-
Asset Management
Asset Management
EDM offers a wide range of services related to asset management of T&D infrastructure including inspection, assessment, product testing, upgrade feasibility, vegetation management and operation activities. EDM engineers and scientists are industry experts in their field and are often called upon to support utilities' regulatory needs, perform failure investigations and provide litigation support. We are committed to finding solutions to the utility industry's unique and emerging challenges.
EDM Engineers and Scientists are experts in their fields and provide wide range of T&D consulting services related to:
- Facilities Management
- Maintenance Planning and Forecasting
- Standards & Code compliance
- Inspection & Maintenance Guides
- Product Specification Reviews
- Forensic Engineering
- Litigation support
EDM uses unique predictive modeling techniques to help utilities to optimize maintenance plans. Information on facility conditions and importance, desired life, environmental and operating stresses, maintenance histories, deterioration rates and costs are all combined to enable systematic analyses of alternative asset management scenarios.
- Optimize resource allocation
- Prioritize maintenance projects
- Forecast yearly and long-term costs
- Reduce the subjectivity of decisions
- Compare the present value of maintenance alternatives
- Evaluate inspection, assessment and maintenance procedures
- Simulate system aging
- Predict remaining life
- Value aging assets
- Track facility and component performance
EDM’s staff of engineers, material scientists, and technicians offer a unique combination of expertise in the inspection and assessment of electric utility and communication assets. We specialize in the condition evaluation of transmission, distribution, and communication structures as well as substation and underground equipment. In partnership with our subsidiary, Intec Services, we are involved in inspections ranging from utilities’ individual line segments to their entire utility grid system under multi-year contracts.
OVERHEAD LINE STRUCTURES
- Wood, steel, and composite poles and towers
- Field inspection and condition assessment
- Annual line patrols
- Detailed intrusive inspection/treatment
- Structure inventory data collection
AERIAL AND VIRTUAL INSPECTIONS
- Several licensed Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) pilots
- High resolution imagery/near infrared imagery /LiDAR data collection
- Team of qualified inspectors/journeymen linemen to perform virtual inspection
- Pre- and post- construction ROW inspection
NON-DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION (NDE)
- Wood pole inspection
- Sonic, ultrasonic, and resistance drilling
- Ground penetrating radar and xray
- Anchor rod and steel pole inspection
- Magnetostrictive Sensor (MsS)
- Ultrasonic
STRUCTURE REPAIR AND REHABILITATION
- Wood pole restoration and trussing
- Steel structure coating repair
- Street light pole restoration
EDM’s team of expert inspectors provide “front-to-back” quality assurance/quality control services with a focus on delivering value-added results. Our inspectors are often called upon by our clients to act as a primary point of contact for work-in-progress, including overseeing construction issues, inventory needs, and project status updates.
OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND T&D, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INTERCONNECTIONS
- Public and employee safety
- Project scoping and estimating
- Constructability reviews/recommendations
- QA/QC of structures prior to installation
- Stormwater BMP’s, pre- and post-job verification
- Foundation, pole setting, and direct embedment verification
- Project status reporting
- Reclamation monitoring
- High resolution imagery/near infrared imagery /LiDAR data collection
- Team of qualified inspectors/journeymen linemen to perform virtual inspection
- Pre- and post- construction ROW inspection
SUBSTATIONS
- Project scoping and estimating
- Constructability reviews/recommendations
- QA/QC of construction practices
- Site grading and preparation
- Drilled shaft/pier construction observation
- Concrete forming, and rebar and anchor bolt placement verification
- Monitoring steel erection, duct bank, and pre-cast trench installation
- Project status reporting
- Coordination of substation checkout, commissioning, metering, instrumentation, and relay system controls
CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS
- Customer relations and communications
- Quality assurance
- Constructability reviews/recommendations
- Writing and processing project change orders
- Permitting and material ordering
- Post job processing/redline verification
EDM has a talented and experienced GIS team that supports both internal projects and consults directly to clients. The GIS team provides state-of-the-art mapping and spatial analysis support with the latest ArcGIS, AutoCAD and CartoPac software and Trimble hardware featuring sub-foot GPS accuracy. The team focuses on database design, geospatial app development/configuration, project operations tracking, and predictive modeling. GIS serves as the “hub” for all inspection projects including virtual inspections as data and deliverables flow through GIS. Where needed, spatial data is collected in the field using custom, project-specific forms based on CartoPac’s GPS/GIS-enabled mobile data collection platform. Mobile data collection integrated with cloud-based mapping streamlines workflow, improves accuracy, and maximizes worker efficiency.
The GIS team also works heavily with project and asset managers to model risk to assets, select scope for future mitigation work, and track and geospatially visualize progress throughout any given phase of a project. Web-based apps are used to raise visibility and share data across a wide array of stakeholders.
