Edison upgrading its lines with flying men and implosive sleeves

A Southern California Edison lineman is being removed from an electrical tower adjacent to the Sam Merrill Trail in this photo by community correspondent Paul Ayers.

by TImothy Rutt

 

Edison is using a bit of derring-do during construction of its new lines just north of Altadena this summer.

The Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project will deliver electricity from windfarms to the California electrical grid. THe TRTP stretches from Kern County to San Bernardino County, and currently, ahem, Edison is installing a segment in the Angeles National Forest just north of Altadena.

 

A closer look at a lineman being removed from the electrical tower.

To do this, Edison is doing some things that few folks have seen before.  Paul Ayers shared with us some photos he recently took of linemen being lifted by helicopter from their working positions as they prepare the transmission towers.  The linemen dangle from long cables attached to helicopters as they are put in place, and then lifted out by helicopters when it's time to go.

 

And if that wasn't exciting enough ... residents close to the worksite recently received a head's up notice from Edison to get ready for explosions.  Edison will be using a process called implosive sleeve wire splicing to attach cable to the towers.  The process involves wrapping a small implosive charge around a metallic sleeve, creating a controlled implosive compression to connect two wires.  The detonations will take place near Millard Canyon during the week of Aug. 12-16 and Aug. 22-26, according to Edison.  A total of nine detonations will take place during normal construction hours (Mon.-Sat. 7 AM-7 PM. 

Here's a video from Canada we found where they explain implosive sleeve wire splicing, after the jump.