Report by Paula Antolini
February 22, 2017 9:19AM EDT
Eversource Is Conducting Statewide Infrared Helicopter Inspections Beginning Feb. 22nd
BERLIN, Conn. (February 22, 2017) – Beginning this week, Eversource will be conducting aerial inspections of high-voltage electrical equipment on rights-of-way throughout Connecticut. This semiannual inspection is an important part of the company’s ongoing commitment to providing reliable electric service. The work involves the use of a helicopter equipped with heat-sensing, infrared scanning technology which can detect potential equipment issues before they occur.
“Over a million customers in Connecticut depend on us for reliable electric service to power their day-to-day lives,” said Steve Gilkey, Vice President of Connecticut Field Operations at Eversource. “The semiannual helicopter inspections of our transmission lines are a crucial and effective part of our commitment to reducing the frequency and duration of power outages.”
Weather-permitting, the aerial inspections will start Wednesday, February 22 and continue through March 1. They will take place from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., covering the following Connecticut cities and towns:
Andover, Beacon Falls, Berlin, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Bozrah, Branford, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Canton, Chaplin, Cheshire, Chester, Columbia, Coventry, Danbury, Darien, Deep River, Durham, East Granby, East Haddam, East Hartford, East Haven, East Lyme, East Windsor, Ellington, Essex, Farmington, Franklin, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hampton, Hartford, Harwinton, Hebron, Killingly, Lebanon, Ledyard, Litchfield, Lyme, Manchester, Mansfield, Meriden, Middlebury, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Montville, Naugatuck, New Hartford, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, North Branford, North Stonington, Norwalk, Old Saybrook, Orange, Oxford, Plymouth, Pomfret, Portland, Putnam, Redding, Ridgefield, Rocky Hill, Roxbury, Salisbury, Shelton, Simsbury, Somers, South Windsor, Southington, Stamford, Suffield, Thomaston, Thompson, Wallingford, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, Westport, Wethersfield, Wilton, Windham, Windsor, Wolcott, Woodbridge and Woodbury.
DESCRIPTION OF AIRCRAFT: Blue & silver helicopter, tail # N1431W, and blue & white helicopter, tail # N411DD
The region’s transmission system is the backbone of the electric grid. Overhead inspections of transmission lines and equipment – often located upwards of 100 feet in the air – help engineers detect potential problems in advance, allowing the company to schedule necessary maintenance and upgrades before reliability issues arise.
Eversource (NYSE: ES) transmits and delivers electricity to 1.2 million customers in 149 cities and towns and provides natural gas to 226,000 customers in 72 communities in Connecticut. Recognized as the top U.S. utility for its energy efficiency programs by the sustainability advocacy organization Ceres, Eversource harnesses the commitment of its approximately 8,000 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and superior customer service. For more information, please visit our website (www.eversource.com) and follow us on Twitter (@EversourceCT) and Facebook (facebook.com/EversourceCT).
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