POWER-GRID.

COM : FEBRUARY 2015

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I CAT I O N O F

14

NESC Turns 100

26 History of Switchgear
30 Prepping for Disruptions

S
K
C
A
T
TION
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YOUR POWER DELIVERY MEDIA SOURCE

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SIMPLE SOLUTIONS.
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Control.
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When you need to be sure, turn to Christie for
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1502PG_1 1

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 CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / DABOOST

18

The Growing Threat of

Denial-of-Service Attacks

FEBRUARY 2015 VOLUME 20.02

22 How to Secure Utility

Infrastructure Holistically
Gedi Jomantas of Motorola Solutions
explores the evolution of utility
infrastructure and provides five steps
toward a holistic security solution.

Sahba Kazerooni of Security Compass lists four

ways DDoS attacks have evolved and six things
the electric and gas industries must do to keep
up with the growing cyberthreat.

26 The Evolution of Switchgear

Dielectric Technology

G&W Electrics Karla Trost tells the chronology

of switchgear in the electric power industry, along
with the positives and negatives of specific types.

From the Editor 4

Notes 6

The Financial Stakes 14

of the 100-year-old
National Electrical Safety Code
Mike Hyland of NESC and the American Public
Power Association writes that the code is amid
an eight-month period of open commentary on
proposed changes for the 2017 edition.

30 Weathering the Winter

Temporary Power
Solutions Stabilize
Utility Grid During
Extreme Cold

Ana Amicarella of Aggreko Americas

Power Projects writes that the only way
to ensure efficiency with a temporary power provider is to select one that can
connect into virtually any voltage on the grid in remote areas and major cities
and that has winterized equipment.

32 Attention!

All Eyes on Utility Fleets

Paul Hull, a contributing author to Utility Products
magazine, writes that utility vehicle drivers
have two professions: skilled driver and skilled
technician. He shares ways to keep fleets healthy,
drivers safe and departments efficient.

A Digital Utility Imperative: 16

Protecting Your Customer Data
PwCs Alan Conkle, Matt Wilson and Dave
Sands share results of their companys
2015 Global State of Information
Security Survey, which shows
reported cybersecurity breaches
are up 25 percent during the
past 12 months.
PowerGrid International : ISSN 1547-6723,
is published 12 times per year (January,
February, March, April, May, June, July, August,
September, October, November and December)
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34 Products
36 Calendar/Ad Index
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2 | February 2015
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1502PG_2 2

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FROM THE EDITOR

EDITOR IN CHIEF

TERESA HANSEN

Cyberattacks Still on the Rise

In last months From the Editor, I wrote that utilities and all of corporate
America should be concerned about cyberattacks, especially after the hacking
of Sony Pictures Entertainment. At the risk of sounding like Henny Penny, Im
going to write about cyberattacks again this month. One reason is because in
recent weeks Ive experienced firsthand how a distributed Denial-of-Service
attack (DDoS) can affect even the most basic computer functions. I am not at
liberty to elaborate on the DDoS I experienced, but I can say that it gave me a
new appreciation of how difficult it can be on IT personnel and how disruptive
an attack can be to an organizations daily work flow. In some areas, that work
flow isnt just inhibited; it ceases.
Another reason Im writing about cyberattacks again is because this
issue contains three articles relating to protecting data and combatting
cyberattacks. In the cover feature, The Growing Threat of Denialof-Service Attacks beginning on Page 18, author Sahba Kazerooni
writes that DDoS attacks are one of utilities top new cyber-related
risks. Kazerooni writes that according to Verizons 2014 Data Breach
Investigation Report, 14 percent of all cyberattacks on utilities came
from DDoS attacks in 2013. In addition, he writes about the evolution of
DDoS attacks and offers six strategies that utilities should use to deal with
such attacks. One of the most important is to create a network of go-to
experts to help when your utility falls victim to such an attack.
In the article A Digital Imperative: Protecting Your Customer Data, PwCs
Alan Conkle, Matt Wilson and Dave Sands share information from PwCs 2015
Global State of Information Security Survey. One of the many findings from
the survey reveals that reported cybersecurity breaches are up 25 percent in the
past 12 months. In addition, the survey results show that power and utilities
respondents reported the average number of detected cybersecurity incidents
increased six-fold over the prior year. The survey results emphasize even more
than before the need for effective and continuously evolving cyber strategies.
And, finally, on Page 22, Gedi Jomantas of Motorola writes about utility
infrastructure security. Jomantas explains how the evolution from isolated
systems to integrated networks has resulted in many new attack opportunities,
including DDoS, viruses, trojans, phishing and more. Like the previous
authors, Jomantas also emphasizes the importance of a holistic strategy to
defend against cyberattacks.
Of course, this issue contains other feature articles that cover timely and
important topics, so I encourage you to read all of them.
Having recently been affected by a DDoS attack, however, I felt compelled
to emphasize once again the importance of understanding and combatting
cyberattacks. I hope the features in this issue help you plan your cyber strategy.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Teresa Hansen
918.831.9504 teresah@pennwell.com

SENIOR EDITOR

Kristen Wright
918.831.9177 kristenw@pennwell.com

ONLINE/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jeff Postelwait
918.831.9114 jeffp@pennwell.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Deanna Taylor
918.832.9378 deannat@pennwell.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

TransmissionHub Senior Analyst Corina Rivera-Linares

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR

Angie ODea
918.831.9431 angieo@pennwell.com

VICE PRESIDENT-AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

& MARKETING
June Griffin

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Linda Thomas
918.832.9254 lindat@pennwell.com

SUBSCRIBER SERVICE

P.O. Box 3264, Northbrook, IL 60065

phone 847.763.9540
pgrid@halldata.com

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, NORTH AMERICAN

POWER GENERATION GROUP
Richard Baker
918.831.9187 richardb@pennwell.com

PENNWELL CORP. IN EUROPE

PennWell International Limited

The Water Tower, Gunpowder Mill
Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 1BN, United Kingdom
phone +44.1992.656600
fax +44.1992.656700
pennwelluk@pennwell.com

CHAIRMAN

Frank T. Lauinger

PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Robert F. Biolchini

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Mark C. Wilmoth

1421 S. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, OK 74112

PO Box 1260, Tulsa OK 74101
Phone 918.835.3161 Fax 918.831.9834
pgi@pennwell.com
www.pennwell.com

POWERGRID International is the

offcial publication of

4 | February 2015
www.power-grid.com

1502PG_4 4

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The most important questions are

the ones we havent asked yet.
Darby McKee, Analytics Manager
With advanced metering for electricity generating unprecedented amounts of data,
Darby and Fred can solve just about any challenge that comes along. From helping
utilities conserve resources and predict usage to recognizing and reducing theft,
their work is essential to Itrons commitment to our customers.
According to Darby and Fred, there is no end to what data can do. Were limited
only by our own imagination. We nd that pretty exciting, and its the perfect way to
envision a more resourceful world.

itron.com/resourceful

Darby McKee and Fred Behrmann, Itron Analytics

Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

1502PG_5 5

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NOTES

Ceiva Energy, a utility-controlled

home energy management system
(HEMS) company, has earned the ISO/
IEC 27001:2005 Management System
certificate, an international mark of
excellence for security and privacy, the
company announced.
Ceiva is the first HEMS company to
earn this premier level of certification.
Ceiva Energy is proud to be the first
in the industry to achieve this rigorous
ISO certification for data security, said
Dean Schiller, Ceiva Energy CEO. We
are committed to giving our utility customers confidence that Ceiva Energy
manages data according to some of the
most stringent security standards in the

industry. As a result, we enable utilities

to meet increasingly strict data security
requirements while deepening trust
with customers.
ISO/IEC 27001:2005
certification recognizes
organizations that have
demonstrated effective implementation
of documentation and
records management.
The certification process
evaluates managements commitment to their customers; establishment of clear policy, good planning
and implementation; resource security
and management; and the efficiency

of process control, measurement and

analysis.
Ceiva Energy received ISO/IEC certification specifically for the
provision of controls for
the protection of infrastructure, computer
systems, information
and people engaged
in receiving, transferring and storing sensitive information within
Ceivas HEMS platform.
Certification was awarded by SRI
Quality System Registrar, an internationally accredited registrar for management systems.

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / VALENTINT

CEIVA ENERGY ACHIEVES PREMIER LEVEL OF SECURITY CERTIFICATION

The Bipartisan Policy Center has compiled a list of doable items that Congress
can tackle on a bipartisan basis. They are:
1. Commit to regular order. Committees
should conduct legislative and oversight hearings, marking up legislation after receiving input from both
sides and issuing committee reports.
Members should be allowed to offer
amendments to legislation on the
floor and full conference committees
should be held.
2. Pass energy efficiency legislation championed by Sens. Jeanne
Shaheen, D-N.H., and Rob Portman,
R-Ohio, and Reps. David McKinley,
R-W.Va., and Peter Welch, D-Vt.
3. Advance energy innovation and
reauthorize the National Institute of
Standards and Technology.
4. Create new bankruptcy authority
specifically designed for the failure of

large financial institutions to provide

another effective tool for ending bailouts for too-big-to-fail institutions.
5. Develop a work force that can
respond to growing cyberthreats
by passing legislation that increases
training for cyber professions.
6. Establish a regulatory oversight
framework for health information
technology that promotes innovation and protects patient
safety.
7. Grant Trade Promotion
Authority giving the
administration the
freedom to negotiate
trade agreements
with allies in the
EU and Asia-Pacific
region.
8. Expedite exporting of liquefied

natural gas to capitalize on growing

U.S. energy resources and create jobs.
9. Improve the technology transfer and
commercialization of energy technologies by passing the Department
of Energy Laboratory Modernization
and Technology Transfer Act.
10. Establish a commission to
inform better use of data
to evaluate the effectiveness of spending on
federal programs and
tax
expenditures,
as in the EvidenceBased Policymaking
Commission Act
of 2014 championed by Sen.
Patty Murray,
D-Wash., and
Rep. Paul Ryan,
R-Wis.

