inspection

Utility-scale solar farms are essential players in the energy transition. But with growth comes more exposure, and large solar arrays are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, especially hailstorms. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, utility executives, plant managers, engineers, and energy policymakers need proven, scalable methods for assessing and repairing solar farm damage quickly and effectively.

Inspecting and monitoring long-distance transmission lines has always been both costly and dangerous for utilities. Networks that stretch across remote, rugged terrain make traditional methods like climbing towers, deploying helicopters, or sending out ground crews resource-intensive and risky for workers. Today, autonomous drones are changing this process by offering a faster, safer, and more cost-effective […]

An air gap is the distance between the rotor and stator of a large-scale hydroelectric generator. This gap is a very small distance in relation to the size of the rotor. Its measurement to tight tolerances is critical to prevent damage to and maintain efficiency of the generator. Static measurement of the air gap (Figure […]

Historically, generator inspections require rotor removal (Figure 3). There’s a significant level of risk during this process due to possible generator damage during the disassembly, and it also requires

A successful clean energy transition depends on maximizing output and minimizing the costs of renewable investments.In particular, wind turbines are highly effective assets but require frequent detailed inspections and maintenance to ensure they are fully operational and maximize their energy production. This can be ‘easier said than done’ for many wind turbine owners and operations […]

Voith Hydro and STRUCINSPECT advance monitoring of hydropower civil structures Strong partnership between experienced equipment supplier and successful corporate start-up from Austria. Digital inspections lead to state-of-the-art digital infrastructure and lifecycle management. First hydropower facility monitoring currently underway in Scotland. HEIDENHEIM/VIENNA. Hydropower is the world’s largest source of renewable energy. In order to make the […]

Cyberhawk, a world leader in drone inspection services and data visualisation software, has entered an agreement with Australia-based Azure Integrity. The agreement combines Azure’s extensive drone capabilities, with Cyberhawk’s data visualisation software, to offer an end-to-end inspection solution for the power grid, construction, energy and mining industries across Australia and New Zealand. Cyberhawk has developed […]

Steadily increasing demands leading to excessive cycling and starts/stops can cause heat rate loss, poor unit performance, and increased plant outages. See as Marnie and Maya demonstrate that even relatively

Traditional gas turbine inspections can be time-consuming and expensive. However, a remote visual inspection can be an effective alternative to tearing equipment apart to get a look inside. Advanced

There are countless risks associated with power plant operations. For example, the risk of equipment failure is present in virtually every power plant system. In some cases, the risk is very low and could even be inconsequential. In others, it’s much higher and could be catastrophic, not only to plant operation, but also to the […]

2020 was a catastrophic year for wildfires across the U.S. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reported that almost 60,000 fires ran rampant across more than 9 million acres in the U.S. last year, nearly 1.5 times the 10-year average of 6.6 million acres. Not only this, California saw its first-ever “gigafire,” a devastating single […]

Cyberhawk drone-based inspections monitor over 11,500 transmission towers and nearly 150 substations across Scottish Utility Network DENVER – March 30, 2021 – Cyberhawk, a global leader in drone-based inspections and creator of iHawk, a cloud-based asset visualization software platform, has released a case study that examines how its drone-based visual assessment and data management of […]

A  seminal milestone in the drone industry, American Robotics now meets the safety requirements needed to make drones scalable for widespread commercial use. MARLBOROUGH, Mass. & WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–American Robotics, a leading developer of fully-automated commercial drone systems, today became the first company approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate automated drones without human […]

The U.S. bulk electric system consists of more than 360,000 miles of transmission lines, including approximately 180,000 miles of high-voltage lines, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That means power companies have a lot on their plates when it comes to inspecting and maintaining those assets. Furthermore, the stakes are high. As wildfires in […]

New FLIR VS290-32 Offers a Dual-Sensor, Electrical Safety-Rated Videoscope for Safer and More Efficient Industrial Inspection  ARLINGTON, Va., November 17, 2020 – FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) today announced the FLIR VS290-32™, an industry-first, videoscope that combines thermal imaging and a visible camera specifically designed for safer and more efficient inspections of hard-to-reach underground utility […]