GIS/Geospatial areas of technical specialties include:
- Maps and Cartography
- Facility and Resource Mapping
- Spatial Analysis and Statistical Modeling
- Mobile Data Collection and High-Accuracy GNSS
- Database Design
- Project Development/Tracking
- Dashboards and Reporting
- UAS Product Processing
- ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online
- Scripting and app development
EDM’s team of industry experts combines decades of experience and state-of-the-art technology know-how with a client-centered, collaborative approach to developing and implementing safe, reliable, compliant, cost-effective, cross-functional, programmatic solutions for utility vegetation management (UVM), including:
T&D & Pipeline Vegetation Management Program Assessment, Development, Implementation and Optimization
- Existing UVM Program Review & Gap Analysis
- Strategic & Tactical Planning
- Reliability-Centered Maintenance Strategies
- Turnkey Program Management
- Workload Studies
- Work Prioritization
- Budgeting
- Work Optimization
- Best Management Practices
- Integrated Vegetation Management Planning
- Tree Risk Assessment & Mitigation
- Vegetation-Caused Outage Analysis
- Regulatory Compliance (FAC-003, State, etc.)
- UVM Process Review & Mapping
- Value Proposition/Business Plan Development
- QA/QC & Continuous Improvement
- ROW Stewardship Accreditation
- Internal/External Stakeholder Collaboration & Communication
Strategic & Sustainable Sourcing For UVM Services
- Utility Operations/Sourcing/Procurement/Vendors Collaboration
- Identify Sourcing Opportunities (Worker Recruiting, Retention, Risk Reduction)
- Current State Assessment
- Strategy Development
- Best-of-Breed Contractor Selection
- Strategy Implementation
- Accountability Establishment
- Continuous Improvement
Remote Sensing, Software, Virtual Inspection, Geospatial
- Cross-Functional Remote Sensing Program Development
- Remote Sensing Evaluation & Selection (LiDAR, Hi-Res, Spectral, IR, Sat., UAS)
- Data Analysis & Analytics
- Virtual Inspection
- UVM Work Management Software Strategies
- Software Evaluation, Selection & Implementation
- Geospatial/GIS Solutions
Federal Land Strategies (US Forest Service, BLM, Etc.)
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Development
- Special Use Permits (SUP) – Review, Modification, Acquisition & Renewal
- Navigating Regulations & Compliance
- Environmental Reviews Guidance
- Operating Plan Dev. & Implementation
- Work Approval & Execution
Expert Witness Testimony & Litigation Support
- Independent Expert Testimony
- Technical Evidence, Analysis & Interpretation
- Fact Research & Documentation
- Regulator Query Support
- Rate Case Hearing Support & Testimony
The increased frequency of apex fire weather conditions, combined with aging infrastructure, declining forest health and increased human development in wildland areas, have created significant challenges for utilities operating in wildfire-prone areas.
EDM’s team of experts collaborates with utilities, independent operators and government agencies/regulators to develop and implement cross-functional, programmatic solutions for wildfire prevention and protection, including:
WILDFIRE MITIGATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION
- Fire-Safe Culture & Change Management
- Risk Assessment & Prioritization
- Hazardous Fire Area (HFA) Delineation
- GIS/FIS/Geospatial Analysis & Prioritization
- Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) Development
- WMP Gap Analysis
- Strategic & Tactical Planning
- Remote Sensing (LiDAR, Imagery, etc.)
- Daily Situational Awareness/Fire Potential Index
- Public Safety Power Shutoff Plan (PSPS)
- Fire Incident Coordination & Response
- Ignition Management Program (IMP)
- Field Work Ignition Mitigations & Procedure for Escalating Wildfire Weather
- Asset Hardening (Lines, Subs, Telecoms)
- Grid Resiliency
- WMP KPIs & Continuous Improvement
- Internal/External Stakeholder Collaborations & Communication
ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION
- Fire-Wise Siting
- Fire Hardened Design & Construction
- Ignition-Prone Equipment & Facilities Alternatives
- Pole Loading & Clearance Adequacy Assessments
- Underground Design
Asset Management
- End-of-Life (EOL) Assessment
- Ignition Risk Assessment
- Asset Inventory, Inspection & Condition Assessment
- Retrofit Work Prioritization, Implementation, and Auditing
- Asset Protection Analysis, Prioritization & Implementation
- Facility Retrofitting for Fire Hardening
Environmental & Weather
- Avian/Wildlife-Caused Ignition Risk Assessment, Prioritization & Mitigation
- Wildlife Retrofit Work Prioritization, Implementation & Auditing
- Wildlife-Friendly Facility Design
- Meteorological/Wind Studies
- Monitoring Station Vetting, Siting & Deployment
Utility Vegetation Management (UVM)
- Enhanced UVM Program Development
- Tree Risk Assessment & Mitigation
- Fuels Management & Reduction
- Pole Clearance Program & Compliance
- Vegetation-Caused Outage Analysis & Targeted UVM
Field Services
- Pre-Fire Inspections (Asset, Vegetation)
- Fire Retardant Applications/Fire Protection
- Wood Pole Restoration
- Post-Fire Damage Assessment & Construction Surveys
- Fire Behavior, Electric Safety & Ignition Suppression Training
EDM International provides a wide range of products and services for overhead thermal line rating and meteorological analyses.
