Power Line Design & Staking Certification Courses
Course 101: Power Line Design & Staking, Level 1 (onsite, online, virtual)
Pre-requisite: None Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1(PDHs: 21)
In Level 1 Power Line Design and Staking, students will gain a strong foundation necessary to help them advance in the field of line design and staking. This class will include the basic engineering of overhead single-phase lines typically expected of beginning line design personnel. After completion of this course, participants will be able to complete overhead transformer and service conductor sizing, calculate accurate guy leads for both angle and dead end situations, interpret and implement sag charts in clearance design, and will be able to navigate the NESC in order to locate important rules and tables necessary for safe design. Course manual provided. Students need to bring a copy of the current NESC to class (not included in course materials).
Power Line Design & Staking "kit"
Additional materials/supplies required for Levels 2-4 may be provided in the Level 1 class (including - but not limited to - a scientific calculator with trigonometric functions). Items provided in the Level 1 course may be needed in Levels 2-4 of the Power Line Design Series.
Course 102: Power Line Design & Staking, Level 2 (onsite, online, virtual)
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Power Line Design & Staking - Level 1 Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1(PDHs: 21)
In Level 2 of the Power Line Design and Staking series, students will build on the foundation created in the prerequisite course, Level 1. This class places emphasis on joint use remedy and make ready, as well as vertical and horizontal loading. After completion of Level 2, participants will be able to complete the layout and design of most overhead projects, understand and utilize NESC and sag chart criteria, evaluate and design make ready/remedy for joint use facilities, calculate the mechanical loading effects of line design, understand conductor blowout and design for/around grain bins, and will be able to design for crossing under transmission lines. Course manual provided. NOTE: Students need to bring a copy of the current NESC and “kit” items provided in Level 1 to class (not included in course materials).
Course 103: Power Line Design & Staking, Level 3 (onsite, online, virtual)
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Power Line Design & Staking, Levels 1 & 2 Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1(PDHs: 21)
In Level 3 Power Line Design and Staking, students will build on the foundation created in the prerequisite courses, Levels 1 and 2 and are introduced to underground line design. Attention is given to understanding how to apply the theories of line design to solve special problems. After completion of this course, participants will be able complete the layout and design of most overhead and underground projects. Students will also understand the physical loads on the distribution system and the associated hardware, read DOT projects, class poles, design for special guying situations, calculate sag and create a stringing chart, and estimate sag on uneven terrain. Course manual provided. NOTE: Students need to bring a copy of the current NESC and “kit” items provided in Level 1 to class (not included in course materials).
Course 104: Power Line Design & Staking, Level 4 (onsite, virtual)
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Power Line Design & Staking, Levels 1, 2 & 3 Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1(PDHs: 21)
In Level 4 of the Power Line Design series, students will be taken beyond the basics of power line design and staking and will focus on reliability and efficiency. They will discuss the aging power infrastructure and system reliability. Students will look at mechanical loading for multi-circuits, will learn about commercial load sizing and will be guided through the process of calculating loads on manufactured products. Students will review NESC and will learn when and how to apply Rule 250 C and D. Classroom discussion will include a brief look at how local requirements and/or RUS standards and bulletins incorporate (and compare to) NESC rules. They will spend time learning about system protection and balance, including proper protective equipment selection and placement. Students will also discuss storm preparation (hardening of the system) and recovery (getting the system back operational). NOTE: Students need to bring a copy of the current NESC and “kit” items provided in Level 1 to class (not included in course materials).
Specialty Courses
UTS’s Specialty Courses are designed for individuals desiring to increase skills or refine expertise in specific areas. Most of these courses are 2 days (14 hours). Worksheets and quizzes are incorporated into the classes for application practice and self-assessment. Certificate of attendance is awarded upon completion.
Whether the motivation for specialty training is skills maintenance or career planning, these courses challenge students to learn beyond the basic requirements in their professions. Specialty courses provide great opportunities for professional growth and skills development.
Advanced PLDS Certification Session I - Line Design Essentials (onsite)
Pre-requisite: UTS PLDS Core Certification (Levels 1-4) required.
Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1 (PDHs: 21)
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. The final exam for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.
Advanced PLDS Certification Session II - Joint Attachment Management (onsite)
Pre-requisite: UTS PLDS Core Certification (Levels 1-4) required.
Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1 (PDHs: 21)
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Students in this class will learn the governing principles, standards and best practices needed for managing joint attachments on electric utility structures for overhead lines. With the overall goals of ensuring safety and reliability and protecting utility interests, the course covers engineering and design topics relevant to make ready, permitting and inspections. Calculations for mechanical loading and clearances are presented in a format that challenges students to arrive at real-world solutions to common issues. The National Electric Safety Code, DOT requirements and utility standards all serve as a central theme to the course. The final exam for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.
Advanced PLDS Certification Session III - Advanced Underground Power Design (onsite)
UTS PLDS Core Certification (Levels 1-4) required.
Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1 (PDHs: 21)
This advanced course on Underground Distribution Design covers topics of engineering and design that are beyond the scope of the PLDS core series yet necessary for proper design, planning and management of larger URD projects. Students will learn, not only the "how" of looped and radial underground layout but, also, the "why" for both 200 amp and 600 amp circuits. Building on concepts learned in the core series, this course will illustrate how to determine maximum cable run length, pulling tension, jam ratios, conductor capacity, proper pad placement and thermal limitations for conduits and risers. Students who complete the course will have a firm grasp on the big picture of how URD systems are constructed, maintained and operated to ensure safe and reliable service for the effective life of the components. The final exam for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.
