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Dominion Energy Installs Its First Composite Poles

After an in-depth review of pole materials, the utility installed 30 composite poles in Virginia Beach and looks ahead to more installations.

For engineers at electric utilities, the pressure is on to design a super-resilient power grid that can handle numerous competing demands without tanking the bottom line. It is a tough task.

Broadening the material choice of their poles has helped Dominion Energy to be more sustainable and deliver on its promise of reliable, on-time electric service. The utility has begun integrating composite utility poles into its power grid. Initial installations have already yielded a smoother supply chain, an even safer, more straightforward installation, and the resilience to keep the lights on, no matter what nature has thrown at them.

The Challenge

The top priority for overhead application engineers and other similar roles is ensuring structures will be resilient, reliable and up to code. But the job also involves many other considerations, like total cost, worker safety, supply chain, transportation costs and more. And unlike other industries, the impact of failure is extreme. Utilities must keep the lights on, as they have a responsibility to every person on their system.

Weather and soil conditions in Dominion’s Virginia to North Carolina territory in particular make this challenging. Many areas along the Atlantic Coast are highly salt-contaminated and experience high temperatures and sun exposure. This can desiccate wood poles, weakening them and increasing the likelihood they will wriggle out of the sandy soil during extreme weather, causing lines to fall.

Because of this, and with intense weather events increasing in frequency and load demands rising, Dominion has spent a lot of time in the last few years on grid resiliency. This focus included voluntarily increasing its minimum ANSI Class standards in 2020. For example, a 40-ft (12-m) pole used to require a standard of Class 4. Now, a minimum standard of Class 3 is required for a 40-ft pole. Factoring in the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) calculations for extreme ice and wind, Dominion found it was installing far more Class 1 poles than in the previous decade.

Continue reading at T&D World

For more utility related reading, check out the potential impact of the Supreme Court’s Chevron decision, TerraPower’s new reactor construction, and the demand for AI potentially driving more generation investment.

All the best tools & Equipment Linemen need every day

At Tallman Equipment, our priority is to set the standard in the electrical transmission and distribution industry with an all-inclusive approach to serving our customers. We carry the best lineman tools and equipment from many of the top manufacturers in the business today. Our vision to deliver a trio of quality, convenience, and reliability is driven by listening and adapting to our customers’ needs. We work with our clients to ensure they find the right lineman tools and equipment for the job. For more information on any of the products we sell, give us a call today at 877-860-5666.

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Tool & Equipment Rental

When new equipment purchases aren’t an option, Tallman Equipment’s tool rental department is here to meet your shorter-term needs! We house a large inventory of the most commonly used equipment for the construction and maintenance of electrical transmission and distribution systems.

Tool & Equipment Repair

We consider no tool to be outside the experience and training of our technicians. Some examples of commonly repaired tools include hydraulic, pneumatic, gas, and battery-powered equipment, stringing blocks, dynamometers, chain hoists, strap hoists, capstan hoists, and rope products.

Grounds & Jumpers
Manufacturing, repair and refurbishment 

Tallman Equipment has a full-service assembly department skilled in building and repairing custom grounds and jumpers. We can build customized grounds and jumpers to your specifications as quickly as a day. Our testing process meets ASTM standards

Transformer Sling

Manufaturing & Rope Repair

Tallman leads the industry in developing and manufacturing transformer slings. Whatever your need may be, our trained and certified Master Splicer can build custom rope assemblies for unique applications, along with winch lines for buckets, diggers, bumper winches, and high strength tow ropes.

Fiberglass

Testing, Repair & Refinishing

Tallman offers complete repair and reconditioning of your fiberglass tools compliant with OSHA and ASTM standards. Our technicians can tackle all brands of hot sticks, conductor and support gins, ladders, extension arms, shotgun sticks, fixed sticks, and much more.

Rubber Goods
Cleaning & Testing 

Tallman is now offering rubber goods testing and cleaning of linemen’s rubber gloves, blankets, sleeves, hoods, line hose, and hardcover. All testing and procedures conform to ASTM standards and involve thorough washing, visual inspection, dielectric testing, and date stamping.