor) balances energy needs and greener land practices.
In the heart of El Dorado County and the Sierra Nevada foothills, electric transmission corridors for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) showcase environmental stewardship. Among granite outcrops and clearings, an ecosystem flourishes. The landscape features purple Giant Hyssop spikes, while the yellow blooms of Layne’s Butterweed — a rare species found nowhere else — grace the understory.
The work of maintaining these biodiversity efforts is substantial and ongoing, requiring broadbased support and coordination among multiple parties to achieve lasting success.
For example, the Pine Hill Preserve represents a remarkable example of biodiversity, hosting eight rare plant species, with four being endemic — found nowhere else on Earth. This makes preserves not just a corridor for common species, but a sanctuary for uniquely adapted flora that have evolved to thrive in these specific conditions. SMUD manages more than 1,000 acres of rights of way (ROWs) and corridor space across diverse landscapes in Northern California. The creation and proper maintenance of ROWs and utility corridors can have positive ecological impacts, encouraging diverse flora and fauna in many instances.
Additionally, these areas can act as corridors for wildlife, facilitating movement and gene flow between fragmented habitats. With integrated and focused vegetation management (IVM), these corridors can be additionally programmed to support more stable-native plant communities. Native plants are adapted to the local climate, soil and other environmental conditions, making them more resilient and less dependent on water and fertilizers compared to non-native species, especially in instances of enhancement of ROWs.
Balancing Energy Needs and Greener Land Practices
Effective management of utility corridors is crucial for maximizing the potential of ROWs to support native plants and overall biodiversity. This involves removing only those plants that pose a threat to the infrastructure and disruption of energy (reliability), while preserving a variety of compatible and native species. Regular maintenance should aim to control invasive species and encourage the growth of native plants.
We can improve the program’s benefits and increase biodiversity by carefully planning and adding enhancements when needed. For example, in certain areas, native grasses can be planted in bare spots to quickly stabilize the soil while giving local wildflowers time to naturally grow
back. When managed with ecological principles in mind, utility corridors can thus support a wide range of native plant species, including those that are rare, threatened or endangered (RTE species).
At SMUD, several real-world cases can be observed with the proliferation of some RTE species in relative abundance in corridors because of stewardship, IVM and other programs. These ecological management practices will become increasingly vital as we work to establish and maintain diverse, low-growing native plant communities under utility lines that enhance both habitat value and conservation efforts.
Benefits of native plants include habitat provision, lower resource inputs, enhanced resilience to climate conditions and stable community development without monoculture formation.
The Value of Adaptive Research
Adaptive research in ROWs can answer pragmatic questions and provide “hit-the-ground” running and palatable solutions at reasonable return on investment (ROI). Additionally, it’s important to incorporate new tools. Artificial intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML)-based and remote sensed tools (LiDAR and imagery), while important, often leave interpretation gaps and may sometimes not align with management planning and experiences. Research can help smoothen the AI-management front and bring alignment and greater meaning to using these tools. In the case of biodiversity and native plant communities, greater use of data conversion to meaningful interpretation can guide analytical systems as we realize the following:
1. Mitigation: Implementing innovation and using tested protocols to scale can encourage native plants, especially in mitigation, which helps in rehabilitating landscapes and natural habitats.
Success depends on cohesive land practice partnerships, which rely on collaboration between all relevant agencies including land management IVM practitioners, regulatory, research and consulting and the utility with assets on the land. Targeted research programs help with cohesive and results-oriented delivery of programs that can harness resources from all partners as needed.
2. Sustainable initiatives: Native plants promote sustainability, reduce environmental impact and can result in more stable plant communities, which are important as we consider ROI and inputs.
3. Pollinators and wildlife: Many native species support pollinators, birds and other small and large vertebrates.
4. Erosion control: Native plants with deep root systems help in controlling soil erosion and stabilizing slopes, which is an important consideration especially postconstruction or in mitigation efforts. Research collaborations also can be rewarding as various partners are now connected, and day-to-day activities of all parties become intertwined into realizing a common goal. This is often difficult to manifest and have all aligned outside of a formal research setting.
Beyond IVM: Mitigation Hierarchy
Mitigation is a necessary part of ROW maintenance. Its constant development and need for innovation sometimes lead to considerations outside of core IVM practice. Preference levels bring heightened efforts that surpass the need just to
The Mitigation Hierarchy (adapted from Rio Tinto Corp, 2004)
manage vegetation; we must also manage the for avoidance of doing irreversible impact to existing plant communities and ultimately preservation as a management tool. Examples include on-site construction where conservation takes priority to avoid “recreation of the wheel.”
Proactively managing before projects, such as invasive species counter programs, utility line maintenance, new construction and soil management work (erosion control) can all benefit from implementation of the Mitigation Hierarchy model. In many cases, native plant populations are coexisting with “the problem” at hand. Fragmenting work sites compared to blanket treatments help preserve ahead of deploying management tactics, positively impacting long-term IVM and ROI. This requires a knowledgeable approach to avoidance and minimizing impact. By understanding what you have, longer term, you can positively influence restoration activities, which can result in a biodiversity net gain.
SMUD today employs and benefits from the tactics of the forward-thinking mitigation hierarchy, within the framework of IVM, and expands beyond to include long-term monitoring and stakeholder participation. The net result has been favorable land outcomes with community engagement, leading to more potential for success.
Guiding Future ROW Habitat Enhancement
The challenges of today include more intense, erratic weather systems. We need to adapt and better understand our programs and delivery periods to efficiently realizing desirable outcomes. Conservation principles can enhance habitat quality
Giant Hyssop, Agastache urticifolia, is noted for its dense spikes of inflorescence containing purple flowers and tubular corollas that attract a host of pollinator insects. These are growing in the SMUD ROW in Eldorado, a national forest.
and support broader stewardship goals.
As we experience changes more frequently coupled with the need for biodiversity gains and sustainability in our vegetation management programs, taking initiative by considering ecological principles may help reduce impact. Our ecological world is increasingly more and more guided by metrics, benchmarks and thresholds. These number rubrics can only be addressed by measuring our current state and identifying desired conditions. Adaptive research and innovation can help, and their importance will only continue to grow as the visibility of our impact on the land comes into focus for more discerning, environmentally conscious communities and adjacent landowners.
the potential to support a diverse array of native plant species and contribute to biodiversity conservation. For utilities to achieve this, balancing the maintenance of energy infrastructure needs with conservation of native plants and insect habitats will require committed, actionable and informed systems.