Advanced PLDS Certification Session IV - System Reliability (onsite)
UTS PLDS Core Certification (Levels 1-4) required.
Hours: 21 CEUs: 2.1 (PDHs: 21)
For electric utilities, the only aspect of design and engineering more important than reliability is safety. Safety is of utmost importance and, for this reason, all four levels of the Line Design and Staking program have a heavy emphasis on safety. In this advanced course, students who have successfully completed the PLDS program will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of line design to include standards, calculations and practices that enable designers to produce lines that are safe and reliable. Students will learn how reliability indices work and can be improved through appropriate route selection, pole and hardware choices, customer engagement, line access, visibility, phase configuration, recloser and fuse placement and documentation. Exercises in outage scenarios will demonstrate how all of these aspects of line design and staking can contribute to reliability, as well as, ease and speed of restoration. The final exam for this course will be given online the week following in-class instruction.
Course 500: Understanding the NESC – for Distribution Utilities – 2 days
Who should attend: Staking/Field Technicians; Distribution Line Workers; System and Line Designers; Engineers; Utility Managers; Engineering Managers; System Engineers; Line Inspection personnel; and Electric Utility Contractors.
Pre-requisite: Attendees need a basic understanding of distribution power systems & line design Hours: 14 CEUs: 1.4 (PDHs: 14)
This 2 day NESC review course that provides a general overview of the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) was developed primarily for electric utility personnel and contractors responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of distribution power lines and systems. The course provides attendees with a brief history of the NESC, its purpose, as well as the structure of the organization, roles of committees and the process for determining rules. The course focuses on rules associated with installation and maintenance of overhead and underground electric supply and communication lines, work rules associated with the same, and with particular attention given to changes introduced in the latest 2023 edition of the NESC. Worksheet exercises allow participants to apply NESC rules as they calculate load, clearance and sag for sample designs. A course guide is provided. Attendees need to bring a copy of the current (2023) edition of the NESC (not provided in class).*
*The 2023 NESC may be purchased from IEEE (http://www.ieee.com).
Course 099: Math Fundamentals for Line Design - Prep for PLDS (onsite, online, virtual)
Pre-requisite: Attendees need a basic understanding of distribution power systems Hours: 7 CEUs: 7.0 (PDHs: 7)
This 1-day course (1 week, if online) aims to instruct prospective students of the Power Line Design and Staking series in math and algebra operations skills needed for successful completion of the PLDS courses. Many topics covered in the PLDS series will use equations and variables to solve for values that apply to line design
and staking and this often poses a challenge to students who lack skills in math or need a refresher in types of math operations that they may have not seen for some period of time. Seminar outline (and Calculator) provided.
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Accuracy and Precision of Numbers in Line Design
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Order of Operations (PEMDAS)
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Algebraic Operations (formulas and variables)
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Solving Equations (best practices from input variables to final solution)
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Calculator Operations
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Using Microsoft Excel to Solve Equations
Seminars & Workshops
Seminars and Workshops are generally one day (7 contact hours), and may be designed—or even customized—for organization-wide, departmental, or small focus group sessions. Industry code updates (NESC), new government regulations, various topic overviews, and task-specific “how to” sessions are just a few ways UTS has worked with clients to provide training through seminars and workshops.
Course 605: NESC 2023 Update Seminar for Distribution Utilities – 1 day
Who should attend: Staking/Field Technicians; Distribution Line Workers; Designers; Engineers; Utility Managers; Engineering Managers; System Engineers, Operations Managers; Safety Managers; Communication Line Workers; Electric Utility Contractors; and Line Inspection Personnel.
Pre-requisite: None Hours: 7 CEUs: 0.7 (PDHs: 7)
With each new update, the National Electric Safety Code (NESC) brings in new changes that affect many departments in your utility. Learning these changes is imperative to maintaining and operating a safe utility system, in turn, improving system reliability. UTS presents this NESC update seminar to address multi-functional groups across the entire utility and provides a forum to discuss all the important code issues from safety, to design, to construction. Seminar guide provided.
NOTE: A copy of the NESC is not required nor is it provided in this seminar. However, some students may find it helpful to follow along in the codebook. The 2023 NESC will be available August 1, 2022 and may be purchased from IEEE (http://www.ieee.com).
Course 630: Line Design & Staking Concepts for Non-Engineering – 1 day
Who should attend: Distribution Line Workers; Communication Line Workers; Electric Utility Contractors; Line Designers; Line Inspection Personnel; Maintenance & Construction Supervisors; Operations Managers; Safety Managers; Engineering Administrative Personnel
Pre-requisite: Basic understanding of distribution power systems Hours: 7 CEUs: 0.7
This one day line design and staking overview seminar is designed especially for non-engineering electric utility personnel who want to learn more about factors taken into consideration by engineers and field technicians when designing layout of, support structures and equipment to be used for distribution power delivery. Several basic requirements of the National Electric Safety Code are reviewed to illustrate their effect on engineering design decisions and the dangers associated with improperly modifying a design in the field. Non-code and non-construction factors such as easements, permitting, environmental issues, etc are discussed as well. After completing this seminar, participants will have a better understanding of the power line design process from system planning to construction as well as a better understanding of how their own jobs contribute to – and are affected by – the design process. Seminar guide provided.