Green Mountain Power uses drones to locate downed and damaged power lines caused by severe weather, allowing line crews to restore power more quickly without having to spend hours trekking through rough, remote terrain looking for damage before they can begin repairs.
Since January, ten GMP drone pilot-certified field assessors have conducted more than 150 flights over power lines, poles and other infrastructure to locate damaged equipment, including after the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby swept through Vermont on Friday evening, August 10, leaving behind downed trees and power lines.
“We save time while customers wait for services to be restored, and crews are exposed to fewer hazardous working conditions,” said Mike Burke, vice president of operations at GMP, in a statement. “The detailed drone imagery can quickly determine the exact location and cause of damage, which is critical information when responding to a severe storm.”
Most of Green Mountain Power’s lines run in rural areas, making drones even more important
The drones are particularly effective at finding damage to the 80% of GMP’s lines that are in rural areas and serve about 15 customers per mile. The rural lines run cross-country, away from roads, meaning crews must reach them on foot, snowshoes or all-terrain vehicles, then climb poles and haul equipment by hand to make repairs.
Burke said the drones have made the repair crews’ work safer and more efficient, but GMP will continue to “storm-proof and move our lines underground as quickly as possible to further reduce outages and protect our customers from ongoing severe weather.”
Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT.