By recognizing the potential of utility corridors to support biodiversity, we can
Raising public awareness about the ecological value of utility corridors and engaging local communities in conservation efforts can enhance the success of biodiversity initiatives (adjacent eco-sensitive sites, organic farms, nature trails, etc.). Educational programs, community involvement and public outreach can foster a sense of stewardship and support for these projects.
The successes of IVM and greener initiatives have not only enhanced plant biodiversity but also provided important habitats for pollinators and other wildlife. Vegetation management and meeting conservation/environmental leadership goals will benefit from collaborative planning and a willingness to adopt bold, innovative management practices.
Utility corridors, also when managed with ecological principles in mind, have
transform these utilitarian spaces into vibrant habitats that benefit both nature and society.
ANAND PERSAD (apersad@tesrc.tech) is the founder and director of research with Tetra Energy Sciences LLC.
ERIC BROWN (Eric.Brown@smud.org) is the T&D Manager Grid Assets – Vegetation.
We know our work comes with risks. That’s why nothing is more important than preparing our people to work smart and stay safe so they can return home to their loved ones at the end of the day.
Our “Safety First” culture at Asplundh is rooted in the belief that ongoing learning is essential to staying safe. Our hands-on training programs and rigorous safety protocols give our people the knowledge and skills to identify risks and prevent accidents before they happen. Because when safety comes rst, success follows—for our people, our customers and our communities.
The more erratic weather is noticeable in the highly variable rainfall data on the left side of the graph (more recent years).
NOAA 2025 Sacramento
Monitoring Pollinators in ROWs by Drone
Research is underway to leverage drone technology for responsible ROW vegetation management.
By JILL REBUCK, The Davey Tree Expert Company
This drone is used to fly ROWs in a pilot project to quantify milkweed.
Utilities have long been at the forefront of environmental stewardship, especially when it comes to cultivating and maintaining pollinator habitats in their rights-of-way (ROWs). But in an era of intense scrutiny and increasingly lean resources, utilities are challenged with how to successfully balance infrastructure management with ecological conservation.
Now the answer could be found in a pilot project that’s poised to transform how utilities monitor and manage their ROWs to achieve compliance and realize significant cost savings.
Got Milkweed?
The idea of protecting pollinators by cultivating habitats in utility ROWs is nothing new. Pollinator-friendly ROWs are helping utilities improve habitats while simultaneously achieving their reliability needs.
This is a good thing, of course, as pollinators, like the monarch butterfly, play an integral role in ecosystem function. But concern over their decline due to habitat loss, disease, parasites and environmental pressures has spurred a variety of conservation efforts. For example, the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group is on a mission to support a healthier ecosystem while also enhancing safe, reliable energy systems by using ROWs as food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other pollinators.
As one of the group’s many coalition partners, The Davey Tree Expert Company is helping further the mission by supporting utilities in achieving their environmental compliance and stewardship goals through planting, maintaining and monitoring ROW pollinator habitats, including milkweed host plants.
Utilities,
Monarchs and Milkweed
Why milkweed? Milkweed is the sole host plant for monarchs, making it essential for monarch butterflies to complete their lifecycle. That’s why maintaining a healthy renewable population of monarch butterflies has become so important.
Adam Baker, Ph.D., a research entomologist within the Davey Institute, says that over the past several years, the main
conservation strategy for monarch butterflies has been to plant as many milkweeds as possible.
“It’s been proposed that 1.8 billion milkweed stems need to be reintroduced into the flyways and breeding grounds of North America,” he said. “Of course, milkweed is only part of the solution for the monarch, but it is a really big component.”
Milkweed monitoring is a crucial element for utilities wishing to maintain compliance with the Monarch Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA). This formal, yet voluntary, program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is dedicated to helping preserve monarch butterfly habitats on lands managed by the energy and transmission sector.
According to Dr. Baker, when a utility becomes part of the CCAA, they’re not only helping conserve the monarch butterfly, but they’re also creating high-functioning ecological assets that provide habitat and are resistant to colonization by invasive species.
“But, in order to create a compliant, low-maintenance, leastdisruptive plan for these habitats, utilities must invest in expert vegetation management,” he said. “This includes quantification of keystone species, such as milkweed, which can be used as a proxy for ecosystem health. Accurate counts of milkweed stems provide feedback on habitat improvement activities and ensures compliance with environmental stewardship programs like the CCAA.”
Boots-on-the Ground vs. Technology: Which Is Better for Counting Milkweed?
Traditionally, counting milkweed is a job that’s performed through a literal boots-on-the-ground assessment and physical
A Davey Resource Group truck is shown in a ROW.
An early instar monarch caterpillar feeds on common milkweed in a ROW that was encountered during ground counts.
This camera was used to gather aerial photos that were analyzed using POLLi’s machine learning algorithm.
FLYING HIGH WITH AI: Mapping Trees, Invasives and Plant Communities
A pollinator ROW isn’t the only vegetation community that utility companies can map and monitor with drones and advanced AI systems, says Will Ayersman, project manager, GIS & Remote Sensing Services, Davey Resource Group (DRG), a subsidiary of The Davey Tree Expert Company.
“There are a variety of other ways utilities can benefit from machine learning and deep learning algorithms,” he said. “Tree species, invasive species and plant community mapping are just the beginning. We can take something we’ve trained the model on a few acres and deploy at thousands of acres. In using this technology for over a decade, we’ve seen how it expedites a lot of different species detection and integrates it with large scale projects and solutions.”
Ayersman offers the following three ways utilities can operationalize drones paired with AI deep learning:
1. Mapping: Deep learning algorithms can be trained to identify specific invasive species from high-resolution drone imagery.
2. Identification and detection: AI can enable pattern recognition, image detection and colorization to assist with
stem count using methods such as transect-based estimates. It is a labor intensive and time-consuming process that requires high levels of experience and expertise to properly execute the count. In addition to the expense involved in counting milkweed, there are other challenges associated with conducting a physical count of the plants:
identifying and assessing different vegetation communities. Training models with informative field data and overlaying it with images and geospatial datasets provides verified locations, increasing the model’s ability to recognize infestations well before ground crews can.
