Transmission line crews work near Culbertson Generation Station

This is the site for Culbertson Generation Station. Dirt work here began at the end of June. But not long after that, TSM crews were here starting on line number 486, and thats where well focus our attention now.

Paul Swanston and the Groton crew are pulling transmission line thatll eventually hook up to Culbertson Generation Station.

(Paul Swanston): As we go through each traveler with whats called a swivel, thats what takes the spin out of the cable, we have a person walking by each traveler, and they will talk to the people on the tensioning equipment that its through the traveler. So then we just go to the next one. Thats the most critical part, is when the line comes through the traveler.

Down the line, another crew is working on line thats already been pulled.

(Tim Helstedt): After it settles in, then we go through and tie them all in. Because the wire stretches some, you let it sit for a little while and then you come back and check it again, and then you tie them all in.

Tim Helstedt and crew are clipping in 33 poles standing across four and a half miles. This line is part of what the Logan Crew will maintain.
The crew of three clips in these poles, one by one. They get nine or ten done in a day.

(Tim Helstedt): You gotta like being outside. But youre away, and peace and quiet.

The journeyman lineman first make sure theyre grounded. Even though theres no power flowing on these lines, even static electricity can cause a shock if the men arent grounded. They remove the traveler.
Next, they put what they call the dog bones on the wire. The dog bones are part of the armor grip suspension unit the unit extends several feet on each side of where the line is supported. The unit protects the line from bending and possibly breaking.
Then, the crew starts to clip in the conductor and soon the fiber-optic overhead ground wire. After the armor rod the phase dampers and static dampers are added.

(Tim Helstedt): On average days, itll still get vibration and jump. And itll take the vibration out of the wire.

The weathers been good on this job, and they finish up before the end of July.

(Tim Helstedt): But its a good job. Gets tougher as you get older. But its a good job.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Basin
• Electric
• Power
• Cooperative
• Culbertson
• Generation
• Station
• Montana
• transmission
• system
• maintenance
• Logan
• crew
• Groton
• conductor
• armor
• grip
• suspension
• phase
• damper
• static
• safety
• grounded
• lineman
• journeyman

[bordersoldier]

glass bells?