Meteorological Studies
- Temperature contour mapping
- Low speed wind analyses
- Probabilistic studies
- Ampacity ratings
- Line loading
- Design wind speeds
- Snow and ice loads
- Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based weather predictions
EDM offers a variety of services designed to help a utility better manage its steel assets. These services encompass all aspects of corrosion management from inspection and assessment through maintenance and repair.
GIS CORROSION MAPPING
Provides a valuable visual view of the utilities assets showing different hazard zones. The GIS corrosion map utilizes published soils data to identify corrosion risk.
SOIL INVESTIGATION
Utilizes a variety of field measurements to evaluate the different factors that influence a soil’s corrosivity.
- pH
- Resistivity
- Redox Potential
- Steel to Soil Potential (Half Cell)
CATHODIC PROTECTION (CP)
Helps protect buried steel assets against corrosion.
- Design/Engineering
- Testing/Evaluation
- Installation
STEEL CORROSION MITIGATION & REPAIR
- Coating Evaluation
- Coating Specification Preparation/Review
- Member Repair or Reinforcement Design
NDE CORROSION INSPECTION
EDM offers two direct-measurement, NDE techniques that have been specifically designed to assess the condition of anchor rods, direct embedded steel poles and latticed tower stub angles. Both the Magnetostrictive Sensor (MsS) technique and Cylindrically Guided Wave Technique (CGWT), have been widely used and proven to be cost-effective options for assessing the below-ground condition of these assets. Some of EDM’s NDE applications utilize technology developed under the sponsorship of EPRI.
NDE INSPECTION TECHNIQUES
Provide direct indications of the asset’s condition.
- Visual
- Thickness Measurements
- CGWT
- MsS
The NDE techniques classify the condition of an asset based on its degree of corrosion
- Minor Corrosion
- Moderate Corrosion
- Excessive Corrosion
Applicable Anchor Rods
- Rods with either solid or tubular cross-sections
- Top sections of multi-piece rods
- Rods in direct soil contact or encased in concrete
- Galvanized rods
- Copper clad rods
- DYWIDAG anchor rods
Applicable Steel Poles
- Both circular and multi-sided steel poles (with or without a sacrificial corrosion collar)
- Poles in direct soil contact or encased in foam (no concrete backfill)
- Poles with any type of protective coating
Applicable Stub Angles
- Bare stub grillage foundation (i.e. no stiffeners, shear connectors or grounding attachments)
EDM is an industry leader in testing of materials, prototypes and products related to the electric utility industry. EDM’s engineers and scientists have extensive experience in developing new products and evaluating and improving existing products.
Product Development
- Design review and guidance
- Specification Development
- Code acceptance
- Market assessment
Material Testing
- Material evaluation
- Material, component and full-scale structure testing
Our research and development (R&D) team at EDM has become widely recognized within the electric utility industry for its problem solving capabilities especially those related to the design, operation, and maintenance of T&D infrastructure. Our capabilities encompass activities ranging from conceptualization of a solution through development and evaluation to commercialization.
Typical R&D engagements focus on technologies, products and services for analyzing, monitoring and/or optimizing the life, reliability, condition and capacity of T&D facilities and other existing infrastructure.
- Product development
- Analysis methods
- Sensor and communication technologies
- Product testing, evaluation & qualification
- Technical guides, specifications & publications
EDM has teamed with Intec Services, Inc. to offer additional related services. Intec Services offers a complete variety of pole inspection, inventory and restoration services aimed at helping utilities maximize equipment life spans while maintaining the highest standards of system reliability.
Intec Services, Inc. was founded in 1991 with a dedication to providing in-service pole inspection services which have set new standards for accuracy and cost effectiveness by using an inspection strategy with three critical components:
- Time-proven inspection and retreatment techniques
- Advanced nondestructive testing methods
- Computerized data collection and reporting
The EDM-INTEC team approach enables the preservation of utility line reliability throughout the desired service life and assists utilities in making responsible recommendations and decisions affecting the management of many millions of dollars of overhead line capital assets.
