ABB Medium Voltage Instrument Transformers

Entergy Is Testing AMI Voltage Optimization

2012-01-31T10:31:00.000-05:00

In addition to some other big news this week, ABB was grabbing some headlines over at Greentech Media for it voltage optimization project at Louisiana-based utility Entergy. Partnering with Elster and Survalent Technologies, ABB is helping Entergy to understand what the voltage profile looks like on their distribution system so that it can reduce the load and amount of power that is generated. The resulting reduction in power generated leads to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

ABB's patent-pending SCC-125 split-core CT/PT sensor feeds current and voltage data to Elster's AGI node. This smart meter technology calculates the information that a utility needs to make intelligent decisions on their network to reduce usage and generation. This information is then sent wirelessly over Elster's AMI network into the utility's Distribution Management System (DMS) or their SCADA system. Voltage optimization is an application that can reduce power consumption without intruding on consumers.

Elster has created the Smart Grid Voltage Conservation Alliance to help utilities and consumers both understand more about reducing power consumption. Learn more at the Smart Grid Voltage Conservation Alliance website.

For more information on how ABB can help your utility reduce costs, power generation and become more efficient, please contact us at 252-827-2121.

ABB to Showcase Latest in Smart Grid Technology at DistribuTECH 2012 in San Antonio, TX

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Distributech 2012 takes center stage this week as the first major conference & exhibition to ring in the New Year! As a leading event for the utility industry, Distributech showcases the latest in smart grid technology from a variety of vendors in areas such as:

Distribution Grid Management
Transmission Grid Management
Asset Health
Advanced Metering
Demand Response
Grid Communications
Control & Automation Systems
Renewable Energy

With the record breaking attendance of over 8,400 attendees and over 400 exhibiting companies in 2011, Distributech is a great opportunity to see the latest in what the smart grid technology market has to offer. As usual, ABB will be a major contributor with an extensive booth exhibition, compelling presentations, and engaging webcast discussions. Click HERE for an overview of what will be found upon arrival to ABB booth #516.

ABB Pinetops’ own Jon Rennie will be speaking about voltage conservation at a Distributech webcast panel. Register HERE and learn about the benefits of voltage monitoring and the initiatives of the Smart Grid Voltage Conservation Alliance (SGVCA). We are excited to be part of what will definitely be an excellent week of interaction between utilities and the vendors that serve them. Don’t miss out on seeing our GridSync sensor solution at ABB booth #516 and learn how it enhances the effectiveness of your smart grid strategy. Furthermore, take the opportunity to speak with a variety of our experts to help achieve success in 2012 and beyond. See you there!

Customer Focus Spotlight: Snowstorms Are A Real Pain for Utilities

2012-01-22T12:32:00.000-05:00

Snow storms wreak havoc on power lines and the utilities and linemen that are charged with keeping our power on - and our homes warm. When a major snowstorm hit the Northwest this week, one of ABB Pinetops' good customers counted on us to deliver 360 fused cutouts overnight to restore power to a storm damaged city. Our cutout production team is no stranger to storm affected customers and knew we had to respond quickly.

Production manager Wilfred Billingsley and his team worked overtime to get the required cutouts out over night. This kind of quick reaction highlights the benefits of having a U.S.-based cutout supplier and a support company that is focused on customers.

If you aren't getting this kind of customer service from your cutout supplier, you should. Contact us at 252-827-2121 to talk to us about how we can take care of you like this.

Customer Focus Spotlight: What Happens When A Power Plant Is Down?

2012-01-19T14:14:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday morning last week, we received a call that a power plant in Mississippi that had a partial outage and needed three current transformers (CT) delivered immediately. Normally these CTs have a lead time of several weeks, but this power plant, and the people and businesses that they serve, could not wait that long. After identifying the correct CT based on the switchgear that the failed units were installed in, we went straight to work to figure out how we could help the customer.

Our OEM production team was able to produce the CTs overnight Wednesday and get them shipped off to Mississippi to help get them back online as soon as possible.

We have named 2012 as the Year of the Customer and this was a great example of our marketing, engineering and production teams coming together to focus on the customer.

When you need great customer service from your instrument transformer supplier, give us a call at 252-827-2121.

