Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Power Line Design & Staking, Levels 1-4

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Hours: 21    UTS CEUs: 2.1

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About the Advanced PLDS Certification Series

UTS's Advanced Power Line Design and Staking Certification is the next step for “Certified Professionals” who have completed the PLDS Core program and seek to advance their knowledge, skills and qualifications. Each course in the Advanced PLDS Series is designed to work independently. This gives our advanced students more freedom and flexibility on their educational path.

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About Adv PLDS - Session I: Advanced Line Design Essentials

Students learn horizontal measurements and ranging, vertical measurements and grading, mapping and GIS, surveying and GPS equipment, aerial imagery and ground features, legal descriptions and ROW, precision and accuracy. They will evaluate the mechanical and structural characteristics of overhead electric utility lines in order to formulate design guidelines and provide consolidated sag and tension data critical for safe and effective line design, as well as consolidated pole, crossarm and pole top component data and tables. Course handbook provided. Proctored final exam through UTS eLearning site. Certificate issued upon successful completion of training and passing (70+) exam score.

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Topics include:

Surveying Concepts for Line Design

• Horizontal measurements and ranging

• Vertical measurements and grading

• Mapping and GIS

• Surveying and GPS equipment

• Legal descriptions and ROW

Conductor Mechanics for Line Design

• Principals of Conductor Mechanics

• The PLDS Process (how conductor sag and tension data and construction practices affect the design and outcome)

• Design Tension (calculations and decisions that rely on design tension, scale and precision, tensioning methods, uncontrollable variables)

• Worst Case Sag, min/max (calculations and decisions that rely on worst case sag, scale and precision, tensioning methods, uncontrollable variables)

• Data Tables (creation, formatting, publishing)

• Rules of Thumb for Larger Conductors (traditional and antiquated rules, organization specifics, formulation of modern rules)

• Joint Use Management Procedures (contractual requirements, NESC responsibilities, permitting processes)

Structure Mechanics for Line Design

• Principals of Structure Mechanics

• The PLDS Process (how poles, equipment, soil conditions and construction practices affect the design and outcome)

• Critical Buckling Axial Ratings (PCR) (how pole class, construction grade, structure orientation type and unbraced column are accounted for in the PCR equation)

• Ultimate Resisting Moment Ratings (URM) (how wood species, pole class and pole setting depth are accounted for in the URM equation)

• Pole Wind Moment (MP) (how NESC Loading, equipment, pole size/class and setting depth affect wind loading on the pole)

• Pole Framing and Adders (determining standards for pole attachments and calculations based on spacing)

• Evaluating NESC strength of pole top components

Deadline for registration is October 10, 2025. Registrations will be confirmed via email, but participants are not guaranteed space in the class until payment is received. Thank you!

Registrants who cancel in writing on or before October 10, 2025 are entitled to a full refund of their registration fee. Registrants who cancel after October 10, 2025 will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for this event only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel by October 10, 2025 are responsible for the full registration.