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Author Topic: Contacting power company for possible speakers at radio club meetings  (Read 121 times)

AG5T

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I was thinking about a topic on power line safety and wondered if electric companies had any speakers on this topic. I'm in Houston which means CenterPoint is the main gas and electric. Looked at their web site but its geared toward business and residential customer issues. Anyone have any suggestions I could try? Thanks. "Contact Us" goes to issues/utility problems.
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W2JJV

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Re: Contacting power company for possible speakers at radio club meetings
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2023, 01:03:26 PM »

I was a field engineer for a utility many years ago and we would get called upon regularly to speak on safety, especially for fire departments.  I would suggest contacting the utility's media department and seeing if they have a speaker's bureau.  I loved doing these presentations.  I would find out where the firehouse was located, find it on our service map and take photos of all the major pieces of equipment along the circuit back to the substation and talk about distribution equipment and safety.  The firefighters always recognized where the equipment was located and really appreciated the "custom presentation".  And that was back when we would go out with a 35mm camera, and make slides.  Boy, I am dating myself. 

Good for you for asking!
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WA3CUJ

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Re: Contacting power company for possible speakers at radio club meetings
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2023, 02:46:24 PM »

Contact your utility and ask. I was an engineer in the dispatch center of an electric utility about 40 years ago, and they asked me to be on the speakers team and left it up to me to come up with a topic!
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N7EKU

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Re: Contacting power company for possible speakers at radio club meetings
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2023, 04:11:12 PM »

Hi,

That sounds like a great idea!  They could talk about safety, what to watch out for with service drops and underground lines, they could tell stories about emergencies, repairs, etc.

 :)
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Mark -- N7EKU/VE3

WX7Q

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Re: Contacting power company for possible speakers at radio club meetings
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2023, 05:47:46 PM »

Here's an idea for you.

https://pullmanradio.com/new-sel-invention-prevents-wildfires-by-cutting-electricity-to-downed-power-line-before-it-hits-the-ground/

https://selinc.com/featured-stories/fcp/

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories based in Pullman, Washington has invented a new solution to help prevent wildfires caused by downed power lines.

SEL’s new falling conductor protection solution turns off the electricity to a broken power line before it hits the ground.  The patented algorithms used in an SEL Real-Time Automation Controller will decrease wildfire risks from downed lines.  The solution cuts the power to a broken line within a few hundred milliseconds.

The solution has been successfully field tested by San Diego Gas & Electric.  The California utility plans to implement the new SEL solution in its high fire threat areas by 2026.

SEL designs and manufactures digital relays and control systems for the power industry worldwide.

HTH

WX7Q
Jim

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WA9AFM

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Re: Contacting power company for possible speakers at radio club meetings
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2023, 07:48:27 PM »

We had Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) safety instructor do a presentation at our club meeting.  Working around multi-kilovolt equipment is an eye-opener.  WARNING: they may bring very graphic photos of accidents and attempt copper thefts at sub-stations.
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