2022 Underground Assets Project Tasks
Underground Project Tasks for 2022
Utility companies that own and operate underground distribution systems face a number of challenges and changing needs. Installing and maintaining underground infrastructure is challenging due to its accessibility. Additionally, installed underground distribution infrastructure is aging, and much of the early installed plant is reaching the end of its useful life. Utility managers are charged with managing costs, improving system reliability and resiliency, increasing power throughput, and improving the health and safety of workers and the public. In addition, significant changes to underground electric distribution systems are underway, including the application of new load types, new distributed generation sources, new equipment and materials, and automation technologies. At the same time, many utilities are losing their institutional knowledge due to worker attrition.
This research aims to support utilities in the face of these challenges by focusing on:
This objective of this research is to produce results to support utilities as they manage underground distribution systems, where the challenges include dealing with aging plant, assessing asset health and performance, improving specification and selection, and understanding and leveraging new technologies. This research also emphasizes knowledge capture and transfer to address the challenge of maintaining expertise in managing underground distribution systems.
Results take the form of reports, online repositories, and guidebooks, including periodic updates to the Underground Distribution Systems Reference Book (The Bronze Book).
Research will be provided in multiple forms, including:
In 2025, the Underground Assets project will consist of five primary research areas:
Failure Analysis – Laboratory examination of failed components to identify common industry issues and mechanisms. With a particular focus on:
Diagnostic Tools – Inform and investigate techniques (technologies, interpretation, and usability) that may be useful for determining the condition / health of underground components and systems, including:
Performance – Studies are intended to define / establish the behavior of components when operated under different conditions, including:
Asset Health – maintain critical asset operation through:
Supply and Standards – Support for the development of industry standards of underground system components and methods for assessing supplier compliance with standards,
The five areas noted above will benefit from cross cutting activities of Knowledge Engineering and Technology Scouting which seeks to ensure that the key technical knowledge is delivered to members in the most useful manner, including:
With the knowledge acquired through this research program, distribution underground utility engineers and managers will have access to information and products that can accomplish the following:
The Underground Assets Task Force advises the Distribution Underground Assets Project. This task force is generally staffed by subject-matter experts in underground distribution components, and work practices associated with managing underground system, both urban and URD / UCD.
This task force meets several times per year by WebEx or in person. There is usually one in-person meeting per year held in conjunction with the other P180 task forces. The in-person meeting is normally held in either Lenox, MA, or Charlotte, NC.
Members are encouraged to participate in several ways:
This task force is also a good opportunity to meet peers at other participating companies, and collaborate to address common challenges.
Who can attend task-force meetings?
Are there specific membership requirements?
How do I join this task force?
Can my company have more than one task-force member?
Can I share task-force material within my company?
Can I share task-force material outside my company?
Are discussions covered by a non-disclosure agreement?
If my company isn’t funding this, how can I sign up?
EPRI participants can engage EPRI with supplemental projects. When a company funds EPRI annual research, 25% of the funds are set aside as self-directed funds (SDF). Utilities can use this to fund supplemental projects. Options for these projects can include:
Underground Structure Monitoring Guiding Alarm Settings and Monitor Deployment
This project will commence in 2023, but is open to additional participants. Please view the following links for more information on the project: PDF | PPT
Supplemental projects can be one-on-one efforts, or projects can be collaborative. Companies allocate their self-directed funds in different ways. Please contact your METT for more information.
For more on supplemental projects, see here. To discuss project ideas, contact John Tripolitis.
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Underground Structure Monitoring -Guiding Alarm Settings and Monitor Deployment
As underground cables and components degrade, they can generate a variety of gases from chemical reactions caused by heating, overheating, arcing, and general aging. These gases may be combustible and, should the presence of these gases not be identified, can build up and lead to an explosive event which can endanger the public, utility workers, and damage equipment. This research is expected to increase industry understanding of combustible gas behavior in underground structures to inform detection sensor placement within the structures, required sensitivities, and alarm settings. Findings from this research will enable utilities to better leverage underground structure monitoring technologies to identify precursor conditions of underground structure events, enabling them to respond and minimize or prevent these events from occurring, and increase public safety. This project will commence in 2023, but is open to additional participants. Please view the following links for more information on the project: PDF | PPT |
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Evaluating Remote Inspection Technologies for the Underground Structures
This project is aimed at providing the industry with information to: 1) understand and compare the technologies that can be leveraged to remotely ascertain conditions in UG structures, including technology for creating a visual capture of the UG distribution system, 2) explore how the information captured by different technologies can be applied and the potential benefits and limitations associated with each approach and 3) understand the potential to remove workers from hazards while still performing necessary inspection and assessment activities. |
For more on supplemental projects, see here. To discuss project ideas, please e-mail Josh Perkel or Nigel Hampton.
Supplemental projects can also be one-on-one efforts. Companies allocate their self-directed funds in different ways. Options for these projects can include:
Examples related to current research could include:
EPRI has several capabilities available to utilities as part of research work, supplemental projects, or service agreements:
EPRI research related to distribution underground assets in several other areas
Underground transmission systems consist of extruded and laminar dielectric cables and accessories.
This program intends to assist utilities in resolving challenges related to design, construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of underground transmission systems. Cross-cutting research addresses issues such as design calculations, cable ratings, and inspection technologies.
Research specific to extruded dielectric cable systems focuses on cable thermo-mechanical behaviors, sensing and monitoring, and component and system aging characteristics. Research specific to laminar dielectric cable systems is concentrated on cable and system diagnostics, buried steel pipe corrosion, and failure root causes.
One project is designed to focus on principles, experiences, and knowledge capture for transmission cable engineers of utilities installing or considering underground transmission lines.
The HVDC Land and Submarine Cable Systems project addresses the emerging issue of grid integration and interconnections and long-distance transmission from remote renewable energy generation sources.
The Plant Engineering Program performs research to inform decisions related to the continued safe, reliable, and efficient operation of nuclear power plants. Research activities address key equipment issues and the effectiveness of plant engineering programs. Active and ongoing research includes but is not limited to: component aging and mitigation (flow-accelerated corrosion, electric cables, buried piping, cathodic protection, nuclear grade coatings, electric relays), system reliability (offsite power, emergency power, single point vulnerabilities), plant performance (heat exchangers, transformers, service water system, plant thermal performance), and other engineering and operational support areas (procurement engineering, seismic qualification, workforce and skills development). The program also supports technology transfer through technical assistance programs, user groups, interest groups, and training.
Research into automated underground devices is also occurring in P180.003, Distribution Automation project.
Underground Project Tasks for 2022
Underground Project Tasks for 2023
Underground Project Tasks for 2024