3. Planning and prioritization: Models can be trained to think logically by running different simulations. This helps in identifying how many acres of a potential invasive species there are so the utility can put together a treatment plan to eradicate or manage the invasive species.
As for what’s next, Ayersman said the advancements in AI are coming fast and furiously and will greatly benefit the utility industry.
“Our input data has made a massive improvement in terms of sensor resolution and specifications. Our understanding of how to build and apply models has, too. We’re looking at 3D imagery overlayed with data like a plant communities map. It’s so immersive it’s like you’re on the site without being on the site. Plus, machine learning and deep learning enable us to retain a library of results that we can continually improve upon.”
• The amount of time it takes to walk the ROW, identify and count the plants.
• Potential for human error due to fatigue or bias, which can affect the accuracy and consistency of counting.
• Inaccessibility of hard-to-reach areas.
• Worker safety.
Yet, what’s the alternative? The answer: Technology-assisted assessment, of course. Specifically, drone- and machine learning (ML)-enabled data capture and processing.
As an expert in monarch/milkweed interactions, Dr. Baker admits that few people have grown more milkweeds or crawled through chigger-infested meadows as much as he has. He knows how arduous full ground counts of milkweed stems can be. So, when he met entrepreneur Greg Emerick at a monarch summit a few years ago, it only made sense to explore the idea of using Emerick’s conservation platform, POLLi, to assist. POLLi uses drone flights and algorithms to identify milkweed as accurately as an expert, only faster.
From that and subsequent conversations, a pilot project was born between the Davey Institute and POLLi that involved comparing the traditional data collection method of physical counts to drones, AI and ML to quantify milkweed and other floral resources in a sample ROW.
The Pilot Project
“Unlike humans, cameras and machine learning don’t get tired,” said Emerick, founder of POLLi, which promises to deliver fast, affordable insights for conservation, vegetation management and reporting. “I knew that we could capture a bunch of images with metadata and create a machine learning model that could count the plants and identify not only the plant, but also its exact location on earth. I knew that drones could be used for understanding both counts and concentrations.”
Even better, the POLLi platform could take the collected data and process it in a way that nobody else, seemingly, has.
“It’s like emptying your pockets at the end of the day, filling a change jar and having someone ask you to pull out a 1975 dime,” Emerick said. “It’s really difficult. That’s what it’s like when you capture a whole bunch of images like this. Even though we can process it, it’s really hard to manage all of that data and then make it make sense to someone else. That was the impetus for developing our platform.”
Together, that’s what the entomologist and the entrepreneur did. Focusing on a half-mile section of an electric distribution ROW equal to a little over four acres, each went out and did full counts of the milkweed stems; Dr. Baker on the ground and Emerick from the air.
Counting milkweed is not an easy or simple process. Traditional methods mean populations can be easily overlooked, not to mention randomized transect samplings and transect-based extrapolations that can be inaccurate.
Dr. Baker literally walked the ROW, spending more than three hours, combing the section and leveraging his graduate work in monarch butterfly conservation to identify and count close to 600 milkweeds. Emerick then flew a drone over the same area, collecting image data at the proper resolution on the POLLi flight application, importing the image data into the POLLi platform, then processing the data through proprietary algorithms.
In addition to testing the assumption that POLLi could perform as well or better than the traditional method, the collaborators say the other goal was to determine if this methodology
could provide utilities with a lower cost, yet highly accurate, option for assessment.
Pilot Project Outcomes
The results were astounding. While not identical in number, the counts — 579 for Dr. Baker and 503 for drone detection — proved promising.
This side-by-side visual comparison shows the difference in both count and time to collect. Note that technology outperformed traditional by not just minutes but hours. In fact, POLLi was 15 times faster.
In addition to speed, here’s a look at some of the other potential benefits of taking data collection to the air — and to scale:
• Time and Cost Efficiency: Drone-enabled collection dramatically reduces data collection expenses by replacing manual, labor-intensive research methodologies.
• Resource Optimization: Automating flight planning and data processing allows utilities to better allocate their organizational resources.
• Enhanced Decision-Making: High-quality, accurate ecological data empowers organizations to make informed conservation choices.
• Sustainable Monitoring: Continuous habitat and species tracking supports adaptive conservation strategies without high, recurring expenses.
• Environmental Protection: Precise ecological data helps prevent potential environmental damage and avoid significant financial and ecological restoration costs.
Scaling and Future Application
Now that the proof of concept is complete, the Davey Institute and POLLi are planning a more formal, follow-up study. In addition to quantifying milkweed stems, the team will compare habitat composition using the pollinator scorecard, Tier II. Details are yet to be announced, but Dr. Baker says the Institute’s work with POLLi is not just about making field work faster.
“Our work is about giving utilities data-informed insights to make cost analyses about converting their ROWs to pollinator habitats,” he said. “It’s about addressing a conservation need while measurably contributing to sustainability objectives. And that’s something that hasn’t been fully addressed—until now.”
JILL REBUCK (Jill.Rebuck@davey.com) is a senior project manager in corporate communications for The Davey Tree Expert Company, an employee-owned corporation that provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the United States and Canada. Rebuck is a graduate of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, and holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations.
Data-Driven Maturity Models
Lead VM Programs to the Future
Structured maturity models can address program, reliability and safety improvements while ensuring regulatory compliance.
By YAMILLE DEL VALLE, EPRI, and RON ADAMS, Right-Way Utility Solutions, LLC
Vegetation management (VM) is crucial for electric utilities to maintain public and personnel safety and ensure grid reliability. Typically, vegetation-related outages are the leading cause of outages for electric utilities. Overgrown vegetation can interfere with power lines, leading to service interruptions, especially during storms and extreme weather conditions.
Effective VM is essential for maintaining clearances around power lines and
infrastructure, reducing the risk of vegetation related outages, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. It helps utilities avoid penalties and fines associated with non-compliance, while also demonstrating their commitment to regulatory standards and environmental stewardship.
Developing Vegetation Management Maturity Models
Utilities can adopt VM maturity models
to optimize their operations, leverage industry best practices, ensure regulatory compliance and deliver safer and more reliable power to their customers. Maturity models provide a structured framework that utilities can use for self- benchmarking their program or benchmarking with multiple utilities to understand how their program compares with other programs in the industry.
Furthermore, maturity models can act as a roadmap where utilities can:
Vegetation outages are typically the leading cause of outages for electric utilities.