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / DESKCUBE

BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER INCLUDES

ENERGY ITEMS ON LIST FOR CONGRESS

6 | February 2015
www.power-grid.com

1502PG_6 6

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 CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / VALENTINT

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NOTES

1Energy Systems, the principal PUD

partner, is the architect of the MESA software controls.
To support the Snohomish PUD project
and other Clean Energy Fund projects, the
Department of Energys Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory (PNNL) is working
with participants to develop use cases or
detailed descriptions of the many ways
energy storage can increase renewable
energy use and improve grid efficiency and
resiliency. The PUD and other utilities will
consult these use cases as they implement and evaluate their projects. PNNL also is providing analytical and
technical support,
including conducting benefits analysis,
designing test plans
and enhancing control strategies.
The MESA system
provides a standard, nonproprietary and scalable approach
to energy storage. The PUDs energy
storage program, which forges partnerships with major U.S. and international
business partners, will include two largescale lithium ion batteries, one built by
Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa and a second
by LG Chem. Both lithium ion batteries will use a Parker Hannifin Power
Conversion System. Later this year, the
PUD will deploy multiple advanced
vanadium flow batteries at a second
PUD substation, which will be built by
UniEnergy Technologies.
This project demonstrates how
MESA technology standards, pioneered
in Washington, will accelerate global
innovation in energy storage, said Darcy
Wheeles, program director of the MESA
Standards Alliance. Standards-based

products make it easier and less expensive for utilities to control and optimize
energy storage and integrate renewable
power sources with the grid.
The collaboration will produce stateof-the-art solutions, bringing together
major equipment and software companies to establish the appropriate industry standards and interfaces. The open
standards approach is much different
than other energy storage projects and
is expected to result in the expanded
application of plug-and-play type energy storage systems to help solve the
expanding needs of todays electric grid,
which depends more on intermittent
resources such as wind and solar.
MESA PROJECT GOALS
Key goals of the MESA project include:
Developing standard electrical and
communication interfaces to connect batteries, power converters and
software components into modular
energy storage systems;
Helping foster a robust industry
ecosystem of modular energy storage component suppliers. By sharing their learning with other electric utilities and technology suppliers, MESA Project partners are
advancing a new, component-based
approach to energy storage that
gives electric utilities more choice
and enables battery, power converter and software manufacturers to
reach more customers while focusing on their core competencies.
Partners include: 1Energy Systems;
Alstom Grid; LG Chem; Mitsubishi-GS
Yuasa; UniEnergy Technologies; Parker
Hannifin; University of Washington; and
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

8 | February 2015
www.power-grid.com

1502PG_8 8

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CAN STOCK PHOTO INC / VILAX

Snohomish County Public Utility

District (PUD) and 1Energy Systems welcomed Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to dedicate the first battery storage system built on
the cutting-edge Modular Energy Storage
Architecture (MESA). The PUDs MESA
project, located at a substation in Everett,
Washington, is designed to improve reliability and the integration of renewable
energy sources.
The project was made possible in part
by a $7.3 million investment from the
Washington Clean Energy Fund. The
PUD system, the first of several MESA energy storage projects the PUD
is pursuing this year,
positions the state as
a smart grid technology leader and
creates cost-effective solutions to use
renewable energy better.
Washington utilities are
some of the most innovative in the
world, and I applaud Snohomish PUD
and its partners for making this commitment to cutting-edge technology that
will help us lead the worlds clean energy
economyother states are watching your
work, Inslee said. Its exciting to see
investments from the states Clean Energy
Fund advancing our goals to save energy
and cut costs for Washington companies
and consumers, reduce harmful emissions
and support jobs throughout the state.
PUD General Manager Steve Klein said
the electrical grid needs to take on more
renewable power, and standards-based
storage and software will play big roles.
MESA, Klein said, provides standard interfaces to bring more choices for
utilities, reduces projects complexity and
promises to lower costs.

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / DAVEH900

SNOHOMISH PUD, WASHINGTON GOVERNOR

ANNOUNCE NEW ENERGY STORAGE ENTERPRISE

 CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / VILAX

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / DAVEH900

CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW RECEIVES FOUR ALL-ELECTRIC SHUTTLE BUSES

Four zero-emission electric shuttle
buses are being deployed in Mountain
View, California, according to Calstart, a
member-supported organization of more
than 140 firms, fleets and agencies worldwide dedicated to supporting a growing
high-tech, clean transportation industry.
The Mountain View Community Shuttle
service is aimed at moving residents and
visitors through the city among neighborhoods, shopping centers, medical complexes, city facilities and recreation areas.
The buses were manufactured by Motiv
Power Systems of Foster City using funds
from the California Energy Commission
(CEC). Google is funding the bus service
for the community.
The vehicles use a modular, plug-andplay electric powertrain technology from
Motiv Power Systems. The Motiv electric
Powertrain Control System (ePCS) is the
only product suite in the industry that electrifies truck or bus chassis as a ship-though

option, using various commercially available battery packs and motors.

The four electric shuttles are free to the
public and are equipped with seating for
16 passengers, a wheelchair lift, space for
two wheelchairs, Wi-Fi connectivity and
bicycle racks on the outside of the vehicle.
City officials hope the service will reduce
drive-alone traffic, as well as help residents
get around town in a loop route.
This is an excellent example of how
state and private funds can be used to help
clean the air, cut greenhouse gas emissions
and support the growth of a California
company, said John Boesel, president and
CEO at Calstart.
The demonstration pilot will last one
year. Motiv will collect data and use patterns with a goal of proving electric shuttle
buses are a viable alternative to their traditional counterparts that run on diesel.
Motivs electric powertrains are expected
to decrease total cost of ownership by 8

percent for initial production vehicles and

by more than 30 percent for production
vehicles. In addition, the team expects to
see a significant reduction in the time to
produce these vehicles, which in this case,
are converted to battery power using existing platforms such as the Ford E-450 chassis. The vehicle can travel up to 100 miles
on a single charge and will offer quiet,
comfortable rides to the citys residents.
This electric shuttle program was part of
a larger 10-project grant administered by
Calstart with the goal of advancing cleaner,
more efficient trucks and buses. Funding
for the electric shuttles and the other nine
projects was provided by the California
Energy Commissions Alternative and
Renewable Fuel
and Vehicle
Technology
Program.

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1502PG_9 9

2/3/15 1:47 PM

NOTES

JD POWER: ELECTRIC UTILITIES ACHIEVE BEST

BUSINESS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SINCE 2009

KEY FINDINGS
Power quality and reliability satisfaction among business customers who
receive outage information (713) is
143 points higher than among those
who do not receive such outage information (570).
Utility communications positively
affect satisfaction. Overall communications satisfaction among customers
who recall receiving a communication
from their utility is 74 points higher
than among those who do not recall
any communication. The percentage of business customers recalling a
communication from their utility has
increased to 55 percent in 2015 from
51 percent in 2014.
Online account setup among business
customers has grown to 57 percent in
2015 from 33 percent in 2009. Nearly
three-fourths (72 percent) of business
customers resolve their problem or
issue online during the first contact,
compared with 69 percent of those
who resolve their problem by phone
during the first contact.
Overall satisfaction is highest among
industrial business customers (682)

and lowest among health care customers (675).

STUDY RANKINGS
Within each of the four geographic
regions included in the study, utility providers are classified into one of two segments: large (serving 85,000 or more
business customers) and midsize (serving
between 25,000 and 84,999 business customers). Rankings within each region and
segment are as follows:
East Region. PSE&G ranks highest
among large electric utility providers in the
East Region with a score of 685. Among
midsize electric utilities in the East Region,
Delmarva Power ranks highest with a score
of 691.
Midwest Region. In the Midwest
Region, MidAmerican Energy (718) ranks
highest among large electric utilities for a
second consecutive year. Omaha Public
Power District (728) ranks highest among
midsize utilities.
South Region. Georgia Power (731)
ranks highest among large utilities in the
South Region for a third consecutive year.
Among midsize electric utilities, Gulf
Power ranks highest (731).
West Region. Salt River Project (SRP)
ranks highest among large electric utilities
in the West Region for a second consecutive year with a score of 741. Among midsize electric utility providers, Seattle City
Light ranks highest with a score of 716.
The 2015 Electric Utility Business
Customer Satisfaction Study is based on
responses from 22,857 online interviews
with business customers who spend at
least $200 monthly on electricity. The
study was fielded from April through June
2014 and July through November 2014.

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC /MICHAL812

utilities that have traditionally ranked at

the low end of the overall index now
include in their business goals initiatives
that are aimed at improving customer
satisfaction, said Andrew Heath, director of the energy practice at J.D. Power.
Among those utilities, several are posting
substantial increases in satisfaction as a
result. When utilities highly satisfy its customer base, there is a quantifiable positive
impact on profitability and credit ratings
for the utility.

