With our increasing dependence on electricity in nearly every aspect of life, it has become essential for responsible authorities to improve the reliability of electrical power networks to reduce power outages and ensure a stable energy supply. Reliable electrical networks are crucial in society because they are involved in many aspects of life, including healthcare. Power outages in hospitals can …
“I want to talk about the need for switchgear modernization and why it’s important.” Nathan Dunn INDUSTRY TRENDS AND CHALLENGES Our industry is facing several trends today, including increased energy demand due to the growth in electrification and data center expansion, digitalization including new technologies for relays, and communication and sustainability trends where companies are looking to incorporate new assets at …
The rapid growth of electrical systems in the industry is placing increasing demands on infrastructure and on medium-voltage (MV) networks. Utilities and service providers are expected to deliver higher reliability at lower cost. In this environment, unplanned outages caused by insulation failures are no longer acceptable. Shutdowns remain important opportunities for electrical maintenance, but these windows are narrow and heavily …
NETA’s Corporate Alliance Partners (CAPs) are industry-leading companies that have joined forces with NETA to work together toward a common aim: improving quality, safety, and electrical system reliability. This ongoing NETA World series focuses on the thought leadership behind these successful companies. For this issue’s CAP Spotlight, we talked to President Scott Reed, who founded MVA in 2014. “Many in …
Infrared thermography has long been a cornerstone of electrical panel maintenance, traditionally performed through periodic, time-based inspections using handheld infrared cameras. This method has been widely adopted as a best practice due to its ability to detect early signs of failure, mitigate catastrophic risks, and support the longevity of electrical infrastructure. However, recent regulatory changes have elevated the role of …
This article discusses best practices for managing inspection data in electrical utilities, emphasizing the importance of standardized collection, metadata tagging, and compliance with IEEE 1808-2024. It highlights the value of integrating data from multiple sensors, including RGB, thermal, and ultraviolet imaging, with geographic and asset information, and applying structured, industry-based diagnostics. These practices support traceable condition assessments, consistent severity scoring, …
Low-voltage protection is undergoing rapid evolution. For decades, microprocessor-based protective relays have been the gold standard for medium- and high-voltage power systems, offering highly configurable protection, metering, and communication capabilities. Meanwhile, circuit breaker trip unit technology remained relatively static for many years, remaining confined to the breaker frame and focused primarily on basic overcurrent functions. This is no longer the …
As testers, where should we start? The standards! For grounding testing, the industry reference is IEEE Std. 81, Guide for Measuring Earth Resistivity, Ground Impedance, and Earth Surface Potentials of a Grounding System. As with most standards, familiarity and interpretation are key. It can be a challenge to understand the intent, methods, and implementation of the prescribed testing. Fall of Potential …
All electrical equipment has a finite lifespan. Recognizing the signs of aging and understanding how to assess equipment health is essential. As NETA Certified Technicians, we play a critical role in helping to extend the operational life of electrical systems by implementing proactive maintenance strategies that enable our customers to maximize performance and reliability for as long as possible. 1. …
The most common injury in any industry is a slip, trip, or fall. Whether a fall occurs on the same level — or worse, from a higher level — any fall can cause significant injury, resulting in production downtime, reduced maintenance activity, loss or reduction of wages for the employee, loss of profit for the company, trips to doctors and …