• Assess their current capabilities
• Identify where they want to be in their future state (two or five years later)
• Determine the capabilities they need to develop — whether associated with individual processes or cross-cutting capabilities that assist multiple processes
• Identify barriers to future success
• Develop effective business cases and strategies tailored to drive their specific operational needs
This structured approach helps utilities optimize their VM programs, drive continuous improvement and achieve their operational and regulatory objectives.
In a 2024 EPRI study called the “Vegetation Management Program Maturity Models: General Framework,” EPRI developed a general framework for vegetation management maturity models. Based on
a situational awareness methodology, the maturity models outline five levels of maturity, each representing a progression in the utility’s ability to manage vegetation effectively. At Level 1, utilities have limited awareness and data of their current state, relying on traditional time-based vegetation management programs without formal processes to collect and analyze condition data. Decisions are based on past performance and legacy knowledge. As utilities progress to Level 2, they begin to perceive their current state more accurately, supported by some inspection data. Utilities can use informal processes to gather vegetation condition data, typically through field inspections, which is analyzed to determine unplanned work.
At Level 3, a transition occurs where utilities develop an understanding of their current state through a more formal data-driven approach. The program is supported by various data sources, including inspection, reliability and remote sensing data. This data-driven approach allows for variable cycles to manage the program based on operational risk and system conditions.
By Level 4, utilities are trending towards a future state with robust data analytics engines, databases and condition-based statistical analysis to support planning. All key systems are in place for data-driven decision-making.
Finally, at Level 5, utilities can predict future system states using multi-variate predictive analysis. Analytical capabilities
Five Level, Situational Awareness-based, Maturity Model.
include data-driven probabilistic analysis and/or machine learning, enabling predictive modeling of future state conditions and overall program optimization. Utilities at this level reliably optimize vegetation management goals and budgets over a multi-year horizon.
It is important to note that, although the models are structured with increasing levels of maturity to serve as roadmaps, each utility must determine the optimal maturity level based on their specific objectives, context, regulatory compliance and affordability. Most utilities operate within Levels 2 through 4, while Level 5 is intended as an ambitious target using technology and innovation. Advancing to Levels 4 or 5 may not always be cost-effective, so utilities must carefully balance the potential benefits, expected performance improvements, associated funding and overall business case before progressing to the next maturity level.
Components of the Vegetation Management Program
The vegetation management program includes multiple components, each playing a vital role in ensuring overall effectiveness. Planned Corridor Management involves tree pruning and removal of trees and/or brush within and along corridors to maintain clearances and reduce the risk of outages. Planned Floor Management includes mowing, hand cutting and/or herbicide work to manage vegetation under the lines to prevent it from interfering
Predicting Future System State— Multi-variate predictive analysis is in place to support decision making.
Trending of Future State— Data driven processes are in place and supports trending data to support decision making.
Understanding of Current State— Data driven approach begins and supports decision making.
Perception of Current State— Processes in place to capture limited data to support decision making.
Limited Awareness of Current State— No formal process to collect or analyze data to support decision making.
with power lines. Unplanned Reactive Work addresses customer or property owner requests and/or inspection-driven work by the utility to address immediate vegetation-related issues
Core Reliability Programs focus on the targeted removal of danger/hazard trees or at-risk overhang to improve reliability and grid resiliency. Strategic Programs target operational risk, customer satisfaction and performance goals (i.e., strategic undergrounding).
Detailed Maturity Models
The high-level maturity models provide an overview of the distinct levels for each program component, offering a structured framework for utilities to assess their current practices and identify areas for improvement. The Planned Corridor Management Maturity Model details the evolution from fixed interval work to a comprehensive approach leveraging Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) principles and predictive analytics. Similarly, the Planned Floor Management Maturity Model describes the progression from Level 1, fixed interval or purely reactive
with minimal technical basis, to a data-driven approach that includes environmental and vegetation conditions for formal Integrated Vegetation Management planning.
Each maturity model is further developed by including maturity levels for the following processes: Data Sources, Analytics, Program Planning and Optimization, Work Plan Scheduling and Assignment, Work Execution and Close Out and Workflow Metrics. These processes collectively ensure that all the components of a vegetation management program are effectively managed and optimized, leading to improved reliability, reduced operational risks and enhanced compliance.
In the Planned Corridor Management Data Sources process, Level 2 data sources include data from field inspections or general knowledge based on operational experience. This operational knowledge is the key data source. Level 3 initiates the transition to a data-driven program by incorporating multiple sources of field conditions and begins to collect system reliability data based on the current state vegetation management program. Level 4 adds additional inspection processes based on empirical data via remote sensing technology that is geospatially defined and able to prioritize threats based on system conditions such as vegetation proximity to conductors and tree height. For transmission systems, the data is evaluated at all operating conditions. Level 5 considers multiple data sources including a combination of field inspections and remote sensing technologies (i.e. LiDAR, satellite or imagery) and can pre-define work units and prioritize vegetation risk to support work planning and optimization.
The Analytics process maturity progression is similar and evolves through the levels by enhancing the system risk assessment and prioritization of work. At Level 3, the analytics on the planned corridor work involves incorporating historical work records and outage data to correlate reliability outcomes based on system conditions. At Level 4, risk profiles are created using comprehensive data sources for system conditions, reliability trends and include compliance and other short-term operational
Field personnel planning VM work.
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Fixed interval or purely reactive work with minimal technical basis
Fixed interval that is technically based on condition and growth.
Planned Corridor Management
Fixed interval that is based on condition, growth and reliability. Specifications based on core IVM principles to promote compatible vegetation and reduce or eliminate incompatible vegetation.
Variable intervals that are based on condition, growth, and reliability. Specifications are based on IVM principles and include action thresholds and risk tolerance levels to drive work plans.
Planned Floor Management
No Program Fixed interval program mainly focused on mowing operations.
No Program Program driven by customer, property owner and/or internal employee request.
Fixed interval program leveraging IVM principles to mitigate incompatible vegetation and promote compatible vegetation. Program begins to integrate biological and chemical methods to reduce or eliminate incompatible or invasive species.
Program leverages IVM and utilizes variable interval based on floor conditions and associated action thresholds and tolerance levels.
Unplanned/Reactive Work
Level 2 including field inspections by qualified personnel to manage operational risk with focus on reducing or eliminating invasive or incompatible vegetation.
No Program Program is inconsistently applied across a system.
