Georgia Power continues to focus on improving reliability and service to customers by investing in the power grid and using advanced technologies to prevent or resolve power outages. The company now uses unmanned aerial systems, or drones, to inspect power lines, ensuring the safety and reliability of these main lines more efficiently and accurately than ever before. This innovative approach not only increases operational efficiency and reduces the time spent inspecting power lines by 40% on average, but also enables significant cost savings of 60% compared to traditional methods.
“Georgia Power owns and operates nearly 12,000 miles of transmission lines across the state that deliver power to millions of homes and businesses – inspecting and maintaining these lines is an essential part of what we do every day,” said Fran Forehand, senior vice president of transmission at Georgia Power. “We are always striving to improve grid stability and operational efficiency, which is why we introduced drone transmission line inspection to improve the efficiency and safety of our teams, provide better data, and reduce costs for our customers.”
In the past, Georgia Power has used special aerial platforms and helicopters to access and inspect power lines that average 80 to 100 miles long and 100 feet high, with some lines as high as 350 feet. By using drones, the company saves significant costs on fuel, maintenance and labor. On average, drone pilots can inspect 14 miles of power lines per day. Georgia Power plans to inspect more than 15,000 structures in the power corridors this year alone.
Georgia Power’s drone pilots work safely, quietly and quickly in the transmission corridors, capturing images of transmission lines and equipment. The inspection method is an even safer way to assess these high-voltage lines while capturing high-quality, detailed photos and videos. The images are so precise that line inspectors can walk up to the equipment and spot irregularities before they can become a problem.
Transmission structures are designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions. However, damage can occur from lightning strikes, which are the leading cause of transmission line damage. Drone pilots look for damage and ensure that connections on the structures are intact, minimizing the impact of lightning strikes on transmission equipment. Other anomalies on the inspection list for main power lines include damage from vegetation and debris, erosion from the elements, and bird droppings, which can be highly acidic.
All drone evaluations are conducted by licensed drone pilots and comply with all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and regulations. Drone pilots are often line workers who have received specialized training.
“As a former lineman who spent countless hours in cherry pickers inspecting power lines, the use of drones is a game changer,” said Nick Howell, a certified drone pilot for Georgia Power. “I’m glad our company has invested in the technology and our people. Not only can I safely inspect power lines from the ground, but I can also collect more accurate data, share it with my team, who in some cases may be miles away, and ultimately make repairs faster and more efficiently than ever before.”
(Georgia Power)
CLICK ON IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO: FAA licensed drone pilot Nick Howell flies the UAS and inspects power lines, recent footage from the drone and Tony Ferguson, Northeast Regional Executive Director, explaining the work.
In addition to leveraging advanced technologies like drones, Georgia Power’s efforts in recent years to improve reliability and increase grid stability have included rebuilding transmission lines and dozens of substations across Georgia to deliver safe and reliable power to neighborhoods, installing smart technologies that reduce the number of outages and, in some cases, avoid outages altogether, upgrading or moving hundreds of miles of power lines underground where they had the greatest impact, and improving tens of thousands of utility poles.
For more information about Georgia Power’s reliability work, visit GeorgiaPower.com/Reliability.
