ALLENTOWN, Pa., Oct. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PPL Electric
Utilities has received the 2019 Achievement Award from the
Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC) for its
groundbreaking, innovative technology that safely and automatically
cuts power to downed power lines.
The award was presented Friday (10/11) at AEIC's annual
meeting.
"Downed power lines may ultimately be unavoidable for an
electric utility, but PPL has developed and is implementing this
innovative technology to substantially cut the odds that such an
event will have tragic results for its employees and the public,"
said PPL Electric Utilities President Greg
Dudkin. "Nothing is more important than safety."
During a windstorm in late February
2019, PPL recorded the first successful operation of the new
system, powering off a line that came down in a remote, wooded
area. By the end of this year, PPL expects to have the new
technology in place in about 1,500 locations across its service
territory, wherever protective relays are involved.
Police officers, firefighters and other first responders can
often be the first to encounter downed lines after motor vehicle
accidents or during storms. PPL's new tool will greatly enhance the
safety operations of the power grid, keeping those people and PPL
line workers safer.
"This really is a game changer," Dudkin said. "Without being
able to detect a downed wire and quickly de-energize it,
danger still exists. We're extremely proud to have successfully
implemented this system and of all those involved in its
development."
PPL was able to build upon Schweitzer Electric Laboratories
ArcSense™ downed wire detection technology already on its system.
PPL engineers developed an algorithm that worked with ArcSense to
safely and automatically cut power to that downed wire. PPL is
currently patenting the automatic power-cutting technology.
The AEIC Achievement Awards are presented annually to an
individual or groups of individuals from AEIC member companies who
have clearly provided significant contributions to advancing the
operations of the electric energy industry.
PPL Electric Utilities provides electric delivery service to
more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in Pennsylvania and ranks among the best utility
companies in the country for customer service and reliability. PPL
Electric Utilities is a major employer in the communities it
serves. It is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL). For more
information, visit www.pplelectric.com.
Note to Editors: Visit our media website at
www.pplnewsroom.com.
Contacts: For news media: Joe
Nixon, 610-774-5997, jcnixonjr@pplweb.com
PPL Electric Utilities
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SOURCE PPL Electric Utilities