A helicopter skimmed above power lines in the Concord and Seacoast regions on Tuesday to give Unitil crews a bird’s-eye view of the company’s subtransmission lines in an effort to identify potential trouble spots that may be difficult to see from the ground.
The hours-long aerial inspections are performed annually and cover nearly 100 miles, providing a unique vantage point for Unitil’s electric and forestry personnel to get a closer look at the subtransmission network and document any issues that could impact service reliability.
Subtransmission lines carry electricity from the high-voltage transmission system to local distribution substations or large industrial customers.
The work involved inspecting lines and equipment on poles for any damage or other problems and checking for vegetation encroachment and trees that could be troublesome.
“These aerial inspections are critical for utilities because they give us a comprehensive view of the system and help us prioritize maintenance work in order to enhance reliability, safety, and service for customers,” said External Affairs Manager Amanda Vicinanzo.
Aerial patrols are also important because they allow crews to get a look at infrastructure that’s sometimes located in more remote or wooded areas.
“We do walk the lines every year, but this gives us a different perspective. Some of these lines aren’t easily accessible so it’s very important to fly over them once a year,” said Line Supervisor Taylor Raine, who participated in the inspections.
Forestry Supervisor Ben Richard, who also flew on the patrol, said the inspections helped pinpoint areas where there may be hazardous trees or vines that could obscure equipment and cause other issues.
“What we’re looking for from the air for forestry are vines growing up the poles. We want to see if there are any trees that are dead. It’s nice to go up while the leaves are out. It’s much easier to tell from the air if there’s a problem tree or if we see a nice lush canopy as we’re traveling. That’s what we like to see,” he said.
The helicopter was piloted by Mike Bergeron of JBI Helicopter Services of Pembroke, N.H.