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / LADYLITE

Business customer satisfaction with their

electric utilities has hit its highest mark
since 2009, based primarily on a substantial year-over-year increase in satisfaction
with power quality and reliability, which,
in turn, is driven by a significant improvement in utilities efforts to provide more
accurate outage information, according
to the J.D. Power 2015 Electric Utility
Business Customer Satisfaction Study.
The study measures satisfaction among
business customers of 101 U.S. electric
utilities, each of which serves more than
25,000 business customers. In aggregate,
these utilities provide electricity to more
than 12 million customers. Overall satisfaction is examined across six factors (listed
in order of importance): power quality and
reliability; billing and payment; corporate
citizenship; price; communications; and
customer service. Satisfaction is calculated
on a 1,000-point scale.
Reaching its highest score in the past
seven years, overall satisfaction among
electric utility business customers is 677
in 2015, compared with 617 in 2009a
significant 60-point increase. In addition,
satisfaction increases by 15 points from
2014 (662). Performance improvement in
2015 is driven by a sharp year-over-year
rise in satisfaction with power quality and
reliability (+19 points), which is bolstered
by a notable improvement in utilities
efforts to provide more accurate information about outages.
In addition, this is the second consecutive year of improvement for more than 80
percent of the electric utilities included in
the study, regardless of whether they rank
among the highest- or lowest-performing
companies.
Its important to note that many electric

10 | February 2015
www.power-grid.com

1502PG_10 10

2/3/15 1:47 PM

EYE ON THE WORLD

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / LADYLITE

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. /MICHAL812

SaskPower receives additional smart meter testing results

SaskPower, the principal electric utility in
Saskatchewan, Canada, has
as received results of smart
meter testing from Underwriters
rwriters Laboratories (UL)
confirming its meters comply
ply with the current UL standard.
The results are encoururaging in the sense that
we now have independent confirmation that
these meters meet all
standards, said Mike
Marsh,
SaskPower
acting president and
CEO. That being said, the
he
way these meters failedd in the
Saskatchewan environment
nt was unacceptable.
unacceptable.Its
Its clear
that the bar must be raised. Higher standards are
required of a new meter, and SaskPower is leading the
charge on exactly that front.
SaskPower hired UL in August for independent
testing on the model of smart meter installed on
residential homes in Saskatchewan. UL is a worldleading body in testing, certifying and validating
electrical meters. Its standards for meters have been
adopted as leading specifications for meter use in
North America.
The meters were subjected to the performance
requirements in the newest industry standard: the UL
2735 Standard for Safety for Electric Utility Meters, which
was released May 30, 2013, and the meters were found
to comply.
The UL 2735 standard covers the accuracy and
safe performance of smart meters. Testing included
things such as flammability, water ingress, meter accuracy, exposure to various voltages and operation under
extreme conditions.
The test results underscore the importance of committing additional dollars to research and development
of a smart meter for Saskatchewan, Marsh said.
In an agreement announced Sept. 9, SaskPower

and Sensus specifically agreed to an investment of $5

million toward a next-generati
next-generation meter that meets
SaskPowers specific needs.
Any new smart meter designed
designe for SaskPowers use
must meet more stringent requi
requirements than currently
exist. These requireme
exist.These
requirements, as well as current
industry standards, will be subject to independent verificatio
verification prior to acceptance
or insta
installation by SaskPower.
SaskPower continues to remove
all remaining smart
meters in the province
m
with a deadline for completion of M
March 15.

Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

February 2015 | 11
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NOTES
BY SUSAN NELSON, TRANSMISSIONHUB

The Illinois Commerce Commissions

(ICCs) approval of Clean Line Energy
Partners Rock Island Clean Line HVDC
project has raised protests from several parties, including Commonwealth
Edison (ComEd).
Clean Line Energy has proposed the
approximately 500-mile line to deliver
3,500 MW to Illinois and other states
to the East from northwestern Iowa and
the surrounding region. The ICC granted a certificate of public convenience
and necessity (CPCN) in 2014 stating
that Rock Island can operate as a public
utility in Illinois and build the line.
The line would originate at a converter station in OBrien County, Iowa,
traverse Iowa, cross the Mississippi
River near Princeton, Iowa, and enter
Illinois south of Cordova, Illinois.
The line would cross Illinois for some
121 miles and interconnect with PJM
Interconnections 765-kV transmission
system at the Collins substation in
Grundy County. The HVDC line would
terminate at a converter station to be
located in Channahon, Illinois. A single
circuit 345-kV AC line and a double
circuit 345-kV AC line would be constructed from the converter station to
the point of interconnection at the
Collins substation.
Clean Line Energy states on its
website that there is a large demand
for electricity supplied by renewable
resources and in particular by wind
generation, in Illinois and the PJM
region, and that demand will continue
to grow over the next 15 years.
The proposed Rock Island line is
intended to encourage the growth of

wind facilities in the resource area,

which then can be transmitted to population areas in Illinois.
Clean Line Energy spokeswoman
Sarah Bray told TransmissionHub on
Jan. 5 that the company expects the
ICC to rule on the requests for rehearing of the ICC order in the next few
weeks.
We were very pleased with the ICCs
(CPCN) order and are sitting tight,
she said.
REQUESTS FOR REHEARING
ComEd in its Dec. 26, 2014,
request for a rehearing questioned the
designation of Rock Island as an Illinois
utility and the financial capability of
the company to support the potential
$2 billion project. ComEd proposed,
however, that the ICC consider
other means of protecting parties and
customers short of rejecting the CPCN.
In particular, ComEd suggested

that the ICC should modify its order

to require Rock Island to file any
proposed financing for commission
review in an open docket.
Also, the ICC should require an
enforceable financial guarantee because
Rock Island has no material financial
resources, ComEd said.
The ICC has found that Rock
Islands public service and public use
obligations are met by reason of its
federal Open Access Transmission Tariff
obligations and its commitment that, if
the line is built, Rock Island will offer
to contract for 25 percent of its capacity
using an open season process. ComEd
suggested that Rock Island should make
a filing after its open season to be sure
that the Illinois public has been served.
The Illinois Agricultural Association,
also known as the Illinois Farm
Bureau, in its Dec. 26, 2014, filing
also questioned the financial sturdiness
of the Rock Island company and the

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. /RAFAIRUSTA

REHEARING WANTED ON ICCS APPROVAL

OF ROCK ISLAND CLEAN LINE PROJECT

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 CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. /RAFAIRUSTA

capability of its managers to bring the

line to fruition.
The Illinois Farm Bureau said its
position has been that there is no
evidence that provides any assurance
that Rock Island, or its parent company
or sister companies are anything more
than non-utility new entrants in the
market with a business plan, formulated
and run by novices, who have never
built or operated transmission lines.
The Illinois Farm Bureau also claimed
that Rock Island has not presented evidence that Illinois consumers need the
proposed line or that the project will
make the market more competitive, that customers, generators or
financing will ever

exist, or that the project will definitely

be built.
In addition, Iowa state regulators
might not approve the project, which
potentially would put the Illinois portion of the project indefinitely on hold,
the Illinois Farm Bureau said.
The Rock Island company has not
produced a needs analysis from PJM
or the Midcontinent ISO (MISO), and
the absence of such analysis produces
increased unpredictability and slows or
jeopardizes other legitimate transmission projects, the Illinois Farm Bureau
said.
The Illinois Landowners Alliance in
its Dec. 24, 2014, request for rehearing said that the ICCs order does
not impose sufficient control over the

project and that the project was unnecessary.

The alliance is a not-for-profit corporation of individuals with ownership
or other interests in farm ground and
other land in Illinois.
Among other things, the alliance said
in its filing that the ICC should have
consulted with the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources; that the company is not eligible to receive a CPCN
to transact public utility business in
Illinois; that too many risks, unknowns
and uncertainties exist surrounding an
interconnection with the ComEd facilities at the Collins substation; and that
the need for the line was not established.
ComEd is an Exelon company.

Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

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BY MIKE HYLAND, NESC AND AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION

The Financial Stakes

of the 100-year-old National

Electrical Safety Code

large communications cables, taller poles

are being installed, and bare wind loadings are leading to failures on electric
distribution systems. As a result, one
of the change proposals under consideration for the 2017 edition of the
NESC is removal of the exemption and
application of extreme wind loading to
all structures, regardless of their height.
An open commentary period is going
on now through May 1, 2015, on this
and the other change proposals in line
for the code. The input of utilities, telephone companies, wireless companies
and other entities with so much financial
stake in the NESCs evolution is key to
ensuring rollout of the best possible edition code for all stakeholders.

UTILITIES STAKE IN THE NESC

In continuous use since its inception in
1914, the NESC proposes basic provisions
that are considered necessary for the safety
of employees and the public alike during
installation, operation and maintenance of
electric supply and communication lines
and their associated equipment.
In varying degrees, nearly every state has
adopted the NESC, and about 100 other
countries use the code in some manner.
Some states adopt only the construction
and maintenance rules in the NESC, for
example. Others do not adopt a safety
Mike Hyland is NESC chair and senior vice
president of engineering services at the
American Public Power Association (APPA).