ABB Nominated to Smart Grid News’ “2012 Smart Grid Companies to Watch”

2012-01-16T14:56:00.000-05:00

2012 is poised to be an exhilarating year for ABB in the smart grid market, and others are taking notice. Now becoming a part of a Smart Grid News’ annual tradition, ABB was nominated to be one of the 12 Smart Grid Companies to Watch in 2012.

To advance the integration of recent acquisitions and enhance the effectiveness of our smart grid strategy, ABB officially opened the Smart Grid Center of Excellence in December 2011 at the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University. The Center showcases ABB’s $10 million investment of end-to-end solutions where information and operational technologies converge and demonstrates to utilities the key benefits of the smart grid. However, the smart grid is complex term and means something different to each utility. To address this, the new Systems Verification Center allows utilities to configure, test, and install solutions from a variety of industry accepted products. This capability empowers utilities, at minimal risk, to determine the best smart grid solution that meets their requirements.

We at ABB Pinetops have been supporting the Center’s development efforts throughout 2011 and look forward to supporting a very successful opening year and beyond. Visit the Center to see both the GridSync sensor solution and the GridGuard automated switch on display. We look forward to showing you why ABB has earned this recognition from Smart Grid News. Please contact us at 252-827-3212 for more information about these and other ABB smart grid solutions.

ABB Makes GreenTech's Smart Grid Top 10

2012-01-13T11:47:00.000-05:00

ABB is excited to see that our hard work in the Smart Grid sector is being recognized. Greentechmedia published their annual list of the Top 10 Smart Grid vendors recently here and we were recognized on that list. At ABB, we are focused on a four-pronged smart grid strategy of Reliability, Efficiency, Capacity and Sustainability.

To improve upon an aging grid structure, we at ABB have relied on our core strength as a traditional power company to improve upon and develop new products for the grid. As examples, we have developed more efficient transformers, integrated distribution automation products and reclosers into fully functional FDIR (Fault Detection, Isolation and Restoration) solutions, and developed easily installed current and voltage sensors to monitor the distribution grid. ABB has also been very active in bringing new companies in house through acquisitions. Ventyx, a large utililty software company, is the most notable acquisition. But other acquisitions and partnerships include Ecotality for electric vehicles, Obvient, Insert Key Solutions and Mincom on the software side.

ABB Pinetops has made a large splash in the Efficiency side of the smart grid with its introduction of GridSync for Volt/VAr Optimization, Conservation Voltage Reduction and Feeder Metering applications.

To find out more how we can help your utility improve upon its Smart Grid solutions, please contact us at 252-827-3212.

Voltage Conservation Reduction – Simple Concept, Complex Solution

2012-01-10T14:23:00.001-05:00

Jon Rennie, Vice President and General Manager of Distribution Automation and Components, is participating in a webcast panel on Voltage Conservation at DistibuTECH. Register HERE and learn about the benefits of voltage monitoring and the initiatives of the Smart Grid Voltage Conservation Alliance (SGVCA).

Long before the term “smart grid” became the buzzword of the energy market, utilities and regulators have been interested in the concept of reducing electric consumption by lowering voltage levels of the grid. With the push in the market for the grid to become smarter and more efficient, the concept of Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) has become another of the common terms associated with the smart grid.

CVR is a simple concept that states if the utility can lower their voltage delivery to a consistent 117 volts, it will result in saved energy. Studies have shown that reducing the system voltage by 1% yields an impressive 0.6% reduction in electricity consumption. Scaling this up to a 5% voltage reduction, a utility could realize an impressive 3% reduction in energy consumption. This could be easily implemented at little cost and be especially effective during times of peak load, thus preventing the use of more expensive auxiliary power to feed the grid and/or preventing the need to commit large amounts of capital to invest in new power plants. However, implementing CVR and realizing the benefits is not as simple as the concept itself.

Before embracing the CVR concept, it is critical to understand some major factors to ensure that utilities and their customers experience the benefits. The primary concern with CVR is that too low of a voltage is a leading cause of problems for consumers and that, not surprisingly, is something utilities work to avoid. Just as the picture at the beginning of this post portrays, long feeders experience losses that could put customers voltage levels below the ANSI lower limit even if the customers closer to the substation are above 120 volts. In addition, there exist types of load equipment that have constant current or power characteristics which do not produce that benefit of decreasing power consumption as a result of voltage conservation.