No Program Programs exist that target operational risk, customer satisfaction and/or compliance risk but inconsistently applied across a system.
Data Sources Work history with minimal condition and reliability data.
Analytics
Level 3 with set criteria and triggers from multiple inspection sources (may include remote sensing and/or aerial patrol data.)
Core Reliability Programs
A consistent program that is based on systematic inspections (i.e. Level 1 Risk Assessments per ANSI A300).
A systematic program that is based on disciplined inspections (i.e. Level 1 and Level 2 Risk Assessments per ANSI A300) or remote sensing data that places probability on tree failures (risk).
Strategic Programs Focused on Operational Risk
A consistent program that is based on systematic inspections, data collection, program criteria and governance for planning and execution.
Condition data based on field inspections or general field knowledge.
Review of historical work records and areas identified that will not hold for a fixed cycle based on vegetation growth.
A systematic program that integrates remote sensing data and outage data along with probabilistic risk analysis to project future results.
Condition and reliability data based on growth studies, field and/or aerial inspections.
Level 2 but brings in past reliability records.
risks. At Level 5, the analytics process is very robust with validated accuracy and able to profile growth, reliability and operational risk over a multi-year horizon.
In the Workflow Metrics process for Planned Corridor Management, Level 2 involves manual tracking of completion and cost and Level 3 moves the tracking to electronic format. Level 4 integrates other work management data such as QA results, completed work units and invoicing, which may or may not allow for field entry. Level 5 fully incorporates field entry by field crews to facilitate a broad range of reporting including compliance.
Level 4 including predictive elements to enhance storm hardening or reduce operational risk. Specifications are based on IVM principles and include defined site assessments and environmental assessments in the planning phase of the work.
Level 4 including metrics to monitor brush density/stem counts, IVM program effectiveness such as floor conversion, pollinator habitats and biodiversity, native species, invasive species.
Includes metrics to monitor, manage and project the level of unplanned work and associated operational risk. Defined site assessments and environmental assessments are part of the work planning process.
Metrics monitor quantity of risk trees on the system and reliability impact by targeting the removal of the high-risk trees. Includes machine learning for probabilistic analysis to manage future reliability for both nonMED and MED events.
Metrics to monitor quantity of risk trees, system conditions, as well as overall program effectiveness. It includes machine learning and/or probabilistic analysis to accurately reflect future results.
Condition and reliability data with threat and geospatial analytics including remote sensing data based on proximity and tree height. For Transmission, remote sensing data evaluated at all operating conditions.
System conditions are profiled, and analytics include identification of areas of highest growth and reliability risk.
Data Sources Processes
Remote sensing data includes unit analytics, fall-in threats have probability scores to support work planning and optimization.
Level 4 with analytics to profile future growth, reliability, and operational risk over multi-year period.
In the previous vegetation management maturity models, the journey towards maturity is marked by the evolution of data sources and processes. Consequently, six data sources and processes were examined to assist utilities in advancing their programs:
• Ground Patrols
• Aerial Patrols
• Remote Sensing
• Outage Follow-up (vegetation-related)
• MED Storm Damage Assessments
• Wildfire Assessments
High Level Vegetation Management Maturity Models.
Planned Corridor
Review of historical work records.
Planned Corridor Management Maturity Model – Data Sources and Analytics.
GROUND PATROLS: From Basic Inspections to Automated Excellence
At the initial level, utilities may lack a formal ground patrol program. Inspections, if any, are sporadic and undocumented. As utilities increase their maturity level, they begin to implement visual inspections of critical assets with general criteria to assess operational risk. Documentation of findings may still be inconsistent and not tied to a database.
Although each data source process follows a distinct roadmap, several commonalities exist among them, particularly regarding data storage, accessibility and utilization. See the sidebar above for a description of the maturity progression
Progressing in maturity, inspection criteria becomes clearly defined, ensuring consistency and prioritization based on operational risk. Findings are documented in a database, geospatially defined and tracked for execution. Training programs ensure that inspectors are qualified and dedicated.
At higher maturity levels, documentation of findings is entered into a work
Future Work and Enhancements
Future research should focus on developing detailed maturity models for quality control and quality assurance, refining models for regional differences and incorporating innovative technologies
management system, allowing real-time tracking of completion. A quality control (QC) process ensures accurate reporting. Finally, as a stretch goal, automated entry of findings into the work management system is achieved. Reporting capabilities track planning and completion status, and mature quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) processes ensure continuous improvement.
Furthermore, the framework must be revised periodically to incorporate advancements in data capture, processing and analysis as technology progresses.
Editor’s Note: The authors would like to recognize the following industry vegetation management leaders for their collaborative feedback to aid the development of maturity models and ensure the models were practical and relevant to the diverse needs of utilities across the country: J Bent, Duke Energy; J. Doucette, Southern California Edison; K. Patton, American Electric Power and S. Roddy, Alabama Power.
RON A. ADAMS (right-wayus@outlook.com) is currently principal owner of Right–Way Utility Solutions, LLC providing strategic advisory services on vegetation management to the electric utility industry. He has 40 years of experience in the utility industry and has held various leadership positions in vegetation management for 18 years. He earned his bachelor’s of science degree in electrical engineering and is registered as a P.E. in South Carolina.
YAMILLE DEL VALLE (YdelValle@epri.com) is the program manager for Transmission and Distribution (T&D) Environmental Solutions, Program 51, at EPRI, which includes vegetation management and remote sensing research. As part of her work, she coordinates research efforts with numerous utilities and industry experts to develop data-driven solutions that preserve utility knowledge, aid decision processes for managers and environmental scientists, and create awareness of current technological advancements in the T&D environmental sector.
Streamlining UVM Contractor Management
Utilities can extend the value of vegetation management and better manage external crews through digital technologies.
By CHRIS KELLY, Clearion Software
For utilities today, implementing technology for vegetation management is a bit like the adage about “building the plane while it’s flying.” Manual and paper processes persist, and where technology has been adopted, it’s
frequently dispersed over several individual “point solution” applications that are poorly integrated, if at all.
But nothing stops growing. Utilities can’t press pause on maintaining vegetation for safety and reliability while trying
Some of the biggest benefits of digital transformation are experienced by crews in the field.
to improve processes. And, as the frequency and severity of emergency response scenarios grows, that work increases in quantity and complexity.