14 | February 2015
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CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / CHAINATP

he 100-year-old National Electrical

Safety Code (NESC) is not a design
manual, but the code is leveraged widely
in design criteria for power and communications distribution facilities throughout most of the U.S. and an increasing number of countries worldwide.
Consequently, its impact on the finances
of the utilities, telephone companies and
wireless companies that look to the NESC
in construction design can be substantial.
Although existing facilities are grandfathered, ongoing code changes in areas
such as strength and loading can influence
the financial costs of construction projects.
A proposed change to the upcoming 2017
edition of the NESC that would remove
a 60-foot exemption regarding extreme
wind load is a prime example.
In the 1960s, storms brought down
several hundred miles of transmission
lines suspended on tall structures. The
storm brought no ice, but bare wind
loading on the lines was substantial
because wind speed (and, thus, wind
pressure) increases with height above
ground. The experience eventually led
to the addition of a new extreme wind
loading map to the NESC in the 1977
edition of the codewith the stipulation
that the extreme wind load case was not
required if a structure or conductor was
less than 60 feet above ground.
Today, however, with the use of even
larger conductors and multitudes of

 CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / CHAINATP

code for utilities but refer to the NESC

as issues crop up related to its scope.
California, on the other hand, has its
own state safety code but reviews its
requirements in light of the new release
of the NESC every five years.
The range of applications addressed in
the NESC is sweeping: electric supply stations (generating facilities and substations),
high-voltage transmission towers and jointuse poles for local distribution of communication and power services, underground
systems and buried areas in easements
and rights of way, among them. The codes
scope is from the point of generation (or
delivery from another entity) to the service
point, where power or communications
systems are handed off to a customers
premises wiring system.
Most NESC users are in the electric utility industry. This makes utilities stake in
the NESCs ongoing refinement especially
critical. Beyond the financial stake, the
safety of so many utility field technicians,
contractors and customers can be affected
by changes to the code.
KEEPING THE CODE UP-TO-DATE
It is a never-ending and open effort to
keep the NESC effective and relevant in
the face of new technologies and challenges
presented by population growth, mobile
communications and Internet proliferation, the smart grid, etc.
As the standards and collaborative solutions arm of IEEE, the secretariat of the code
since 1972, the IEEE Standards Association
(IEEE-SA) oversees the open and inclusive
process through which the code is revised
methodically every five years.
The current 2012 edition of the code
introduced key changes and clarifications
in areas such as the NESCs application
regarding the National Electrical Code
(NEC), techniques for effective grounding,

protection of electrical supply stations, html, to understand more about how to

underground inspection rules and require- participate in the ongoing open commenments, apparel arc ratings and minimum tary period and submit your thoughts elecapproach distances (MADs).
tronically. A wide range of inputs, expertise
We are on our way to the next edition and lessons learned from the real-world
of the NESC. Since the 2012 edition was field is sought.
published, change proposals were received
After the open commentary, relevant
from the public and then
NESC subcommittees will
considered by NESC subreview the proposed reviVisit the NESC
committees. We are amid
sions and comments. The
website to
an eight-month period of
draft of the next edition
learn how to
open commentary on the
of the code will go before
participate in
preprint of those proposed
the NESC Main Committee
the ongoing
changes for the 2017 edifor approval, as well as
commentary
tion of the code. This periconcurrent public review
period and
od of open commentary
by the American National
submit your
is made intentionally wide
Standards Institute (ANSI),
so plenty of time is given
and, finally, ANSIs Board
thoughts.
for all voices to be heard.
of Standards Review. The
Until May 1, 2015, any interested party 2017 edition of the NESC is scheduled to
may review, affirm or suggest additional be published Aug. 1, 2016.
changes to the change proposals for the
next NESC edition.
CONCLUSION
In addition to the proposed elimination
August 2014 marked the 100-year
of an existing exemption for structures and anniversary of the NESC. A century after
supported facilities not exceeding 60 feet the National Bureau of Standards initially
in height from extreme wind and ice with brought together representatives of elecconcurrent wind loading rules, several of tric utilities, telephone utilities, railroads
the proposed revisions being considered and factory owners to drive consistency
for the 2017 NESC also include:
and safety considerations into the design,
Definitions around communication construction and utilization of U.S. elecequipment, electric supply equip- tricity and communications infrastrucment and structure conflict;
tures, the code is one of the most widely
Clearance rules regarding communi- adopted safety codes.
Protection of utility field employees,
cation space above supply space; and
contractors,
other workers and the pub Harmonization of the NESCs work
rules with Occupational Safety and lic is the primary concern of everyone
Health Administration (OSHA) 29 involved with the NESCs evolution, but
CFR 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart the financial implications of changes are
important, too. As the codes largest base
V final rulings.
of users, utilities stake in the NESC from
The complete NESC 2017 Preprint is every perspective is tremendous. Utilities
publicly available at www.standards.ieee. should weigh in now on the 2017 edition
org/store. Visit the NESC website, www. of the code and ensure their input and
standards.ieee.org/about/nesc/erp/index. requirements are reflected.

February 2015 | 15
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BY ALAN CONKLE, MATT WILSON AND DAVE SANDS, PWC US

ow are your customers changing,

and what will they demand in the
future? Those are two of the most important questions a customer-centric company
must ask itself at a time when technologyled disruption, shifting global demographics and a new type of young, urban and
aspirational customer is shaping the plans
of business leaders like never before. This
shift in customer dynamics and across-theboard employment of technology for better customer communication and meeting
rising service expectations is transforming
the power and utilities industry, ushering
in the entry of the digital utility.
Reported cybersecurity breaches are up
25 percent in the past 12 months, a trend
thats sure to continue in the coming years
as more data and ideas are digitized and

shared across global networks and on personal mobile devices, according to PwCs
2015 Global State of Information Security
Survey (GSISS). Protecting your customers
from such unwelcome attacks is critical to
preserving the integrity of your business
and trust with your customers. As the
GSISS report shows, cybersecurity is no
longer the blind spot it was for many organizations. Budgets to combat digital vandals, spies and thieves have swelled, and
confidence in corporate capability in this
area is climbing. But while many organizations have raised security standards, their
adversaries continue to outpace them.
Customers are always on. Businesses
must be, too. Research, customer analytics, data insight and context, and

predictive modeling can be used to

understand customers better and get
more out of data. In accordance, little
doubt remains on the value of customer
data and its strategic importance to utility
operations. Advances in mobile devices,
data analytics and cloud computing with
smart grids and smart metering further
provide opportunities for utility companies to get closer to their customers, play

16 | February 2015
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1502PG_16 16

CAN STOC

2/3/15 1:48 PM

an enhanced energy partner role and

capitalize on data opportunities.
As these opportunities are realized, a
corresponding increase in the collection,
use and disclosure of customer data likely
will occur, increasing the risk that customer data will fall into the wrong hands or be
used inconsistently with customers expectations. Protecting customer data from
cyberthreats and the like is paramount. A
customer data breach can have far-reaching economic, regulatory and reputational
impacts on an organization. To protect
customers and their data, utilities should
have clarity on what information they
collect, how they use it, and where they
store and transmit it. Based on this profile,

appropriate security measures should be and data protection program, indicating

implemented to mitigate risk to an accept- there is still much work to be done as
able level. Embedding these safeguards an industry.
requires assessing current customer practices and developing a governance process INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
to evaluate and monitor compliance assoThe headlines read daily about conciated with security and privacy risks that sumer retail and financial services
might be introduced by new technology or breaches that result in huge financial
customer process enhancements. Each of losses and brand damage. Compared
these areas can be new territory for a utility, with these industries, customer data
requiring enhanced capabilities and skill within the power and utilities industry
sets, as well as ongoing education within has received less attention during the
the company on data propast few years, perhaps
tection.
creating a false sense of
The utilities
Consider this: Power
comfort despite increasindustry
and utilities respondents
ing cyberthreats. Against
could fnd
to PwCs 2015 GSISS
this backdrop, the 2015
itself behind
reported the average numGSISS also tells us that
and a bigger
ber of detected cybersesecurity spending has
target for
curity incidents increased
cybercriminals stalled at 4 percent or
six-fold over the prior year.
less of the total informafocused on
Recognizing that some of
tion technology budget
customer
the increase in detected
for the past five years,
data.
incidents could be attribalthough other industries
uted to better detection capabilities, this have responded with stronger prevenis still a staggering result for the industry. tive and detective measures. The power
Survey results also show a decrease in the and utilities industry soon could find
number of respondents reporting that itself behind and a bigger target for
key security safeguards have been imple- cybercriminals with a focus on exploitmented effectively.
ing customer data and inflicting repuEfforts to improve safeguards typically tational damage. To enable the utility
are organized into data protection pro- of the future, customers and regulators
grams designed to be scalable and grow will require a high degree of trust when
with the organizations business strategy. it comes to customer data. Strategically
Think of a data protection program as a improving data protection programs
critical business process with a balance for sensitive information assets remains
of people, process and technology to imperative in supporting enterprise
support it. The program requires a stra- objectives. Investments today lay the
tegic approach and executive engage- groundwork for managing the risks of
ment, similar to any critical initiative tomorrow.
undertaken by the business. The 2015
Alan Conkle is Power and Utilities Risk
GSSIS survey found that approximateAssurance Leader at PwC US.
ly half of the responding utilities had
Matt Wilson and Dave Sands are Power and
implemented the strategic processes
Utilities Risk Assurance directors at PwC US.
required to maintain an effective security

February 2015 | 17
CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / JIRSAK

1502PG_17 17

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BY SAHBA KAZEROONI, SECURITY COMPASS

The Growing Threat of

Denial-of-Service Attacks

n the past few years, the cyberthreats

against electric and gas utilities have
accelerated dramatically.
Breaches that once primarily were
caused by negligent or malicious insiders are now more likely results of statesponsored cyberespionage campaigns,
organized criminal groups and hacktivists.
A new wave of cyberattacks is

targeting the energy industry. To combat them, electric and gas industry
officials must take a stronger, more proactive stance on cybersecurity.
One of the top new risks is called the
distributed denial-of-service (DDoS)
attack.
To call DDoS new is a bit ironic
because these attacks have existed since
the dawn of the Internet. But in the past

two to three years, theyve experienced

a renaissance of sorts, with significant
technological improvements that make
them exponentially more powerful than
previous attacks, widespread availability of rent-a-bots that make it easier
for hackers to launch these attacks, and
the increasingly criminalized nature of
these attacks, which makes them more
dangerous.