Does this mean we should abandon CVR as a smart grid concept? Definitely not! In fact, what it does mean is that instead of considering CVR as the only means of energy savings, it is important to look at “optimizing voltage”. Understanding the fundamentals of equipment response and the aggregated response of loads throughout the grid are critical in making the proper decisions at the proper time. Using GridSync medium voltage sensors, utilities can have the capability today to better understand the condition of their feeders from the substation down to the last customer. This leads to more intelligent, real-time decisions ensuring voltage is always at optimal levels. Contact the ABB Pinetops Marketing Department at 252-827-2121 to learn more and start optimizing your distribution grid.

Renewed Focus on Customer Satisfaction in 2012

2012-01-03T08:17:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to a new year! 2011 in many ways was a great year for ABB Pinetops. We saw the integration of our cutout business into Pinetops, the full integration of the Kuhlman integration into our factory, the launch of GridSync and a turnaround from the down economy of 2009 and 2010. But with more growth, we lost a bit of our focus on what made ABB Pinetops so successful - our customer's satisfaction.

In 2012, we are making customer satisfaction our number one priority. We will be focused on the things that our customers tell us matter most - shorter lead times, on time deliveries and, most importantly, quality products. We have put increased visibility into each of our product lines with a focused factory approach, creating teams to oversee each of the product areas of ABB Pinetops.

We look forward to strengthening our place in the instrument transformer, cutout and switch market as the most reliable partner for both utilities and OEMs in our industry.

Happy New Year!

Social Media Links

2011-12-07T09:06:00.002-05:00

If you are interested in following us in other Social Media venues, please follow the links below:

What Customer Service Really Means to Us

2011-12-05T08:58:00.005-05:00

Guest blogger and Sales & Marketing Manager for ABB Pinetops, Steve Lindsay, shares a tale of two Customer Service experiences

I had two eye opening experiences with customer service this weekend that really made me reflect. The first was my family's annual Christmas tree purchase. The second was a rush CT order for a customer with a shutdown.

Traditionally, my family and I buy our Christmas tree from a local group that is raising money, often a Boy Scout Troop. This year, however, a neighbor told us about the deal he got at one of the big box stores. We decided we would save a few bucks and get a tree there instead of driving across town to the Boy Scout lot.

When we arrived at the big box store, we went straight to the garden area where the trees were. To our disappointment, we found the trees haphazardly piled on top of each other and there wasn't a person in sight to help us pick one out. After what seemed like hours of picking through the trees, moving and replacing them, and holding them up all while trying to corral two impatient boys, we finally we found a tree that we could all agree on.

Then I looked around and realized I had a problem. This was not the Boy Scout lot. There was no one there to help me get this tree to the cashier. No one to help me load it on top of my car. No one to tie it down. I guess the good news is that I found a young man picking up shopping carts who let me know that there was a spool of twine under the cashiers desk that we could use.
Suffice it to say, we figured it out, we got the tree home, and it's up and decorated but we will definitely be going to the Boy Scout tree lot next year, even if we have to pay an extra $10 or $20.

The other event that happened this weekend simply made me proud of what we do here at ABB and the people I get to work with. We had an order that had to be on a customer site Monday morning at 8 AM. These were custom designed slip over current transformers that were being used in a substation with an outage. With heavy end of the year orders, we have been working hard to fill all the various customer needs.

This particular order was on a production line that was already overloaded. The six CTs had to ship by Sunday morning in order to get to the customer site on time. We had five different people either work overtime on Friday or come in over the weekend. The units had to be wound, pre-tested, poured, cured, tested, packed and shipped.

In the end, they shipped on time to our customer for the outage. This was such a great example of meeting customer needs and working together as a team. Some of the team that made this happen were Michelle Dixon, Ed Mayo, Trina Sills, Josh Boseman and Santiago Nolasquez. This was all coordinated by our Sales Engineer Chris Jones.

The bottom line is that, if your instrument transformer manufacturer isn't giving you this type of service, maybe you should reconsider who you do business with. ABB may seem like the big box store, but it is filled with people who would rather act like the local Boy Scout troop when it comes to serving the customer.

ABB Automation and Power World: An Educational Experience

2011-11-15T11:04:00.000-05:00

Back in April of this year, ABB hosted its annual Automation and Power World users conference and exhibition in Orlando, Florida. This event showcased over 70,000 square feet of exhibit space dedicated to automation, manufacturing, and power solutions and drew a record total of more than 4,200 attendees.