Despite these challenges, the work continues, mostly handled by contractors versus full-time contract arborists and utility employees (native crews). However, managing contractors, long considered “external” resources, alongside native crews, thought of as “internal” resources, has become one of the biggest disconnects.
To better understand how utilities could manage contractors as easily as native crews, it’s important to take a deeper look at the digital transformation of utility operations, particularly automated workflows and mobile optimization. Where have we been and where does the industry stand today?
Where We’ve Been
In our view, one of the biggest challenges facing utilities today is managing contractors alongside native crews. We have seen the utility workforce for executing vegetation management projects become outsourced almost entirely to contractors, which execute vegetation management project work on the front lines.
When existing processes are slow and disjointed, it can delay job completion, putting utility infrastructure at higher risk when unplanned events or major emergencies occur. Delays also impact customer satisfaction — when service jobs aren’t completed in a timely manner, it leads to unhappy customers. With poorly optimized processes, work can become reactive and short-term, with poor data
to inform planning and no time to build out long-term vegetation programs. Fortunately, advancements in purposebuilt digital vegetation work management tools are helping contractors get more work done safely and more accurately. Digital work management extends automated workflows across the teams needed to get jobs done. These tools give backoffice operations and crews in the field visibility into jobs via mobile devices and connect all necessary personnel in a single real-time process.
Access to information expedites communication, which is fundamental to executing work more quickly and maintaining high customer satisfaction. Digital processes also empower utilities to capture rich data about vegetation activities, crew location, activity, hours worked and more — all of which contribute to more effective long-term planning. With tight GIS integration, that data connects to precise locations, allowing for detailed tracking of vegetation growth by location over time.
Where We Are
For utilities willing to embrace digital transformation, digital work management has provided great benefits in the tactical execution of vegetation management
projects. Today, some utilities and their contractor partners are exploring the next stage of digital evolution. While digital transformation is well worth the effort from a tactical perspective, it also offers significant value for business strategy development, both for the utility and the companies employing the contractors.
In large part, this shift involves improved visibility. More detailed data and improved workflows give contractor companies a clearer view into key aspects of operations. Consider digital timesheets — ultimately, contracting companies that collaborate with utilities in a work management system get paid more quickly and accurately.
With digital work management on the devices of each contractor crew in the field, it’s easier to capture rich data on when crews start, when they wrap and what they’ve worked on. Digital work manage -
“Utilities can’t press pause on maintaining vegetation for safety and reliability while trying to improve processes.”
ment platforms match exact hours worked with jobs completed, which eliminates manual auditing and helps track necessary rework more effectively. For the utility, digital timesheets reduce errors in billing, which can result in cost savings over time.
Another example is digital invoicing, in which unit-based contracts allow contractor companies and their utility customers to track work at the level of individual
2024 UVM workflow illustrations without rework: Digital work management tools use technology to connect stakeholders throughout the vegetation management cycle.
Map-based interfaces use GIS integration to provide clear direction to crews and improve accuracy in the field.
tasks. The workflow might look something like this:
• Pre-planned line clearing work is dispatched digitally to crew leaders who mark work complete and document exceptions.
• One or more audit steps are completed digitally with re-work instructions automatically routed to the right crew leader and field supervisor.
• Digital invoices are generated in the vegetation work management software based on work completion and quality.
• Invoice approvals occur far faster because work tasks have already been audited and approved.
• With secure, web-based access to invoice status, contractors can monitor the status of invoices, reducing timeconsuming communication for both
the contractor back-office staff and the utility program administrators.
Where We’re Going
Ultimately, the potential for digital transformation in vegetation and contractor management is merely a starting point. Imagine having this level of detail about work and people, and for all grey-sky and blue-sky work and crews. Suddenly any contractor who works with the utility has the same visibility and benefits. This would be transformative for mutual aid crews during emergency response.
By bringing contractors and native crews, daily operations and emergency response together in a single real-time view, utilities could improve scheduling with higher awareness of a worker’s availability to take on new jobs. They could gain real-time visibility into where crews are working and deploy crews as needed to address unplanned outages. With a click, utilities could transition into major emergency response activities and then back to daily operations when the emergency is resolved.
Utilities are already starting down this path and realizing some of the broader benefits of digital transformation. For example, digital transformation gives utilities an advantage when it comes to recruiting and retaining highly skilled workers. As a generation of crew workers retires, younger counterparts have expectations that technology will work seamlessly alongside them. At some point, choosing point solutions to solve specific needs results in “app proliferation,” where workers and their leaders are forced to use several applications to manage a single process. On the contrary, a single work and people platform brings those functions together in one place, reducing the cost and effort required to maintain solutions.
It’s possible that managing work and people in vegetation management (or any other area of utility operations) will always feel a bit like building a plane while it’s flying. With the right digital tools, it suddenly becomes a lot easier to pilot that plane toward the right destination — providing safe, efficient and reliable resources to your constituents.
CHRIS KELLY (ckelly@clearion.com) is the CEO of Clearion Software.
The New Era of Fleet Management
How telematics, artificial intelligence and data analytics are transforming the fleet management lifecycle.
By NICK ONEY, Xylem Kendall
Xylem Kendall manages a fleet of more than 5,500 rolling assets, ensuring efficiency and reliability across every aspect of vegetation management operations. The company’s effective fleet management strategy is more than making schedules and managing logistics — it’s about measuring performance, streamlining operations and staying ahead of customer demands across the entire fleet lifecycle. Today, fleet
management is entering a new era, driven by advancements in automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. By leveraging telematics, fleet managers can boost efficiency, reduce expenses and proactively address maintenance and safety concerns before they become timely and costly problems. Companies that adopt these emerging technologies can better track and measure performance metrics, enhance on-the-road safety and
make informed, data-driven decisions. Understanding both the benefits and challenges of implementing these technologies into the fleet management lifecycle is essential for organizations looking to maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly tech-forward industry.
History of Telematics
Telematics, the integration of telecommunications and informatics, traces its
Xylem Kendall uses advanced analytics to optimize routes, reduce fuel consumption, and improve productivity.
origins to the 1960s when the Department of Defense developed the Global Positioning System (GPS), which was initially designed for military and aviation use. In the 1980s, advancements in computer technology and telecommunications enabled GPS to integrate with various data systems, laying the foundation for telematics. By the mid-1990s, the internet gained traction, and GPS became widely available to civilians, further advancing telematics and enhancing its sophistication.