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 CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / DAOLEDUC

According to Verizons 2014 Data

Breach Investigations Report, 14 percent of all cyberattacks on utilities came
from DDoS attacks in 2013.
That makes it the third-most common
cyberattack on utilities.
In addition, utilities were the fifthworst industry in data breaches that
resulted in lost or stolen data, according
to the report.
One example of the threat posed by
DDoS is the February 2013 attack on
a large municipal electric, water and
sewer utility, which resulted in a twoday outage of the utilitys website, online
payment system and automated pay-byphone automated billing system.

In April 2014, Connecticuts state utility regulators reported multiple electric,

gas and other utilities also had been
breached by hackers.
A DDoS attack occurs when a hacker
or group of hackers floods a companys computer network or website with
bogus data or requests to overwhelm it
to the point where it can no longer function or serve legitimate users.
But a DDoS attack is more than simply
shutting down a website temporarily; the
damage from these attacks can extend
far deeper into the corporate network
so that internal network operations slow
down or halt, payment transactions can
no longer be processed, and the network
architecture might be damaged.
It even can disrupt industrial control
systems such as supervisory control and
data acquisition (SCADA) and programmable logic controllers (PLCs), which

1502PG_19 19

should be of particular concern for utilities.

3. More expensive for victims. DDoS
They also can be used by sophisticated
attacks cost victims $40,000 per
hackers to facilitate more dangerous sechour (estimated average across all
ondary attacks.
U.S. industries), with an average
Utility executives must be aware
duration of six to 24 hours, accordof four ways that DDoS attacks have
ing to a recent Incapsula report.
evolved recently:
That makes the average cost of a
1. Far more powerful. DDoS attacks
single DDoS incident $500,000.
have been around two decades,
4. Increased criminalization. Past DDoS
but todays iteration of this attack is
attacks didnt generate revenue for
far worse. Previously, attacks rarely
hackers. This is no longer the case.
reached the level
Hackers increasingly
of a 1 gigabyte per
are using DDoS attack
In 2013, DDoS
second (Gbps) netcyberextortion schemes
attacks were
work traffic flood;
(46 percent of all DDoS
but today, this level
the third-most attacks, according to
is common because
Incapsula), whereby the
common
of technical changhacker demands a large
cyberattack
es in how a DDoS
ransom to stop disabling
on utilities.
attack works. Some
the companys network.
attacks are scaling
This attack would be
as high as 50 Gbps. This massive
particularly effective on utilities, as
increase in power makes it more
a disruption in consumer servicdifficult for utilities and other comes would be devastating. Hackers,
panies to block these attacks using
however, also are finding that DDoS
older methods and requires more
attacks can be highly effective at dissimulated advance testing.
tracting and overwhelming a com2. Commercialization. It used to
panys information technology (IT)
require some skill to launch a DDoS
and security teams, which enables
attack. First, you had to create a
them to launch more damaging secbotnet, i.e., a network of thouondary attacks such as customer
sands of infected computers that
data theft (33 percent) or implanting
can be controlled remotely by the
viruses and malware (50 percent).
attacker, to generate the bandwidth
needed to overwhelm a corporate
Sahba Kazerooni is managing director
of Security Compass, where he oversees
computer network. But because of
the DDoS Strike program and its advisory
the rise of rent-a-bot services in the
division for Fortune 500s. A former
dark Web, its easy for any crimisoftware developer, he is CSSLP certifed
nal, regardless of his or her level
and leads OWASPs fagship ASVS
of sophistication, to pay a nominal
project. Security Compass specializes
in cybersecurity services for the energy,
fee to rent this type of criminalized
fnance, technology and health industries.
computer network and launch an
Email sahba@securitycompass.com.
extremely powerful DDoS attack.

February 2015 | 19
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2/3/15 1:48 PM

organizations are caught off guard

All of these developments should
alarm utility executives, but the
initially when hit by a DDoS attack.
They mistakenly think the network
potential for secondary attacks is of
greatest concern. The energy industry
slowdown or outage is the result of
faces a growing level of sophistication
a software or hardware glitch, so
they waste time trying to
by those who attack
it. For instance, in
That network find the problem. Time
is critical in a DDoS
recent years, it has
slowdown
faced advanced stateattack, and early detecor outage
sponsored campaigns
tion is key. A utility must
might be a
like
BlackEnergy,
establish baseline meaDDoS
attack,
Energetic
Bear,
surements of its normal
not
just
a
Mirage and Night
network traffic now so
software or
Dragon, as well as
when its traffic suddenly
hardware
numerous ongoing
spikes, it can determine
campaigns by Chinas
quickly if this is a result
glitch.
PLA Unit 61398. The
of a DDoS incident. The
industry is not adjusting its cyberdefaster a utility can respond, the
fenses to manage these threats better.
more likely it is to save money,
A recent Ponemon Institute report
limit damage and prevent secondfound that only 28 percent of energy,
ary attacks.
utility and manufacturers say security
3. Have go-to experts. Utilities need
is a top priority, and 83 percent say
to plan for DDoS attacks that will
their company has not achieved a
surpass their in-house teams abilimature level of cybersecurity.
ties to respond effectively. Create
For the electric and gas industries to
a list of emergency contacts the
keep up with the growing cyberthreat,
company can turn to 24/7 to mitithey must:
gate the attack and control damage.
1. Establish a DDoS policy. First, elecFor example, a third-party DDoS
tric and gas utilities must establish a
mitigation service will be helpful
firm, clear and comprehensive polat rerouting traffic and scrubbing
icy that prepares the organizations
out illegitimate traffic. In addition
for a potential DDoS attack, includto having technical advisors on
ing the mitigation and recovery
standby, a utility also should know
phases. This policy should guide
the proper government, legal and
decision-making during an attack
regulatory entities it can turn to
and educate and inform employees.
for advice, recommendations and
It also should answer key questions
notification purposes.
ahead of time, such as: How will
4. Simulate the worst attacks. The
the utility maintain its normal operonly way to know if a utilitys netations during an attack? How will
work and team are prepared for
it prevent an attack from affecting
an advanced DDoS attack is by
its industrial control systems? How
running a simulated test known
will it respond to ransom requests?
as DDoS black-box testing. This
2. Avoid detection mistakes. Most
allows a company to see exactly

how its network and personnel

will perform under the stress of
a real-world attack and whether
its defense is sufficient. During a
test, a company can monitor its
systems live while working directly
with the testing team to direct the
attack as it sees fit (such as scaling
it up or down, changing what part
of the network is being attacked,
etc.). The utility then can tweak
its defenses and make it harder for
future attacks to succeed. Because
of potential risks, its important that
these tests be performed in a controlled environment by a qualified
DDoS black-box testing team.
5. Thwart secondary attacks. Because
the risk of secondary attacks is high,
utilities must ensure their personnel (particularly the executives and
IT teams) keep up their vigilance
during a DDoS attack. Examples
include: expecting social engineering attacks (e.g., email phishing)
that will seek to exploit the confusion during a DDoS crisis; keeping
a close watch on network alerts
issued by monitoring systems; and
responding quickly to any unusual
network activity.
6. Cyberinsurance. Last, utilities
should make sure DDoS incidents
are covered by their cyberinsurance plans, including costs associated with mitigation attempts,
downtime, cyber ransoms, etc.
The risks posed by DDoS attacks
have changed considerably during the
past few years and should not be overlooked by the electric and gas industry.
With the proper planning and preparation, it is possible to defend against
these attacks and limit their potential
damage.

20 | February 2015
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Conference & Exhibition

1517 July 2015

Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa

EARLY BIRD
DELEGATE DISCOUNT
SAVE AT LEAST $200
If You Register Before
17 June 2015

EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE

WORLDS FASTEST GROWING CONTINENT
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
The 2nd annual DistribuTECH conference and exhibition will provide extensive coverage of the power
needs, resources and issues facing the electricity transmission and distribution industry across subSaharan African.
Together with co-located POWER-GEN Africa, DistribuTECH Africa will bring together world leading
power equipment suppliers, operators and developers from government utilities, commercial,
manufacturing and consulting sectors as well as offcials and ministers tasked with energy policy in this
dynamic region of the world.
The three day event will feature multi-track conference sessions and an extensive combined exhibition
with leading suppliers from the International and African power sectors demonstrating their latest
technologies.

To register and obtain further information, visit www.distributechafrica.com

Owned and Produced by:

Host Utility:

Presented by:

Supported by:

Exhibition & Sponsorship

For booth bookings and
sponsorship enquiries,
please contact:
Leon Stone
Exhibition Sales, International
T: +44 (0) 1992 656 671
E: leons@pennwell.com
Andrew Evans
Exhibition Sales, Africa
T: +27 (0) 21 930 9515
E: andrewe@pennwell.com

Supporting Association:

Co-located with:

Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

1502PG_21 21

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22 | February 2015
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1502PG_22 22

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BY GEDI JOMANTAS, MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS

n 2014, U.S. government officials

from the chief of the National Security
Agency to the president warned that
the nations critical infrastructure was
potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks of
various forms. Headlines told of hackers probing the systems that control
utility infrastructure, potentially gathering massive amounts of data on pipeline
or electrical grid configurations and
performance. User authentication credentials were stolen, along with schematics and other data about the utility
networks.
The perpetrators are thought to range
from foreign state-sanctioned actors to
terrorists, criminal hackers or even curious software experts. Whatever the
motivation, utility managers have security worries that go beyond an attack on
pipelines or grids.
Utility managers know the stakes.
The challenge is to secure critical infrastructure systems that are integrated
across the operation. This integration
opens new attack vectors that must
be factored into any security strategy.
This integration across the utility operation mirrors our interconnected society.
Potential security risks are intertwined
with the community a utility provider
serves. The utility can suffer collateral
damage in an attack aimed elsewhere in
the community or can be a launching
pad in a larger attack aimed at compromising other assets in the community.
These new security concerns drive
Gedi Jomantas is director of security services
for Motorola Solutions. Jomantas is a Certifed
Information Systems Security Professional
(CISSP) and has an extensive background
in leading security framework initiatives
across mission-critical communications and
complex enterprise IT customer environments.

