ADVANCED LINE DESIGN & STAKING (AdvLDS)

Advanced Line Design Essentials

3 Days: Students learn horizontal measurements and ranging, vertical measurements and grading, mapping and GIS, surveying and GPS equipment, aerial imagery and ground features, legal descriptions and ROW, precision and accuracy. They will evaluate the mechanical and structural characteristics of overhead electric utility lines in order to formulate design guidelines and provide consolidated sag and tension data critical for safe and effective line design, as well as consolidated pole, crossarm and pole top component data and tables. The certification test for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.

Joint Attachment Management

3 Days: Students in this class will learn the governing principles, standards and best practices needed for managing joint attachments on electric utility structures for overhead lines. With the overall goals of ensuring safety and reliability and protecting utility interests, the course covers engineering and design topics relevant to make ready, permitting and inspections. Calculations for mechanical loading and clearances are presented in a format that challenges students to arrive at real-world solutions to common issues. The National Electric Safety Code, DOT requirements and utility standards all serve as a central theme to the course. The certification test for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.

Advanced Underground Design

3 Days: This advanced course on Underground Distribution Design covers topics of engineering and design that are beyond the scope of the PLDS core series yet necessary for proper design, planning and management of larger URD projects. Students will learn, not only the "how" of looped and radial underground layout but, also, the "why" for both 200 amp and 600 amp circuits. Building on concepts learned in the core series, this course will illustrate how to determine maximum cable run length, pulling tension, jam ratios, conductor capacity, proper pad placement and thermal limitations for conduits and risers. Students who complete the course will have a firm grasp on the big picture of how URD systems are constructed, maintained and operated to ensure safe and reliable service for the effective life of the components. The certification test for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.

System Reliability

3 Days: For electric utilities, the only aspect of design and engineering more important than reliability is safety. Safety is of utmost importance and, for this reason, all four levels of the Line Design and Staking program have a heavy emphasis on safety. In this advanced course, students who have successfully completed the PLDS program will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of line design to include standards, calculations and practices that enable designers to produce lines that are safe and reliable. Students will learn how reliability indices work and can be improved through appropriate route selection, pole and hardware choices, customer engagement, line access, visibility, phase configuration, recloser and fuse placement and documentation. Exercises in outage scenarios will demonstrate how all of these aspects of line design and staking can contribute to reliability, as well as, ease and speed of restoration. The certification test for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.