In recent decades, telematics technology has expanded exponentially, driven by improvements in GPS, cellular networks, AI and data analytics. Today, telematics systems are indispensable tools for fleet managers, providing real-time data and insights on vehicle location, driver behavior, usage patterns and maintenance needs. These capabilities will continue to evolve, particularly in the automotive segment.
According to Mordor Intelligence, the Smart Fleet Management Market is projected to reach $737.09 billion by 2029, growing at a 9.5% Compound Annual
Growth Rate from 2024 to 2029. As the industry scales, we are entering a new era: Next-Gen Telematics.
What is Next-Gen Telematics?
The future of telematics is marked by the application of powerful AI capabilities and machine learning, advanced data analytics and remote diagnostics to monitor, manage and optimize fleet operations.
Next-Gen telematics revolves around the ability to process and learn from vast amounts of data in real time. Modern telematics systems are equipped with sophisticated analytics capabilities that provide organizations valuable insights and comprehensive reporting. By harnessing AI and machine learning, these systems go beyond simple tracking — they actively recognize and analyze patterns, forecast outcomes and deliver actionable insights that enhance fleet performance. By converting raw data into meaningful reports, businesses can pinpoint areas for improvement and implement strategic changes that yield measurable results.
This advanced capability translates into several key benefits for fleet management:
• Predictive Maintenance: These technologies enable fleet managers to proactively track asset conditions, assess performance and anticipate maintenance needs before issues escalate, reducing breakdowns, downtime and repair costs. By leveraging telematics-enabled remote diagnostics, managers can monitor key data points such as battery condition, brake performance, engine temperature, emissions, lubricant levels, pressure and vibrations. Instant alerts notify them of potential mechanical issues, allowing for timely intervention before minor concerns turn into costly repairs. This proactive approach streamlines maintenance efforts and extends vehicle lifespan.
• Driver Behavior Analysis: AI systems can detect risky driving behaviors such as speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking. Dashcams play a crucial role in identifying distracted driving and providing real-time, tailored feedback to help improve driver behavior.
• Operational Optimization: Using both historical and real-time data, fleet managers can optimize daily routes, fuel consumption and vehicle usage. These intelligent systems continuously analyze traffic patterns, weather conditions and driver behavior, enabling dynamic route adjustments and efficient resource allocation. Over time, they learn and adapt to changing conditions. As an example, Xylem Kendall leverages daily vehicle utilization information, including run and idle times as well as distance traveled, to enhance productivity, lower cost and improve overall fleet performance.
Telematics in Action
Safety remains a top priority in fleet management, and next-gen telematics solutions are transforming risk mitigation. AI-powered dash cameras monitor driver behavior in real time, detecting distractions, drowsiness and other unsafe actions, while collision avoidance systems — such as lane departure warnings and automated alerts — provide critical feedback to help prevent accidents and enhance road safety.
Driver-facing cameras are instrumental in detecting distractions, such as cell phone use or safety issues, like not wearing a seat belt. The technology sends real-time alerts to drivers, fostering immediate behavior change. Leaders should also follow up with post-trip coaching sessions regarding the detected safety risk. Driver notifications and training will help improve driver behavior and reduce the risk of accidents caused by inattentiveness. This is backed by a transportation study that found AIpowered dashcams significantly reduced accidents by 22% and unsafe driving incidents by 56%.
To illustrate the impact of these innovations, let’s examine a practical implementation involving AI cameras.
One of the most critical metrics in fleet management is the driver safety score, which evaluates driving behavior based on events like harsh braking, speeding and distraction. Each driver has an individual score, and these can be aggregated into a team power score, giving general
forepersons and supervisors a comprehensive view of the fleet’s overall performance. By monitoring these scores, companies can identify trends that impact safety. For example, when Xylem Kendall introduced in-cab cameras, data revealed that cell phone use was a leading factor in lowering scores. In response, the company installed
these hurdles is crucial for a smooth transition and long-term success.
hands-free phone holders in every vehicle. This small but strategic change resulted in a 5% improvement in overall driver scores — demonstrating how telematics-driven insights can lead to measurable improvements in safety and compliance.
Road-facing cameras also play a crucial role, capturing external events such as speeding, traffic sign violations, collisions or near misses. Using AI, organizations can analyze this footage to determine root causes, allowing them to better understand driver behavior and develop targeted trainings to improve safety.
Challenges and Considerations
As fleet management embraces cuttingedge technology, organizations must also address key challenges that come with implementation. From privacy concerns to compliance and training, understanding
Privacy Concerns. One of the most significant challenges is balancing continuous monitoring with driver privacy. Employees may feel uneasy about being constantly tracked, which can impact morale. Addressing these concerns through transparent communication and clear policies is critical to gaining driver buyin and building trust.
Upfront Costs. Implementing advanced fleet technologies requires a substantial initial investment in hardware, software and integration. However, long-term savings from reduced accidents, improved fuel efficiency and more efficient operations outweigh these costs.
Training and Adoption. To fully leverage these technologies, fleet managers and drivers must be properly trained. Without adequate education and hands-on experience, tools may go underutilized, limiting their potential benefits. Investing in comprehensive, user-friendly training programs ensures smoother adoption and maximized ROI.
Legal and Compliance. Data privacy laws, particularly those governing video
The Motive AI Dashcam instantly detects distractions and risky behaviors, such as cell phone use or seal belt violations.
Motive
surveillance and location tracking, must be strictly followed. Organizations must ensure compliance to protect both their drivers and their business.
Practical Tips to Implement Dashcam Monitoring
To successfully integrate AI-powered dashcams, organizations must focus on transparency. Clearly communicating the purpose of the cameras, emphasizing safety improvements rather than surveillance, helps alleviate driver concerns. Establishing clear policies on video usage and access to cameras further builds trust among drivers and ensures consistency in implementation.
Encouraging engagement through creative strategies like gamification can improve adoption rates. Rewarding topperforming drivers and challenging regions to achieve the best safety scores each month fosters a positive approach to technology adoption. Also, don’t forget to celebrate the wins. Be sure to highlight not-at-fault events and close calls — this helps showcase the effectiveness of AI cameras and reinforce their value to the organization.
Managing costs is another key consideration. Organizations should explore financing options or phased deployments to manage the financial impact. A strategic
rollout allows companies to spread out initial costs while focusing on long-term return on investment from accident reduction and operational improvements.
