We probably aren’t the first to tell you, but it bears repeating: Weather patterns are changing—big time. Things are getting more extreme more quickly. In fact, nine of the top 10 years for extreme one-day precipitation events have occurred since 1995 in the U.S. And tropical storm activity in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico has been on the increase throughout the last several decades.
So today—right in the middle of a hurricane season that’s already caused at least 359 fatalities and more than $110 billion in damage—it’s time to talk about extreme weather preparedness. After all, the best time to get ready for extreme weather is before it hits.
With the experts at Southwire, we’ve pulled together 5 of the top strategies for utilities to defend against extreme weather and keep the lights on…both literally and figuratively. Let’s jump in →
1. Delay corrosion in hurricane-prone areas by switching to copper.
Copper is more corrosion-resistant than aluminum and steel (two go-tos for overhead lines). In coastal areas where weight isn’t a major concern, utilities should consider utilizing hard-drawn copper wire as an overhead distribution conductor.
What else can you do? There are methods to delay corrosion (both above and underground) like…
- Replacing corrosive native soil with an engineered backfill
- Improving local drainage to divert water around exposed wires and lower concentration of any contaminated water
2. To mitigate wildfires, convert overhead lines to below grade systems.
In high risk areas, there have recently been more intense wildfires due to climate change that are difficult to prevent. If undergrounding is not possible due to time, budget, or right-of-way, then bare overhead lines can be upgraded with tree wires to minimize arcing in drought regions.
The 3-phase bare conductors can potentially collide with one another during windy conditions, which trigger sparks. Replacing bare wires with Southwire’s CAMV™ cable or covered conductors not only lessens the burden of vegetation management but also reduces the fire risk. Win-win.
3. Know what you’re working with by assessing grid stability digitally.
Southwire offers Digital Grid Resiliency Assessments to ID areas for improvement by leveraging outage and GIS data. This program—which scores assets on overall health and network criticality—locates problematic circuits at the device level and prioritizes maintenance action. And as a bonus? It also provides recommendations with expected benefits and cost justifications.
4. Sidestep short circuits by using more neutrals.
The outer insulation shielding for many primary MV cables contain “one-third” neutrals relative to phase conductor size when used for a 3-phase supply, or “full-size” neutrals for a single-phase system.
With modern rapid switching equipment at substations, though, available short circuit current and duration can be cut down significantly. Using a reduced neutral rating ranging from 1/4, 1/6, to 1/12 saves material cost upfront but can pose significant risk due to an insufficient short circuit capacity.
FYI: Southwire offers calculations to custom design cables with a reduced neutral to match any system requirements.
5. Know what it takes to effectively water-block.
Water intrusion is one of the primary causes of cable system failures. And water intrusion becomes more likely when extreme precipitation happens.
Corrosion-resistant designs such as solid conductors over stranded wires and copper tinning over uncoated counterparts have proven to be effective solutions to the water-blocking problem. Some examples?
- A strand fill compound to water-block the conductor is frequently specified for underground MV cables.
- Water-swellable powder can be applied over shielding wires, under the jacket, to absorb and retain moisture, which hinders the water penetration between the layers of jacketing and shielding wires along the installed cable.
And that? It keeps your cable system up and running when customers need it most. Learn more about Southwire’s water blocking know-how here.
Bottom line: Storm preparedness starts before the storm—utilities that are ready before the forecast shows a threat to stability can better serve their customers and protect their teams.
Want to know how else utilities can defend against extreme weather and modernize the grid? Southwire has 24 more tips you don’t want to miss, right here.
And because you can’t always plan ahead for extreme weather events, Southwire also has you covered with 10 of the most impactful activities to accelerate post-storm recovery, from jacket repair to field testing and strategic decision making to insurance navigation. Check out Southwire’s invaluable resources for post-storm recovery here.
Want to learn more about how Southwire is helping utilities avoid the costly damage caused by increasingly frequent weather events? They’ve got the full rundown on digital grid resiliency, field assessment, and the products you need to keep your electrical system standing against the storm here.
FYI: Southwire offers calculations to custom design cables with a reduced neutral to match any system requirements.
