Background
Ameren Illinois, a regulated electric and gas delivery company headquartered in Collinsville, Illinois, plays a pivotal role in the energy sector across central and southern Illinois. EPE has been contracted to provide distribution design, project coordination, and engineering services to Ameren’s Department of Distribution Design Centers. The primary objective of this engagement is to ensure the integrity of Ameren’s electrical distribution system by gathering critical field data, identifying potential clearance violations, and delivering comprehensive job packages to facilitate corrective actions.
Challenge
Ameren faces significant challenges in maintaining compliance with National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) standards while ensuring the reliability of its distribution network. These challenges include:
- Identifying and documenting clearance violations in a timely manner
- Efficiently managing field data and job workflows
- Coordinating corrective actions across multiple teams and systems
Approach
EPE was responsible for collecting field data on distribution poles, analyzing clearance issues per NESC Section 23 standards, and generating detailed job packages for Ameren’s review.
Solution
The solution is structured as follows:
- Receiving Pole Lists - Ameren provides a list of distribution poles requiring field inspection.
- Field Data Collection - A fielding engineer visits each pole location to document critical parameters, including:
- Photos of poles and their attachments
- Heights of poles’ tops, bases, and attachments
- Span and midspan measurements
- Review Against Standards - The fielding engineer assesses the collected data per:
- Ameren Distribution Construction Standards
- NESC Section 23 Clearance requirements
- Violation Identification & Documentation - If a clearance violation is detected, the fielding engineer creates a job package for each affected pole, including:
- Maximo Work Order (WO) Details
- CU Estimate
- Job Print
- National Joint Utilities Notification System (NJUNS) documentation
- Field pictures
- Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators (JULIE)ticket details
- Turnover Instructions (TOI)
- Any additional necessary documents
- Job Package Submission - Designers use Maximo to create work orders, manage communication with Ameren staff, and upload the completed job packages for Ameren’s review and approval.
- Expected Outcomes - By systematically assessing and documenting pole conditions, EPE’s services help Ameren:
- Maintain compliance with NESC safety standards
- Enhance system reliability by addressing clearance violations
- Streamline corrective actions through detailed and organized job packages
- Improve project coordination and efficiency through Maximo-based communication and tracking
Want to learn more about our solutions?
When you partner with EPE, you get an experienced team dedicated to providing you with tailored solutions and expert guidance.
Please fill out the form to the right, and a member of our team will be in touch.