Future Trends
AI-driven innovations are shaping the future of fleet management. Advanced AI will analyze vast amounts of data to predict maintenance needs, prevent accidents and optimize routes in real time. Predictive analytics will play a vital role in reducing vehicle downtime and improving overall fleet efficiency.
Telematics will also become increasingly integrated with autonomous vehicles. As self-driving technology progresses, telematics will be essential for managing both semi-autonomous and fully autonomous fleets, improving safety, optimizing logistics and ensuring regulatory compliance.
AI-powered cameras will continue to evolve with more advanced driver assistance systems. Features such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and real-time driver health monitoring will further reduce accidents and improve overall road safety.
Augmented reality (AR) dashcams may soon become a reality. These nextgeneration cameras may incorporate AR technology to provide real-time navigation
The driver safety score, which evaluates behaviors like harsh braking, speeding, and distractions, is a critical metric in fleet management that helps companies identify safety trends.
overlays, hazard alerts and immersive driver training, offering a new level of situational awareness for drivers.
In this new era of fleet management, cutting-edge technologies like telematics and AI are transforming operations, offering fleet managers unprecedented opportunities to boost efficiency and safety. Beyond operational improvements, these advancements also drive significant cost savings. By implementing predictive maintenance and minimizing accidents, fleet managers can prevent breakdowns, reduce repair expenses and extend the lifespan of fleet assets.
Companies that embrace these emerging technologies will not only enhance their fleet performance but also position themselves as industry leaders, thriving in a highly competitive market.
NICK ONEY (noney@wakendall.com) is the fleet director for Xylem Kendall. With a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Georgia, Nick began his career as a fleet manager with Kendall Vegetation Services eight years ago. Since then, he has taken on the responsibility of overseeing a large fleet department across the Xylem Kendall organization and managing thousands of assets. His work includes ensuring the acquisition, maintenance, compliance, utilization and eventual disposal of all equipment, helping the teams he supports operate efficiently and effectively.
‘Safety First’ in UVM — Right?
On my first day of work in utility vegetation management (UVM), a sevenyear-old girl was fighting for her life in a critical burn unit 200 miles from home. A few days earlier, she had climbed into a pine tree, reached out and contacted a singlephase high-voltage distribution line operated by my new employer. After she was blown out of the tree and fell 30 ft to the ground, she was life-flighted to a medical center and treated for severe burns. Throughout my first year in UVM, she began her slow, painful recovery, and learned to live with permanent, debilitating injuries. So went my introduction to UVM. Sadly, many electrical contact victims don’t fare as well as the seven-year-old. During my ensuing 23-year career at that utility, four people lost their lives due to tree conflicts with power lines. Two were tree workers. That’s not unique or rare. Dr. John Ball, a professor at South Dakota State University, said electrocution is the third most common cause of work-related fatalities in the tree care industry. What’s more, tree conflicts with power lines have caused ruinous fires, resulting in catastrophic loss of life.
Safety: a UVM Priority
In this approach, limited human and equipment resources are strategically deployed to optimize electrical service. Stress is placed on tree risk assessment. Further, three-phase lines are prioritized with emphasis on aligning vegetation management with protective device coordination to moderate the number of customers potentially affected by vegetation-caused outages.
Unintended Consequences
As a result of the mounting evidence that vegetation-caused outages so seldom result from in-growth, we increasingly hear that “the problem isn’t around the lines.” More vegetation managers are concluding that systematic, routine line clearance “only buys air,” and resources should be redirected toward tree risk assessment and mitigation.
Clearly, safety is a serious matter in UVM, with potentially dire consequences for members of the communities we serve and for those with whom we work. We respond by making “safety first.” It’s a core value for utilities, UVM contractors and the Utility Arborist Association (UAA).
We prioritize the development of a safety culture. Progressive programs involve every team member from senior management to the newest groundworker. That dedication extends to the public, and we are committed to minimizing the likelihood of electric contact. We are also focused on mitigating wildfire risks, which are becoming increasingly challenging with climate change, poor forest health and an expanding wildland-urban interface. Our commitment is sincere, and safety is a central principle to our profession.
Reliability Focus?
Despite our commitment to safety, many UVM programs primarily schedule for reliability. There’s good reason for reliabilitycentered UVM. Transformative research on vegetation-caused outages by John Goodfellow, a consultant for BioCompliance Consulting, Inc. and Dr. B. Don Russell of Texas A&M, established that outages from vegetation growing into three-phase lines are rare, and they are nearly non-existent on single-phase lines. Rather, vegetation-caused outages are most often the result of trees or tree parts falling and mechanically tearing down electrical facilities. Evidence is mounting that 80% or more of vegetation-caused outages are caused by trees from off the right-of-way (ROW).
In response, reliability-based scheduling is gaining acceptance.
Line clearance cannot be deferred indefinitely. We know tree growth is relentless and, if left unchecked, the utility forest inevitably entangles power lines. At some point, minimizing traditional line clearance work is counter-productive from both safety and reliability perspectives. The most appropriate scheduling of maintenance varies from one area and utility to another, but regular cycle work is central to effective UVM. Failure leads to hot spotting and a spiral of decline as costs and other problems mount, including increased safety risks.
Some argue that reliability and safety go hand in hand. To an extent that is true, but if reliability is the primary objective, single-phase maintenance can be de-emphasized because the risk of outages due to vegetative growth is statistically insignificant. However, allowing the utility forest to encroach into single-phase lines can provide access to them with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Best Management Practices
A solution is to apply integrated vegetation management (IVM) best management practices, which advise us to set clearly defined management objectives. Safety should be the primary objective of any UVM program. Tolerance levels and action thresholds should be established and determined by site and vegetative factors to optimize IVM against the risk of unacceptable consequences.
As utility arborists, we put “safety first” as an ethical imperative, and we recognize our responsibility to mitigate safety risks for those who work for and with us, as well as for the public. We should also honor our commitment to “safety first” in UVM programs. Reliability-based scheduling is gaining traction based on sound science, but safety should take precedence in resource deployment. That is because somewhere in thousands of miles of line, a seven-year-old is climbing a tree, and this child deserves to go home safely.
RANDALL H. MILLER (RMiller@eocene.com) is the director of research and development for Eocene Environmental Group.
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