Meeting Details

COURSE INFORMATION

Course Description: The course covers the National Electric Safety Code, easement acquisition, obtaining permits, and line inspections. The study of the NESC provides a working knowledge of rules applicable to distribution lines; the section on easement acquisition focuses on what makes an easement legal and how to negotiate for easements; the section on obtaining permits outlines types of government permits required to build a power line and how to get them; and the section on line inspection describes types of line inspections and how to document them.

Participants learn to:
• Identify and explain the differences between NESC and NEC.
• Define proper substation equipment clearances.
• Identify proper conductor and pole strengths.
• Calculate proper clearances for installing overhead lines.
• Identify rules for properly installing conduit systems, buried cable, and pad-mounted equipment.
• Prepare a legal utility easement and legal property descriptions.
• Recognize personality types and negotiation methods.
• Identify agencies that require permits and obtain contact information and permit forms for each agency.
• Prepare permitting forms and support documents.
• Identify various inspection types and determine when each is needed.
• Properly document inspection.
• Ensure proper record retention.

Required Materials: Current NESC Code Manual, scientific calculator

Instructors: Hi-Line Engineering specializes in providing engineering consulting services to electric utilities. Hi-Line’s staff exhibits diverse experience in the planning, design, operation and maintenance of electric distribution systems. Plus, Hi-Line offers a variety of training courses geared to the electric utility industry.

COURSE OUTLINE

Part 1—Application and Use of the NESC
This section provides students with a working knowledge of the NESC, including:
• Purpose of the NESC
• Grounding requirements and substation clearances
• Overhead line strength of materials
• Clearances and underground rules

Part 2—Easement Acquisition
In this session, students learn about easements, including:
• General definitions and the anatomy of an easement
• Effective negotiating and special situations

Part 3—Obtaining Permits
This session teaches students about permitting, including:
• Setting up an efficient permitting process
• Departments of transportation permits
• U.S. Corps of Engineers permits
• Transmission line and miscellaneous permits

Part 4—Line Inspection
In this session, students learn the principles of making an inspection, including:
• NESC requirements, records and maps
• Methods of inspection and detailed visual inspection
• Pole strength or integrity

Continuing Education Units and Continuing Professional Education Hours
This course may be eligible for CEUs or CPEs, depending on the governing body. Upon request and completion of the entire course, TEC will provide a certificate of completion to participants that may be used to apply for CEUs/CPEs.