In addition to the exhibit hall and demonstration areas, the event included over 500 hours of workshops, customer case histories, partner presentations, and hands-on training sessions. Check out the highlights from 2011:

Even if you were not able to attend this year, we have recently posted new videos from the event showcasing some of the educational opportunities the conference provides. Click HERE to check them out. Once you navigate to a specific video of interest, see the link in the description where you can download the slides used for the presentation.

We hope to see everyone for ABB Automation and Power World 2012 in Houston, Texas on April 23-26, 2012 where we plan on, once again, exceeding expectations. ABB Pinetops will be well represented in the distribution power products area where you can see and talk to the experts on the latest developments for instrument transformers, cutouts, and switches as well as our smart grid solutions.

Veteran's Day Salute

2011-11-11T08:47:00.000-05:00

It seems like Veterans Day comes and goes with little notice most years. Often we are too busy to stop and thank the people who have sacrificed so much for us to enjoy our freedoms. At ABB, that is not the case. Today, as we do every year, we are taking time out to thank our Military Veterans.

At ABB Pinetops, we have 19 Veterans representing every branch of the service: Navy, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Marines. Each of these employees is a leader in our plant and an important part of our success.

So, once again we say, “Thank You to all our Veterans! Thank you for your service!”

ABB Pinetops Veterans:

Roger Roberson

Kevin O’Donnell

Steve Thomson

Michael Wiggins

Junior Eason

Jon Rennie

Richard Culifer

Nathan Everett

Don Richerson

Marcus Bailey

Roger Jefferson

Benny Morgan

Thomas Snider

Johnnie Lyons

Gary Haynes

Kentucky Pommerening

John Gustafson

David Johnson

James Crandall

A Smarter Grid: Identifying Non-Technical Losses

2011-11-08T09:02:00.000-05:00

One of the key elements to ensure utilities can successfully optimize their distribution network is to understand the losses on their system and how they occur. The typical electric utility can classify their system loss into two categories, technical and non-technical.

Technical losses occur due to the physical nature of electric components required as part of the grid. For example, transformers, regulators, and the lines themselves cause losses from generation to consumption. Though significant, technical losses are more predictable and possible to compute and control. Non-technical losses, on the other hand, are caused by actions external to the distribution network itself. Therefore, they are harder to identify and measure because these losses are unaccounted for by the system operators.

Many utilities throughout the world face a huge challenge in mitigating non-technical losses. In some cases it is the cause of a 30% or more decrease in revenue. Primary causes include energy theft, non-payment by customers, and administrative errors. Energy theft typically occurs from illegal tampering with electric meters or taps on power lines, whereas nonpayment is simply the inability of the customer to pay the full price of electricity consumed. Finally, administrative errors are mostly related to the business process failures within a utility. No matter the cause, the result of these losses creates rate increases, decreases utility revenue, and boosts carbon emissions.

The best method to address this challenge is to add visibility to the distribution grid. Understanding the conditions of different feeders throughout the distribution network empowers utilities to effectively manage their system. The ABB GridSync solution combines its patent-pending split core sensor technology with a meter/communications package to provide valuable intelligence in near real-time to analyze, identify, and take quick decisive action against instances creating non-technical losses. As a result, utilities will maximize their revenue while maintaining fair rates and minimizing the release of carbon emissions.

To get more information on how GridSync helps identify non-technical to recover lost revenue, please contact the ABB Pinetops marketing department at 252-827-2121

October Newsletter

2011-10-20T11:59:00.000-04:00

The October Medium Voltage Distribution Components Customer Newsletter is out! See what's new from ABB here

Public vs Private: The Smart Grid Communications Debate

2011-10-19T13:47:00.000-04:00

One of the few aspects not up to debate in the smart grid market is the importance of a communications network. In order to take full advantage of the benefits smart grid technologies have to offer, the utility’s approach must be comprehensive. Therefore, communications function as the backbone of the smart grid enabling complete interoperability between new and existing infrastructure and proving new business cases.

In terms of communication for the smart grid, this is where universal agreement ends and the debates begin. One major topic of discussion in this realm is the use of public versus private networks. This subject has been discussed in conferences, webinars, forums, and various other media outlets throughout the industry. After listening to the voices of many industry experts, it is clear there are some key advantages of each option to consider before making a final decision:

Public

Bandwidth – Most utilities are just at the cusp of the new data explosion that will help optimize the grid in terms of increased efficiency and reliability. However, these benefits are going to require higher bandwidth to allow for real-time reporting of energy consumption to provide direct load control for reserves or peak shaving. Public networks can offer the bandwidth needed for implementing smart grid applications at a large scale.

