Best Practices for Wood Utility Poles

Always in plain view, but not always noticed, wood utility poles have been the backbone of the electric distribution system since the mid-19th century with the installation of the telegraph system. Today, with new technology, new standards, and new materials, it is getting increasingly difficult for utilities to determine what is best for not only their utility, but most importantly, their customers.

In this conference, attendees will be able to hear from industry experts on a range of topics all focused on the wood utility pole. The conference is broken down into four fundamental sessions; specifications, maintenance, environmental, and safety, reliability, and resiliency. Starting with an update on ANSI and NESC standards, the conference provides presentations on the entire life of a wood pole, ranging from how a pole is made, all the way to pole disposal. With a combination of technical presentations and case studies, this conference is intended to provide attendees with an unbiased look at what the future holds for wood utility poles and how to manage their current systems.

Learning Outcomes

• Discuss the various disposal practices in use today
• Define the NESC strength requirements
• Define ANSI O5.1 updates
• Review the new standards on pole attachments
• Discuss how to improve distribution circuits lightning performance
• Describe how to prepare for a disaster
• Identify pole inspection methods
• Recognize the future challenges of wood pole disposal

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for this conference and 0.4 CEUs for the workshop.

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference.

Instructional Methods

Case Studies
Power Point presentations

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. :: Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. :: Welcome and Opening Remarks

Kevin Ragon, Executive Director, Southern Pressure Treaters’ Association

Session I: Specifications

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. :: ANSI O5.1 and National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) Review and Updates

ANSI O5.1 New Pole Specifications and Update

This standard is a material specification that establishes quality and strength criteria for wood poles. This session will include an overview of the main sections of the standard and explain upcoming changes in a 2017 edition.

Determining Strength Requirements for Unguyed Distribution Poles – NESC

The National Electrical Safety Code establishes the safety requirements for overhead lines and provides the wind, ice and safety factors for wood and other structures.

Nelson Bingel, Chairman of NESC and Chairman of the ASC O5 Committee, Vice President-Product Strategy, Osmose Utilities Services, Inc.

9:45 – 10:15 a.m. :: Pole Attachments: Understanding New FCC Regulations and Industry Trends

In late 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an Order on Reconsideration modifying pole attachment rental rates to bring parity to telecommunications carrier attachers and cable company attachers. The new formula went into effect on March 4, 2016. This FCC Order, combined with recent fiber deployments, one-touch make-ready policies and presidential election proposals, are placing increasing pressure on electric utilities to ensure their agreements with existing attachers are up to date, and to know, understand and effectively administer the provisions of those agreements.  We will review these industry changes and their impact on electric utilities.

Sean Knowles, Vice President, Business Development, McLean Engineering

10:15 – 10:45 a.m. :: Networking Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. :: CPS Energy’s Experience with Google Fiber and the One-Touch Make-Ready Process

• Background: Pole Attachment Contract and Standards Development
• Contracting Process: Developing a Relationship & Building Trust
• Implementation of Pole Attachment Standards: Getting Attacher Buy-In
• Standards in Action: Google Fiber Construction Roll-Out
• Moving Forward: Permitting Process
• Moving Forward: One-Touch Make-Ready Process for Simple Transfers

Brian Bartos, Manager, Pole Attachment Services, CPS Energy

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. :: Group Luncheon

1:00 – 1:45 p.m. :: Wood Pole Manufacturing and Perceptions

Discuss how wood poles are made, treated and used in North America. Review of the preservative treatment process, the preservatives used for utility poles today, the treating practices used today and the expected service life of wood poles.

Butch Bernhardt, Sr. Program Manager, Western Wood Preservers Institute

1:45 – 2:30 p.m. :: Understanding Basic Insulation Level (BIL)  for Wood Structures: Increase BIL to Improve Distribution Circuits Lightning Performance

From the onset of the electrical distribution system, the purpose of a pole, crossarm, and insulator was to keep the high voltage conductor safely away from the public. Therefore, most legacy construction practices and many current standards have unintentionally built a system that cannot withstand a low to moderate lightning event.  High BIL (300kV and higher) distribution systems can be built to withstand all but the most powerful lightning events.  The intent of this presentation is to show that lightning related outages can be minimized by simply increasing the BIL of the distribution system.