February 2015 | 23
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the need for a robust and holistic

approach to security that goes beyond
individual products and solutions from
any single industry. Utility managers
must consider the entire operation, its
mission and its connections to the surrounding community. Security must be
in the core DNA of the organizations
operations, the technology used and
the ongoing risk assessment and tactical
mitigation.

acquisition (SCADA) networks control

a utilitys generation and transmission
and tie together a utilitys core operations infrastructure.
In the past, these SCADA systems
operated as closed systems. They were
built for a specific purpose and isolated
from other management systems.
Now, SCADA networks are no longer
isolated. They are integrated into larger
data networks that tie together the

vulnerable to new forms of hacking,

but the expanding array of mobile
devices used by employees in their
work livessome of which they bring
from homeare vulnerable to attack, as
well. Device security features vary, and
their versatility as personal devices also
makes them likelier to bring malware
into the mission-critical workplace of
a utility. Because of the integration of
these devices with dual consumer and

THE EVOLUTION
OF INFRASTRUCTURE
Utility managers long have known
the value of technology in driving efficiencies and precision in managing
infrastructure.
Supervisory control and data

entire operation, from mobile end user

and back office to heavy machinery and
management. This integration brings
many benefits in efficiency and scale.
But integration also can present many
new attack opportunities. Not only is
information technology infrastructure

business uses, security must rely on the

practices of each user as much as it does
on firewalls and malware detection.
Utility managers also must consider
the arms race nature of security in a
digital world. Many of us probably
can list some of the known types of

24 | February 2015
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Internet-driven attacks that often make

headlines: Denial of Service, viruses,
trojans, phishing and the like. Security
strategy must guard against each of
these attacks, yet addressing each in a
vacuum is a limited approach. It risks
leaving many other areas unsecured
while time, money and management
attention focuses on countering a singular attack vector.
Todays
security
environment
requires holistic thinking. Utility managers should be comfortable managing
security risks within a framework that
controls known issues and prepares
to mitigate unknown risks in a rapidly
evolving environment.
5 STEPS TOWARD A HOLISTIC
SECURITY SOLUTION
A holistic approach to security
does not begin with products to buy,
software to install or fences to build. A
holistic approach follows a process of
threat and risk analysis, business and
operational impact assessment, efficient
and cost-effective corrective action, and
vigilance and ongoing monitoring. The
process is aided by the selection of a
trusted advisor who can guide utilities
through all of these steps and into the
future.
1. Analysis and assessment. Your
risks are unique to your operation,
infrastructure, the community you
serve and mission. Assessment
must look at the end-to-end operation within the overall context
of the operation in the community. This assessment step can be
as in-depth as utility managers
deem necessary. It can range from
a schematic exercise that maps
potential risks in the abstract to a
full-blown simulation to evaluate

vulnerabilities through test probes

and intrusion detection.
2. Impact. This phase answers questions such as: Are your operations vulnerable
as a single large
unit or can certain
services or functions be isolated
when problems
arise to preserve
operations
at
some level? What
is the likelihood
of an adverse
events occurring?
What is the likely impact on the
community? What are the business
continuity implications? These
questions create a framework for
establishing priorities, developing
procedures and allocating funds
where necessary for prioritized
mitigation.
3. Corrective action. Risks should
be addressed in a systematic plan.
Technical holes might require that
new products or technologies are
deployed. Other vulnerabilities
might require new training programs or changes in policies and
procedures, such as new rules for
workers bringing devices from
home. This step also must address
issues of business continuity and
procedures for business recovery.
Perhaps certain assets should be
mirrored in different locations or
some key assets located in different sites to avoid cascade effects.
In this step, compliance processes
also can be developed to ensure
corrective actions are maintained
beyond initial implementation.

4. Vigilance. Utility managers must

instill a security mindset that permeates a utilitys entire operation.
Risk assessment must become
ongoing, with deep
end-to-end reviews
performed regularly.
Securing infrastructure is never finished;
in the same way management strives constantly for greater efficiency, leaders always
must work to improve
security. Cost-effective
processes must be
developed to spread
this mindset throughout the operation.
5. Trusted advisor. If all this were
easy, anyone could do it. Security
can seem daunting, but utility managers need not be security
experts. They need trusted advisors who counsel them the same
way they need engineers, lawyers
and accountants in other aspects
of the business. A trusted advisor
must bring more than technical
knowledge. The holistic approach
requires an advisor who can look
at the entire operation, its mission
and its links in the community to
create a security ecosystem where
all the parts work together to build
a secure whole.

A holistic
approach to
security does
not begin with
products to
buy, software
to install or
fences to
build.

Security is complex with many

dimensions. A seemingly innocuous
action can lead to a breach that has a
cascading impact. In an interconnected
world, utility managers must take a
holistic approach to security planning
to guard against new threats in our
world.

February 2015 | 25
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The Evolution of
Switchgear Dielectric
Technology
BY KARLA TROST, G&W ELECTRIC

witchgear has been used since the

birth of electric power in the 19th
century, and the technology used in
that switchgear has progressed steadily
over the years with no signs of stopping. And just as what was used in the

days of Thomas Edison looks quaint

and primitive (not to mention dangerous) to us now, the technology used
even a few years ago rapidly is becoming outmoded (even in an industry
where product life cycles are measured

in decades). The years have seen steady

progress in safety, reliability, smaller
size and, increasingly, environmental
friendliness.
The first switching units used air as
the dielectricand many still dobut
as voltages increased, this became less
practical. Larger clearances made the
Karla Trost is product manager at G&W
Electric. Reach her at ktrost@gwelec.com.

26 | February 2015
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An early model SF6-insulated switch.

sight, the underground vaults are subject to immersion by

rain and flooding, and they are limited in size. Unlike the
earlier air equipment, the oil units were sealed and could
withstand wet environments better; they also could be made
dead-front, which was an important safety factor, especially
in the cramped confines of a manhole or underground vault
where it is impossible to provide sufficient clearance for safe
use of live-front equipment.
Oil is a good dielectric material and can withstand much
greater voltages than air, but over the years, its limitations
became obvious: oil is toxic, and some types of oil are flammable. In addition, oil can leak, which creates a mess to
clean up, an environmental problem and risk of equipment
failure. These issues have led the industry to seek alternative
technologies.
The next step seemingly went in two directions at once:
vacuum-insulated and gas-insulated switchgear. Both technologies were aimed at quenching an arc as rapidly as possible in the
smallest space possible.
Vacuum switches and breakers open the circuit in a vacuum
chamber, which does not permit the development of ionized

Automation begins
with Power Meters

switches bulky, and the dielectric could be compromised

by water intrusion. By the 1920s, oil disconnect units
appeared in both vault and overhead applications. Oil
made it possible to greatly reduce the size of the switchgear
compared with the previous air-insulated equipment. Oil
also made it possible to switch increasing system voltages.
While rural areas and suburbs usedand still use
overhead distribution, cities soon put their electrical distribution equipment underground. Power from Thomas
Edisons Pearl Street station in New York City was distributed by underground conduits, although much transmission from competing services was via overhead lines. In
New York and other cities, all power distribution eventually was put underground, despite the greater installation
cost. Although this approach keeps the equipment out of

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gas that can sustain an arc past the first

zero-crossing of the power waveform.
The first commercial vacuum switches
and breakers appeared in the 1970s,
and vacuum breakers are used widely
today, including as part of installations
that use other technology.
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) first was
used as a switching dielectric in 1953,
and in 1956, puffer technology (in
which a blast of SF6 under pressure is
used to blow out the arc when a circuit
opens) was introduced.
SF6 is a heavy, chemically inert gas
that has a dielectric strength similar
to that of oil and has much more arcquenching ability than air, and, as with
oil, the switches can be made deadfront. SF6 switches are lightweight and
can be mounted in any attitude. All
critical contact components are totally
protected from the environment within
a sealed, SF6 insulated tank.
SF6 became readily available and
began to be used for high-voltage circuit breakers and gas-insulated substation (GIS) transmission lines in the
mid-1960s.
Like oil, SF6 has some disadvantages.
For one, the gas can leak, so equipment must be checked periodically. The
biggest drawback is that SF6 gas is a
potent greenhouse gas.
SF6 is coming under increasing
restrictions. In 1999, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the electric power industry entered into the
SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership
for Electric Power Systems, a collaborative effort to identify and implement
cost-effective solutions to reduce SF6
emissions. Eighty-four utilities participate in the program. The EPA reports
that the partnerships SF6 emission rate
had dropped from 14 percent in 1999

G&W Electrics Trident SafeVu is a solid dielectric

switch that offers an internal visible break.