Reliability/Maintenance – With public networks, ownership is not the concern of the utility. Should power and communication equipment go down in the case of a bad storm, utilities can concentrate on their core competency, restoring power back to the consumer. At the same time, the public cellular carrier will do what they do best, bring communications back online. Without a public network, utilities will undoubtedly feel pressure when it comes to maintaining communications.

Simplicity – Along the same lines as reliability, with public network infrastructure already in place, the utility can easily utilize this in developing effective pilot programs in a shorter period of time.

Private

Security – This is perhaps the most emphasized advantage of private networks. With control of the network, the utility has oversight to limit the number of entry points in the network making it easier to identify and prevent any threats. Moreover, the design of the private network can be implemented to directly address the security needs of mission critical applications.

Coverage – The motivation behind communication coverage differs between public and private networks. Utilities require more ubiquitous coverage over a territory rather than based on the number of consumers since communications are also important with remote equipment along the distribution grid such as capacitors or reclosers. Thus, private networks have more flexibility to provide the necessary coverage

Lifetime Cost – Private networks do require additional capital to put the infrastructure in place, however, in the long term private networks can be more cost effective due to lack of ongoing monthly subscription costs. These costs only increase as additional points are introduced into the system. This allows the typical private network to have a shorter payback period.

Overall, the best response to this debate, in my view, is one that we’ve all heard before, it depends. Each utility has a different variety of customer segments and must position them accordingly. I am finding that, most often, the way to best utilize the advantages of both public and private networks is to develop a hybrid solution allowing utilities to effectively address their customer’s needs. For example, a utility’s rural customer segment with poor cellular coverage would not be best served with a complete public network solution. Having a deep understanding of current operational capabilities, current/future smart grid approach, and the accurately segmented customer base will ensure the correct path is carved for developing and implementing a successful communications strategy.

Manufactured in Pinetops, NC, the GridSync SCC-125 sensor as pictured above is proven to successfully integrate with both public and private networks. Therefore, no matter what communications technology best fits you and your customers, the GridSync Medium Voltage Sensor solution will meet your needs by providing revenue class metering accurate information critical for analysis and action to increase the reliability and efficiency of your distribution grid. Contact ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121 to obtain more information or with any questions about the GridSync solution.

ABB Smart Grid Center of Excellence Captures National Attention

2011-10-14T11:44:00.000-04:00

The ABB Smart Grid Center of Excellence (CoE) is a major breakthrough for ABB and it is now garnering national attention. Bloomberg Businessweek is running a feature article on Raleigh, NC's emergence as a Smart Grid hub. The article specifically mentions ABB's $10 million investment in the CoE as a leading indicator of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle being a major player in the Smart Grid arena.

We featured the ABB Smart Grid CoE here on this blog not too long ago as well as the Triangle area's emergence as a Smart Grid hub. As a manufacturer of several smart grid products, ABB Pinetops is excited to see the growth of the Smart Grid among utilities but also the national recognition that as a nation, we need to expand and improve our capability of providing smart power.

Incorporating IEC 61850 interoperability into Smart Grid systems

2011-10-13T11:54:00.000-04:00

ABB ANSI REF615 with IEC 61850

Guest post: Jeff Vaughan, Marketing Manager for ABB Distribution Automation

There has been heightened interest in the IEC 61850 interoperability standard as a strategy in deploying smart grid systems. Those familiar with the standard realize that this is a comprehensive set of standards with the goal of providing better interoperability between a variety of IEDs (intelligent electronic devices). True interoperability promises great reductions in cost for designing, replicating, modifying, and implementing systems.

Many mistakenly refer to IEC61850 as a protocol. While protocol is an important element, the standard actually goes much deeper. When many people hear the word protocol, they see this as requiring a wholesale change out of existing communications networks and devices. This can become overwhelming when in fact there are options that allow implementation of IEC 61850 in increments. This allows users to obtain immediate benefits while building confidence.

A few examples include:

- 61850 GOOSE messaging may be used between IEDs to eliminate physical wiring and increase speed of interaction while continuing to use DNP to communicate upwards to SCADA and higher level systems where slower communications updates are acceptable. This opens new applications for end users because of the GOOSE high speed capability but does not necessitate a change in the SCADA communications infrastructure.

