Helicopters with thermovision cameras take to Western Pa. skies to inspect power lines

The sound of a helicopter hovering overhead often is a sure sign that a bad vehicle accident, fire or other trouble has occurred nearby.

But during the past several months, many of the choppers taking to the sky in the Allegheny Valley have been out looking for trouble instead of responding to it.

FirstEnergy’s electric companies in Western Pennsylvania — West Penn Power and Penn Power — have been using helicopters to inspect transmission lines for signs of problems that could disrupt service, said Lauren Siburkis, a spokeswoman for the electric utility company.

“Residents may have seen a small helicopter flying at low altitude or hovering over high-voltage lines and transmission towers while workers examined power line connections and other equipment,” Siburkis said.

“The aerial inspections are designed to look for damaged wire, broken cross arms, insulator issues and other hardware problems not visible from the ground,” she said. “Any potential reliability issues identified during the inspections are addressed quickly.”

While the company has used helicopters in the past, a new tool was added to the inspection arsenal this year — thermovision cameras.

The cameras, attached to the bottom of the aircraft, are able to detect infrared and ultraviolet light that is processed through an on-board thermographer. It can spot potential problems in transmission substations and on high-voltage power lines that can’t be observed during regular visual inspections, she said.

“The most recent inspections using the cameras identified two issues along high-voltage transmission lines serving tens of thousands of customers in the greater Pittsburgh area that would not have been observed during regular visual inspections,” Siburkis said. “The inspections identified areas along our transmission lines that produced excess heat, and our transmission workers were able to quickly address the issues to prevent damage to the line and nearby equipment.

“Because increased heating is an early sign of equipment damage, thermovision and ultraviolet inspections are the most effective way to spot equipment issues in the early stages of deterioration,” she said.

The ultraviolet detection system can identify electrical discharge issues caused by things such as rusted hardware, loose connections and cracked insulators.

The utility company contracts with Chesapeake Bay Helicopters and HeloAir to do the inspections during spring and summer, so any repairs that are needed can be made before demand for electricity increases during the winter, Siburkis said.

“The infrared technology shows heat on a color scale, with brighter colors or hot spots indicating areas that could need repairs,” she said. “The images can help identify issues such as loose connections, corrosion and load imbalances.”

The aircraft typically travel at 25 mph to 30 mph while the cameras are being operated.

The helicopter patrols completed inspections on nearly 2,500 miles of FirstEnergy transmission line circuits in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

The aerial thermovision inspections are scheduled to be done again in four years.