to 2.2 percent in 2012. In 2009, the

agency mandated new greenhouse gas
reporting and labeling requirements
that included SF6, and there is some
belief that more EPA regulations are on
the way.
In 2010 California instituted regulations designed to achieve a 70 percent
reduction of SF6 emissions in electrical
utility applications by 2020. The EU also
is exploring increased regulations, with
specific requirements for certification of
personnel performing SF6 recovery operations and their training and certification,
reporting and labeling.
The U.S. regulations do not apply
to users with amounts of SF6 below

the reportable
threshold, but for
utilities, it brings
a whole set of
requirements
for reporting to
the EPA. When
decommissioning switchgear,
the gas must
be pumped out
and saved using
gas reclamation
equipment. Even
small users such
as municipalities,
university campuses and smaller are beginning to question
whether there is
a better alternative, especially if
they want a reputation for environmental friendliness. There is also a
strong possibility that EPA regulations
might change to cover these smaller
users, as well.
New technology is needed. In
response, the industry has introduced
switchgear made with solid dielectric
materials. Some of these designs use
vacuum bottles encapsulated in highdielectric epoxy. The vacuum efficiently
extinguishes the electrical arcs, and the
epoxy provides insulation and allows
for a compact design. In addition, a
semiconductive outer layer provides
electrical shielding and grounding for a
dead-front design.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

28 | February 2015
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1502PG_28 28

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FOCUSED ON
THE FUTURE
SAVE THE DATE

FEBRUARY 911, 2016 + DISTRIBUTECH.COM

ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER + ORLANDO, FL
Owned & Produced By:

Official Publication of DistribuTECH:

Co-Located Events:

#DTECH2016
Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

1502PG_29 29

2/3/15 1:48 PM

BY ANA AMICARELLA, AGGREKO AMERICAS POWER PROJECTS

Weathering the Winter

Temporary Power Solutions Stabilize
Utility Grid During Extreme Cold

n North America, extreme winter weather conditions such as the polar vortex
have become more common over the
past few years, placing aging power infrastructure and equipment under additional
duress. Electrical equipment, assets and
systems are deteriorating, rendering them
unable to perform as needed. Such failures
cause interruptions in service to utility
customers, requiring expensive emergency
repairs and system restoration work, and
invoke life-threatening scenarios when
unplanned events such as severe winter
storms occur.
Many utilities are turning to multimegawatt temporary power providersthose
with 20 MW to hundreds of megawatts
to plan for additional power support needs
and ensure continuous service to customers and communities during the peak
winter season. Utilities, however, must
take an important first step to properly
evaluate temporary power providers based
on key criteria such as their proven ability
to respond effectively, provide the right
equipment, maintain and monitor performance in harsh winter climates before
issues occur, and adhere to the strictest
international safety protocols and procedures to mitigate risk during installations
and operations.
GETTING THERE QUICKLY
When winter storms strike, a power
provider with extensive experience in the
deployment of equipment at short notice
can significantly minimize downtime and
prevent costly outages.

A good benchmark is to look at temporary power providers with solid track

records for deploying multimegawatt utility-scale power solutions during natural
disasters. Beware of providers whose experience is limited to powering events, commercial or industrial facilities because they
might lack the nimble-thinking required
for unexpected weather events.
Providers who incorporate a modular
plug and play approach to their engineering solutions, where equipment is packed
into containers, shipped and assembled
with minimal civil work, are best able to
address fast turn-around demands without
sacrificing quality. When time is critical,
as during extreme weather conditions, a
multimegawatt power provider with an
extensive fleet of equipment and technicians and that can deploy quickly and
safely can make a critical difference.
EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE
Not all grids are created equal. The only
way to ensure efficiency with a temporary

power provider is to select one with the

ability to connect into virtually any voltage on the grid, whether in remote areas
or major metropolises. Variables such as
altitude, temperature and humidity can
affect the equipments performance, so
its important to choose a provider with
winterized equipment that can withstand cold climates in varying locations.
Further, temporary power providers
with their own technicians know how
to operate the power generation equipment to its required level of needed
support and have the training and
expertise to perform installations safely. This capability also delivers time
Ana Amicarella is managing director for
Aggrekos Americas Power Projects division of
more than 700 people across North, Central,
South America,the Caribbean and the military.
She has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical
Engineering from The Ohio State University
and an MBA from Oakland University. In 1984,
she competed in the Los Angeles Olympics
as a synchronized swimmer.

30 | February 2015
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and cost efficiencies to utilities vs. hiring separate technicians to install and
maintain equipment with which they
are unfamiliar. Its best to partner with
power providers who provide 24/7
maintenance support to ensure reliable
operations, such as remote monitoring capabilities used to diagnose and
address low fuel levels or performance
issues before they become a problem.
PROVEN SAFETY CULTURE
A temporary power provider should
have a solid safety program to ensure the
well-being of all on-site personnel. Does
the power provider practice safety or
just talk about safety? Is it International
Organization for Standardization
and Occupational Safety and Health
Administration certified? Does its crews

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 :

have Stop Work Authority? Does it hold

subcontractors accountable to the same
safety rules that its own crew follows
while on-site? Are its employees properly rested when working in extreme
weather conditions? Beware of providers who cannot produce their most current safety performance statistics.
Extreme seasonal demands pose significant challenges for utilities. There
can be no compromises when selecting
a temporary power provider. Select
a partner that can answer the tough
questions about turnaround times,
safe installation, large-scale power and
equipment performance and maintenance support. When the storm hits
and takes its toll on the grid, you will
want the most effective partners for
temporary power support.

The Evolution of Switchgear Dielectric Technology

Switchgear made with a solid dielectric media has numerous advantages.

Unlike SF6 designs, there are no environmental concerns or EPA reporting
requirements. Unlike oil designs, they
are submersible without the risk of
leakage. The switchgear is more compact, which is especially valuable in
crowded vaults.
One limitation of the solid dielectric
and vacuum technology combination
is that both components are opaque.
With an oil switch or an SF6 switch,
it is simple to include a small window
for viewing the contacts; not so when
everything is enclosed in solid epoxy.
And with vacuum bottles, regardless of
the insulating mediumair, oil, SF6 or
solid dielectricit is impossible to see
the contacts inside the vacuum bottle.
Anyone climbing into an underground

vault the size of a large closet to work

on electrical equipment wants absolute
assurance that that equipment is deenergized. A cabinet can have visible
flags, and a worker can see the position
of an operating handle but cannot be
absolutely sure everything is de-energized without some way of actually seeing the open contacts. The usual way
of getting that assurance is to pull an
elbow or use a separate device to create
a visible break, but that requires extra
work and perhaps extra equipment in
an already tight space. And pulling an
elbow in a vault with loose water can
create its own problems.
To solve that problem, G&W Electric
introduced the first switches with visible break technology in March 2012.
This device combines an internal visible
break feature within the solid dielectric

insulation with no liquids of any kind

that can leak or become contaminated.
The design incorporates blade-type
switching contacts in series with vacuum interrupters to provide the visible
break. The visible break contacts are
easily seen through large viewing windows and eliminate the need to remove
elbows or use cumbersome linkage systems to provide the visible open. The
device is lightweight, compact and fully
submersible.
SF6 equipment remains popular, and
many users are comfortable with it. But
as the range of available solid dielectric
equipment increases and as the hassle
of handling an increasingly regulated
gas becomes more of a burden, we can
expect more users to take a closer look
at solid dielectric technology and the
safety and convenience it provides.

February 2015 | 31
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BY PAUL HULL, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, UTILITY PRODUCTS

Attention!

All Eyes on Utility Fleets

T

here are dozensprobably hundredsof products, services and

gems of good advice for the best fleet
management. The fleet, whether its three
or 3,000 vehicles, must be ready and
in top condition and is the easiest to
blame if anything goes wrong. I find utility fleet managers to be the most efficient
and practical of all. Despite all the new
technologies and products to make the
fleet better, one component changes frequently: the operators or drivers. Over the
years, many people have told me that the
only problem in management is people.
We all make mistakes, and we all can do
good work, whether we are upper management, middle management or just
employees. A vehicle, for example, can

have all the latest gadgets and devices to

make it fuel-efficient and roadworthy, but
the greatest influence on performance can
be the driver. It might be his or her expertise, attitude or commitment to the job.
Drivers of utility vehicles are seldom
simply drivers. They must drive the vehicle (such as an aerial lift truck) safely to
its work site, and then they must become
experts in the service of utility equipment.
They have two professions: skilled driver
and skilled technician. A truck driver who
hauls sand and gravel, a van driver who
delivers office supplies, and a driver who
delivers gasoline to the local gas station are
basically drivers. A utility vehicle driver
often is more than a delivery person. He
or she drives the vehicle according to a

strict schedule and then becomes another

professional at the job sites. With fleet
management, drivers are responsible for
prompt service to customers in the timeliness of their arrival at job site and their
efficiency in making repairs or changes.
Drivers or operators should meet their
utilities expectations for conduct and service, and they should be treated as the
most visible and dependable employees.
Safety is the No. 1 priority for utility
personnel. Many training programs are
designed to improve driver and equipment safety, but modern and useful technologies such as cell phones and GPS have
introduced menaces. These tools also can
become distractions. Driving is a full-time
occupation and responsibility. As drivers