- Station Bus protocol (IEC 61850-8-1) can simplify the interface between IEDs, HMIs, etc. within the substation network while continuing to use a DNP interface to SCADA. Gateway devices are on the market which allow a combination of station bus compatible IEDs to coexist with legacy IEDs communicating via other protocols such as DNP or Modbus. The gateway can therefore provide the 61850 interface to other systems.

- As Process Bus (IEC 61850-9-2) devices become readily available, the opportunity to eliminate copper wiring between CTs and IEDs provides tremendous savings opportunities but could be done independently from Station Bus implementations.

The variety of 61850-based solutions and their benefits is becoming more apparent. Many technical papers now exist describing specific implementations of IEC 61850 based systems, while numerous consultants and users have set up IEC 61850 interoperability labs to determine what applications they will be implementing into production.

As the market is rapidly adapting this standard as a key element of their smart grid systems in order to begin achieving the benefits, those not embracing this will find themselves at a disadvantage.

ABB Pinetops Marketing Team Announces Personnel Changes

2011-10-03T17:07:00.000-04:00

In order to better serve our customers and because of surging order volumes, ABB Distribution Components in Pinetops, NC has shuffled around some of the members of its marketing team. Roger Lapay, who joined ABB in April of this year, is moving from the international team to now cover the domestic market. Roger will be covering investor-owned utilities, public power utilities and industrial accounts in the Northeast. Roger's territory will cover states from Maryland the Maine and over to Wisconsin. John Gustafson will now be able to focus strictly on the western United States. Chris Jones will remain in the same territory - the Southeast US. Grant Allie will team up with Chris Jones.

The international and export group will be handled by Elsa Arias along with an inside sales engineer who will start shortly. That announcement will come later this month.

This transition will occur between now and the end of the year. Please feel free to contact us 252-827-2121 for any questions regarding your sales and marketing coverage.

USDA Helps to Advance Smart Grid Infrastructure to Rural Electric Cooperatives

2011-09-26T15:47:00.000-04:00

In a much needed effort to boost job growth and improve electric grid infrastructure, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced earlier this month that 27 rural electric cooperatives will receive funding for various projects. Many of the efforts qualifying for this financial benefit include the integration of Smart Grid technologies. This allows rural utilities not only to renew an aging infrastructure, but enables them to manage supply and demand allowing for better quality power delivered to consumers at lower costs. Navigate HERE to see which specific utilities are being rewarded with funding.

In total, the $603 million in loans will contribute to the building of new or improving nearly 5,000 miles of distribution line and 100 miles of transmission. Especially in rural markets, the concepts of grid efficiency and reliability are very important. With feeders at longer distances along with large loads further between each other, the cost of inefficient power delivery and continued maintenance takes its toll on the bottom line. As a result, utility customers also must bear the burden of such expenses.

With the latest applications as part of advances in smart grid technology combined with the affordability through USDA funding, more than 28,000 customers in 18 states have to opportunity to greatly improve their efficiency and reliability. Products such as the GridSync Wireless Sensors, GridGuard Motor Operated Switches, and Autolink ElectronicSectionalizers provided by ABB Pinetops are just a few of the solutions ABB offers at its Smart Grid Center of Excellence in Raleigh, NC. These products, among others, empower rural utilities to implement Volt/VAr Optimization, Conservation Voltage Reduction, and Fault Detection, Isolation, and Restoration more effectively than ever before. Contact ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121 with any questions about these products.

If you are wondering how to most effectively take advantage of smart grid technology, whether rural, urban, or anywhere in between, ABB is here to develop the smart grid solution that best fits your needs.

2011-09-20T17:34:00.002-04:00

The September Medium Voltage Distribution Components Customer Newsletter is out! See what's new from ABB here!

ABB Selected for Smart Grid-Based Distribution System

2011-09-15T11:57:00.000-04:00

It was announced on Monday, September 13 2011 at GridWeek 2011 in Washington D.C. that the Eastern Nebraska Public Power District Consortium (ENPPDC) has chosen ABB to supply and implement an advanced Smart Grid-based SCADA and distribution automation system. As part of the consortium, the electrical power systems in Cuming County Public Power District and Stanton Country Public Power District will now begin to realize the benefits of a new high-speed, scalable information infrastructure in terms of both increased reliability and efficiency.