J. David Taylor, Staff Engineer- Asset Management Group, Entergy Corporation

2:30 – 3:00 p.m. :: Networking Break

Session II: Safety, Reliability & Resiliency

3:00 – 3:45 p.m. :: Disaster Planning

Ensure when disaster strikes your utility, your utility is not a disaster.  An overview of items to consider when preparing for major storm events.

Carlton Penney, Director of Manufacturing, Texas Electric Cooperatives

3:45 – 5:00 p.m. :: Underground/Overhead Distribution Lines- Anaheim’s Underground Conversion Program

Overview of Anaheim Public Utilities’ on-going program and implementation strategies to underground overhead electric, phone, cable TV and internet service provider lines. Over the past 26 years since the program inception, 119 miles have been undergrounded.

Fred Barvarz, PE, Transmission and Distribution Manager, City of Anaheim Public Utilities Department

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

7:30 – 8:00 a.m. :: Continental Breakfast

Session III: Maintenance

8:00 – 8:45 a.m. :: Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Pole Inspections

UAVs are a technology that has created a lot of interest for utilities. With over 40% of the nation’s distribution lines and average density of just over 7 customers/mile, cooperatives have a keen interest the use of UAVs for line inspection and patrol. Learn about some of the ideas being tried and where things may be heading.

Robert Harris, PE, Principal Engineer, Transmission and Distribution, NRECA

8:45 – 9:30 a.m. :: In-service Wood Pole Inspection & Maintenance

Inspection of wood poles monitors their condition while supplemental preservatives extend pole life. Traditional inspection methods will be explained along with details about a variety of newer potential inspection tools. The function of different types of preservatives will also be explained.

Tom Pope, Product Manager, Osmose Utilities Services, Inc.

9:30 – 10:15 a.m. :: Entergy’s 2016 Full Excavation Pole Inspection Pilot Results

Entergy has traditionally preformed sound and bore inspections on wood poles with an average 15-year cycle on approximately 2.8 million poles.  In 2016, a full excavation pilot program was preformed and the results will be discussed.

Chris Warren, Engineer-Distribution Asset Management Group, Entergy Corporation

10:15 – 10:30 a.m. :: Networking Break

Session IV: Environmental

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. :: Pest and Aviary Management Plan

On many distribution systems, birds are often the number one cause of outages.  Prevention is often complicated due to federal laws, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act.  A well written avian protection plan provides the guidelines and procedures to ensure compliance with federal laws, methods to mitigate avian interactions, and the platform for discussions with the USFWS and other governmental agencies.

Rachael Harms, Project Manager, Hi Line Engineering

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. :: Overview of Future Challenges of Wood Pole Disposal

Developing a thoughtful approach to the proper disposal of wood utility poles requires an understanding of pole manufacturing processes, regulatory compliance requirements, available disposal options and their probable costs, and company sustainability goals.  This presentation will discuss how utilities can integrate thinking on these topics to develop a long term strategic approach to pole disposal.

Barry Breede, Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, Cox Recovery

Utility Pole Attachments 101

January 25, 2017 

Overview

In late 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an Order on Reconsideration updating the pole attachment formula for telecommunications carriers. The FCC modified the rates to bring parity to telecommunications carrier attachers and cable company attachers. The new formula went into effect on March 4, 2016.

What does this mean for electric utilities? The FCC Order will compound the recent industry trends and court rulings placing downward pressure on rental rates.  This downward pressure means that, more than ever, it is important to ensure that electric utilities’ agreements with existing attachers are up to date, and to know, understand and effectively administer the provisions of those agreements.