32 | February 2015
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get distracted, driving seems to lose its

importance. Included in all safety programs for drivers and operators should be
advice about the dangers of distractions,
especially if they are entertaining.
PARTS THAT MAKE THE
WHOLE SYSTEM PERFECT
Probably because the fleet is the most
obvious utility asset, it also is considered an area to cut costs make changes.
Concentrating now on the equipment
rather the people who run it, consider
fleet management aspects that might be
neglected most. This doesnt happen
through incompetence in fleet managers but probably through paper errors.
Its easy to delay truck maintenance a
week or two on paper, but technicians
in the field or workshop see the effects.
If the manufacturer recommends a certain schedule for routine tasks in vehicle performance, follow it.
Excellence in fleet maintenance
depends on data about a vehicles habits
and performance. These data are readily available through several software
programs. The data include the driving
habits of the driver, the condition of
many components, and the advisability
of particular maintenance, which may
vary by vehicle. Because programs do all
this recording, it can be easy to ignore
the daily comments of drivers and operators. But these people know when something does not work perfectlyeven
if the manual says there should be no
problems for another 61 days.
Some utilities outsource their maintenance. Im not sure if this will increase
or decrease because much depends on
the availability of skilled workers.
Much fleet management success
depends on having the right information about all vehicles in a fleet. Again,
programs can achieve this, or utility

employees can perform the checking

and recording. Data about vehicle conditions and service needs can be accurate, but they must be read and acted
on to be of use. You cannot assume that
something commissioned is done correctly. The vehicles
will need fuel and
maintenance; providing them is not
automatic.
Im reminded of
that much-touted
and glorified German
marshal in Africa,
Erwin Rommel. He
liked to make dashing, punitive stabs
at his enemies tanks
and was successful
until he discovered
that the basis he was relying on for
his success had failed. Supplies and
maintenance for his tanks didnt arrive
in time. He blamed the Italian navy as
poor suppliers, which was wrong. It
was simply that roaring Rommel didnt
understand or appreciate organizing
supplies and maintenance efficiently for
his fleet. It was a facet of military work
that was taken for granted. His conduct
should remind fleet managers that no
detail is too small, no procedure too
automatic to be evaluated.
THE COST AND
EFFICIENCY CHALLENGE
At the end of last year when fuel
prices took a nosedive, many top utility executives saw the change as an
undisputed way to save money (and
fleet managers had better know that,
too). Fuel plays a huge role in doing
business. There is, however, a limit to
the extent of savings a fleet manager can

achieve when fuel goes down in price.

Most fleets in all areas of commerce are
told to run on the basis of more productivity with less cost. Fleet managers
learn to manipulate many variables,
including fuel cost,
in budgeting and
forecasting. Not all
the needs can be
forecast accurately,
however. Weve all
seen where a product may perform
worse or better
than its manufacturer forecast. Some
engine components
can surprise us with
the longevity of
their good service;
components elsewhere on a vehicle
can infuriate us when they do not last as
promised. Much of forecasting anything
is little more than intelligent guesswork.
One common suggestion is to purchase vehicles that use less fuel. But
thats neither the only way nor always
the most popular way to save money.
More fuel-efficient vehicles tend to be
smaller, and those are not always popular with drivers and operators because
smaller size limits what a vehicle can do
and where essential equipment may be
stored. Another way, possibly as beneficial as smaller vehicles, is to eliminate
idle time, or wasted time, when the
engine is running but nothing else is.
Many suggestions exist for controlling fleet cost. Remember, the drivers
are most important. Their conduct is
critical to success. Their habits cause
ups and downs in fleet costs. Their
safety and efficiencyboth en route
and at their destinationsis vital to
good business.

February 2015 | 33
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1502PG_33 33

2/3/15 1:48 PM

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(AMA) managed solution combines

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the power of the intuitive Beacon

of conductors and saves capital investments by delay-

AMA hosted software suite with proven Orion Advanced

ing future renewal of pylon infrastructure. The prod-

Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology using a com-

ucts combination of additives and base fluids delivers

bination of fixed and cellular endpoints to give utilities

extreme thermal stability. It exhibits exceptionally low

greater control, more information and enhanced custom-

oil bleed characteristics and unrivalled drop point,

er service. The software suite also includes EyeOnWater,

ensuring that migration from the conductor is prevent-

a consumer portal and smartphone/tablet app that

ed. Features and benefits include: absolute minimal oil

gives end users the opportunity to see how their water

bleed at operational line and post fault temperature;

is actually being used. Since its launch at last years

and optimum levels of anti-corrosion performance to

DistribuTECH, Beacon AMA has been well-received in

ensure complete protection of the conductor in all

the market and has helped utilities across the country

environments, particularly: salt and extreme weather

monitor and collect real-time decision-making informa-

conditions; areas of high industrial pollution; and

tion to better manage their operations.

extreme environmental conditions.

Badger Meter

Metalube

GO TO WWW.PGI.HOTIMS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

GO TO WWW.PGI.HOTIMS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

34 | February 2015
www.power-grid.com

1502PG_34 34

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AUGUST 18-20, 2015

GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION
COLUMBUS, OHIO
CENTER
power-gennaturalgas.com

EXHIBIT AND SPONSORSHIP

OPPORTUNITIES NOW AVAILABLE!
POWER-GEN Natural Gas, a new conference
by Power Engineering and Oil & Gas Journal in
conjunction with POWER-GEN, ofers vendors,
suppliers and operators the opportunity to get
their equipment and services before a distinct
audience of key decision-makers in the power
and natural gas sectors.
Reserve your space today for the best available
position. Sales are strong and growing, so book
your space today!
For info on exhibiting, visit
power-gennaturalgas.com/exhibit.
For info on sponsorship opportunities, visit
power-gennaturalgas.com/sponsor.

PRESENTED BY:

OWNED & PRODUCED BY:

Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

1502PG_35 35

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DistribuTECH 2016: The industrys most

comprehensive conference on automation, smart grid
and T&D engineering. Feb. 9-11, 2016, Orlando.
918.832.9265 www.distributech.com

APRIL

FEBRUARY

CALENDAR
23-26

ADVERTISER .............................. PG#

TechAdvantage
Conference & Expo

ACLARA ................................3

www.techadvantage.org
Orlando, Florida

27 MAY 1

CS Week Conference 39
www.csweek.org
Charlotte, North Carolina

M AY

5 8

UTC Telecom &

Technology 2015

DISTRIBUTECH 2016 .........29

DISTRIBUTECH ..................21
AFRICA 2015
ELECTRO INDUSTRIES/ ....27
GAUGETECH

www.utctelecom.org
Atlanta

ENOSERV ...........................11

14 16

G&W ELECTRIC ................ C3

COMPANY

DistribuTECH India
www.indiapowerevents.com
Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
18 21

AWEA Windpower
Conference & Exhibition
www.windpowerexpo.org
Orlando, Florida

7 10
JUNE

CHRISTIE DIGITAL ...............1

SYSTEMS

HUBBELL POWER............. C2
SYSTEMS INC
ITRON ...................................5
LEIDOS .................................9
LIVEWIRE INNOVATION ...13

EEI Annual Convention

www.eei.org
New Orleans

POWERGEN .......................35
NATURAL GAS 2015

15 18

CIRED
www.cired2015.org
Lyon, France

J U LY

15 17

DistribuTECH Africa
www.distributechafrica.com
Cape Town, Republic of South
Africa

SENSUS USA ................. 7, C4

1421 S. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, OK 74112

P.O. Box 1260 : Tulsa, OK 74101
918.835.3161, fax 918.831.9834
www.pennwell.com
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, NORTH AMERICAN
POWER GENERATION GROUP
Richard Baker
918.831.9187 richardb@pennwell.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER
Daniel Greene
918.831.9401 danielg@pennwell.com
ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER
Glenda Van Duyne
918.831.9473 glendav@pennwell.com
EASTERN, WESTERN,
INTERNATIONAL SALES MANAGER
Tom Leibrandt
918.831.9184 fax 918.831.9834 toml@pennwell.com
WEST COAST SALES MANAGER
Monica Hughes
918.831.9884 fax 918.831.9834 monicah@pennwell.com
CHINA & HONG KONG SALES MANAGER
Adonis Mak
ACT International
Unit B, 13/F, Por Yen Building
478 Castle Peak Road, Cheung Sha Wan
Kowloon, Hong Kong
+86.138.252.678.23 fax +852.2.838.2766
adonism@actintl.com.hk
ISRAEL SALES MANAGER
Daniel Aronovic
Margola Ltd.
1/1 Rashi Street, Raanana 43214 Israel
phone/fax +972.9.899 5813
aronovic@actcom.co.il
SENIOR DISTRIBUTECH EXHIBIT
& SPONSORSHIP SALES MANAGER
Sandy Norris
918.831.9115 fax 918.831.9834
sandyn@pennwell.com
DISTRIBUTECH EXHIBIT &
SPONSORSHIP SALES MANAGER
Melissa Ward
918.831.9116 fax 918.831.9834
mward@pennwell.com
REPRINTS
Rhonda Brown
219.878.6094 fax 219.561.2023
rhondab@fosterprinting.com

36 | February 2015
www.power-grid.com

1502PG_36 36

2/3/15 1:48 PM

When it comes to operator safety...

Seeing is believing

G&Ws Trident with SafeVu

the rst solid dielectric multi-way switch with integral visible break.
Lowest Total Lifecycle Cost using no oil or
gas for a maintenance-free design
Deadfront Design provides increased arc
ash protection

Two-way Trident with SafeVu

installed in a submersible vault

Streamlined Safety Practices by eliminating the

need for elbow removal or external grounding
Submersible / Weatherproof for use in the
harshest environments

Visible Break in
Closed position

Visible Break in
Open position

For more information visit gwelec.com/trident.html

Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

1502PG_C3 3

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Air monitor.
Sound detector.
Heat tracker.
Wind gauge.
Light sensor.
Energy saver.
Crime ghter.
That also happens to be
a streetlight.
The Sensus VantagePoint Lighting Solution can be all of that and more.
It leverages the Sensus FlexNet communication network to enable a
powerful platform that transforms a passive streetlight into a critical hub
for a host of smart city applications. Sensus also provides the software
to not only monitor and control lighting, but also give you better insight.
That way you can optimize system performance and be more efcient
with your operations. So, as you can see, the future is not only bright,
its limitless.

Nothings out of reach.

To learn more, visit sensus.com/VantagePoint

Go to www.pgi.hotims.com for more information.

1502PG_C4 4

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