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Airborne laser system used to characterize electric utility transmission line right-of-ways

The electric utility marketplace is undergoing tremendous changes. These changes are due in part to the passage ofthe Energy Policy Act of 1992. Under the jurisdiction ofthe Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), this act requires wholesale wheeling and provides guidelines for requesting and providing such service. Wheeling is the condition whereby a transmission owner has 60 days to respond to a request for transmission service. This act of Congress has an spurred increase in competition among the electric utility companies. The increase in competition due to the "wheeling factor" is not the only challenge that the electric utility market is facing. The increased pressure to control costs; do more with lower operations and maintenance budgets; increase profits; be responsive to environmental agencies; and increase customer satisfaction is causing the electric utility industry to re-examine how it conducts business. Certain traditional methods are being replaced by innovative and cost effective alternatives. The use of technology is seen as a key to combat these challenges and to provide the leverage over the competition. One cost of particular concern to the electric utilities is the surveying of transmission line rightof-ways. Surveying may be due to maintenance upgrades, new line construction, engineering conductor sag studies, facilities mapping efforts, or in response to wheeling requests. The traditional method of manual surveys is slow and can cost several thousand dollars per mile. In some cases the surrounding terrain makes the manual survey efforts almost impossible. In addition, the right-of-ways may need to be inspected on a periodic basis as part ofthe tree trimming and vegetation control programs. Southern Applied Technologies (SAT) has developed a high technology airborne sensing system designed to provide a cost effective method to map transmission line right-of-ways.