Learning Outcomes

• Review common joint use contract provisions and their practical implications
• Identify how to calculate the FCC Maximum Allowable Rate for pole attachments
• Discuss the rights and obligations of utilities and joint-users/attachers on new and existing joint use poles
• Review  NJUNS and the transfer process
• Develop effective strategies for working with attachers and joint-users to correct past mistakes and issues

Agenda

12:30 – 1:00 p.m. :: Registration

1:00 – 5:00 p.m. :: Workshop Timing

• Introduction and Pole Attachment Overview
• Industry Trends
  • FCC/Regulatory Update
  • Google Fiber and “One-Touch” Make-Ready Policies
  • Other Current Events/Presidential Election Impacts
• Pole Attachment Agreements
  • Review of Common Contract Provisions
  • Sample fees included in contracts
  • Administering Existing and “Predecessor” Agreements
  • Negotiating New Agreements
• New Joint Use – The Essentials to Ensure Proper Attachments
  • The Permit Process
  • Make-Ready
• Existing Joint Use – Modifications and Transfers
  • NJUNS Introduction, Tips and Tricks
  • Late transfers and Pole Ownership transfers
  • Modifying Existing Joint Use Poles
  • NESC Clearance Requirements, Violations and Remedies
• Correcting Past Issues
  • Pole Attachment Inventory Review and Billing
  • Safety/Code Compliance Audit Review and Billing
  • Pole Ownership
  • Stranded Assets
• Attachment Cost Calculations
  • FCC Maximum Allowable Rate Calculation Example
  • Alternative Methods and Sample Rates

Instructor

Sean Knowles/Principal, VP. Business Development/ McLean Engineering

Sean has been with McLean Engineering for seven years.  During that time, McLean has grown its distribution engineering, inspection and pole attachment practice to include IOU, electric cooperative, and municipal utility clients across the US.  Sean’s primary responsibilities related to pole attachments include project development, overall project management and project payback, as well as pole attachment contract development, pole attachment rental rate calculation and contract advisement and negotiation.

Prior to coming to McLean Engineering, Sean earned a Master of Business Administration from Duke University, where he ran the Duke Start-up Challenge business plan competition.  Prior to Duke, Sean worked for six years in the United States Senate, the last four of which he spent as a staff member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, during which time he negotiated eight public laws allocating military spending, traveled to 13 countries conducting project oversight, analyzed over 2,000 construction projects and allocated over $50 billion in funding for the Department of Defense (DOD).  Sean’s experience during his tenure on the Appropriations Committee included oversight of the DOD’s utilities privatization program.  Prior to his work in the Senate, Sean earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Texas Tech University.

Brian Bartos, Manager, Pole Attachment Services, CPS Energy

Fred Barvarz, PE, Transmission and Distribution Manager, City of Anaheim Public Utilities Department

Butch Bernhardt, Sr. Program Manager, North American Wood Pole Council

Nelson Bingel, Chairman of NESC and Chairman of the ASC O5 Committee, Vice President-Product Strategy, Osmose Utilities Services, Inc.

Barry Breede, Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, Cox Recovery

Robert Harris, PE, Principal Engineer, Transmission and Distribution, NRECA

Rachael Harms, Project Manager, Hi Line

Sean Knowles, Vice President, Business Development, McLean Engineering

Carlton Penney, Director of Manufacturing, Texas Electric Cooperatives

Tom Pope, Product Manager, Osmose Utilities Services, Inc.

Kevin Ragon, Executive Director, Southern Pressure Treaters’ Association

J. David Taylor, Staff Engineer- Asset Management Group, Entergy Corporation

Chris Warren, Engineer-Distribution Asset Management Group, Entergy Corporation

Sheraton Suites Galleria – Atlanta
2844 Cobb Parkway SE
Atlanta, GA 30339

To reserve your room, please call 1-888-627-7047 or book online here.
Please indicate that you are with the EUCI group to receive the group rate.

Room Rate:

The room rate is $169.00 single or double plus applicable taxes.

Room Block Dates:

A room block has been reserved for the nights of January 23 – 24, 2017.

Rate Available Until:

Make your reservations prior to January 9, 2017. There are a limited number of rooms available at the conference rate. Please make your reservations early.

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Best Practices for Wood Utility Poles

January 24-25, 2017 | Atlanta,GA

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