Inspecting generators has always been a time-consuming and expensive job, yet one that needs to be done at regular intervals. An impressive new visual inspection robot can save owners many days of unnecessary

Netze BW GmbH is the largest distribution system operator (DSO) in Baden-Württemberg, which is the third-largest state in Germany. Netze BW is responsible for high-, medium-, and low-voltage networks across the state. Its power lines stretch over 100,000 kilometers (more than 62,000 miles), and like all power utilities, it faces a constant challenge of monitoring, […]

“Tedious.” If you ask electric utilities for one word on powerline inspection, that would probably be it. “Time-consuming” and “expensive” would probably also feature. Yet, “vital” would be just as valid: there is no way to safely operate a transmission and distribution network without inspecting lines for damage or risk from factors such as vegetation. […]

Baltimore, U.S – 24 July 2020: A transformative Transmission and Distribution (T&D) inspection solution is supporting post-Public Safety Power Shutdown (PSPS) inspections across North America’s wildfire-hit West Coast. Sharper Shape’s Sharper CORE application is a first-to-market solution that gives utilities a single, holistic view of an electricity T&D system. The software integrates asset inspection data […]

GE’s modernization of Bashkir Generation Company LLC’s TTP-2 Plant was completed on time, successfully and safely The project is expected to extend the maintenance interval by 25% at the TPP-2 plant—equivalent to approximately seven months GE’s localized support through its GE Energy Technology Center in Kaluga, including a SGT-800* spare parts warehouse, ensures availability of […]

Spain’s largest electric utility Endesa has successfully tested a new remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that it says will make inspection and maintenance in fully or partially submerged environments at its thermal power plants less costly and more efficient. The underwater robot, which was custom manufactured by Spanish startup NIDO Robotics for Endesa’s applications, is about […]

Today, drones equipped with sensors and cameras are proving their worth in gathering real-time footage that can be stored for later analysis. Uncrewed aerial systems can detect failing structures and equipment

In a bid to enhance the reactor oversight process (ROP), staff at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recommended the commission change qualitative descriptions for some color labels that signify risk, scale back on the time and scope of some annual inspections at the nation’s nuclear power fleet, as well as increase intervals between inspections.  […]

Early detection of increased temperatures helps avoid power distribution asset-related failures and unplanned shutdowns. Wireless technologies make implementing this predictive maintenance solution practical

Are you properly quantifying and assessing the health of your plant’s transformers? Oil testing, infrared scanning, electrical testing, and inspection provide a much deeper understanding of what is happening

An East Coast industrial plant had for months experienced a significant dropoff in energy production from its 36,000-square-foot solar field. The plant’s maintenance team had been unable to find any problems

In July 2016, a coal silo collapsed at an Indiana power plant. The root cause was identified as cracking of the cone-to-skirt weld. Warnings to inspect this vulnerable weld were published widely in conference proceedings and trade journal articles. Nevertheless, coal silos continue to fail at an alarming rate (Figure 1), which suggests that the […]

Siemens’ digital services to maximize power plant’s performance Assets will generate more power and supply electricity to an additional 100,000 homes Project supports Iraq’s goal of meeting electricity demand In line with Iraq’s goal to improve the efficiency and availability of the country’s power plants, Siemens will provide inspection and upgrade services for two power […]

Across the country, energy and utility companies are adopting and using drone technology to increase their business operations and improve overall safety of their workforces. Many companies are also discussing the risks and rewards of implementing new safety technology on job sites. With workplace fatalities in the transportation, warehousing, and utilities sectors comprising 17.3% of […]

Texo Drone Survey and Inspection (Texo DSI), the owner operators of the world’s most comprehensive and dynamic fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles has announced that it has carried out an internal UAV inspection of a live nuclear asset – a first for the global nuclear sector. Texo DSI were commissioned by URENCO UK to carry […]