Proving their commitment to being smart grid leaders in the Public Power market, Cuming and Stanton Counties will have one of the most advanced distribution grid systems in North America once the implementation is complete.

ABB was chosen as the best fit to address needs of a complete smart grid distribution system due to its wide scope of supply which includes:

The ENPPDC and future customers will have the opportunity to thoroughly evaluate and test ABB's smart grid solutions through ABB's new, world class, first-of-its kind Smart Grid Center of Excellence. The center, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, will show customers how they can address issues, such as managing load complexity, maintaining power quality, or increasing reliability, that are most important to them and customize their own smart grid solution by leveraging ABB's existing products and technological expertise.

At Pinetops, NC, we look forward to supporting current and future customers interested in our GridSync solution both directly and through the Smart Grid Center of Excellence to ensure the advancement of your distribution network infrastructure.

Power & Automation Leaders visit Pinetops Plant

2011-09-02T09:52:00.001-04:00

In North America, ABB offers a post-college, two-year program to train young engineers and leaders. This program has been very successful in placing talented individuals from top universities into full-time jobs at ABB locations throughout the United States. 25 trainees in the PAL program (Power and Automation Leaders) recently had the opportunity to visit the Pinetops operation to learn about the instrument transformers, cutouts and switches we design and produce here. It was a great pleasure to host these young leaders and expose them to our market leading products

Many thanks go to Ken Tison for heading up this very important program and turning out so many successful young people who have developed into leaders for ABB.

We wish this talented group all the best in their endeavors and hope to see some of them working in Pinetops in the future!

Jennifer Dively of ABB Pinetops Recognized by National Safety Council

2011-08-31T21:42:00.002-04:00

The NSC® Rising Stars of Safety program gives national recognition to individuals younger than 40 who have stepped up as leaders to transform their organizations’ safety cultures and promote continuous safety improvement.

Jennifer Dively, Low Voltage OHS NAM Advisor was selected from almost 150 nominees as one of the 2011 National Safety Council Rising Stars of Safety. –this is an extreme honor.

In her nearly twelve years as a safety professional, Jennifer has worked for over five years in the automotive industry in environmental, safety, ergonomics, and planned maintenance. She also spent five years as a safety and project manager in the electrical installation / construction industry. Jennifer Dively has worked at the Medium Voltage transformer facility in Pinetops, North Carolina as the Environmental, Health and Safety Manager for nearly two years and just recently acquired the position of Health & Safety Advisor, Low Voltage, for the North America Region. Prior to moving to Power Products, Jennifer was a Safety Manager for the Full Service Division at a Cooper Tire site in Albany, Georgia.

Jennifer has a BFA with majors in English and Religious Studies with minors in Environmental Studies, Political Science, and Communications. She has a MA in Comparative Religion and has currently completed her second MA in International Health and Safety. She plans to pursue a third MA in Occupational Health and Safety / Environmental Management in 2012. Jennifer is also a member of the ASSE and has aspirations to join her esteemed colleagues in obtaining her CSP soon. When she's not being ruled by her four rescued dogs, Jennifer enjoys spending time with friends and family both in Michigan and North Carolina.

NSC will formally announce the members of this elite group in a feature story in the October 2011 issue of Safety+Health magazine, the official magazine of NSC Congress & Exposition

In addition, the NSC will present a personalized award to each of the 2011 Class of Rising Stars at this year's Congress & Expo in Philadelphia, October 30 - November 3. We congratulate Jennifer for earning this greatly deserved recognition.

Pinetops, Hurricane Irene and GridSync

2011-08-29T16:58:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the line crews of Thomasville, GA, Rock Hill, SC and the local crews Pinetops is slowly recovering from Hurricane Irene. Take a look at some of the major damage from around town - but also take a look at the GridSync unit that we installed here in Pinetops. It is still standing strong!

ABB Pinetops: Operational Status

2011-08-29T14:59:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the hard work of both local lineman and lineman from Rock Hill, SC, the ABB Pinetops plant has our power restored and is back in operation. For those who can safely get to the plant, the second shift will be returning to work at 3PM. All product lines of the plant will be manufacturing this evening and into tomorrow.

All support teams are either in the office today or will be in for normal working hours starting Tuesday morning.

We thank you for your support in this difficult time.

The Pinetops Team

ABB Pinetops Operational Status

2011-08-28T20:34:00.000-04:00

Due to the damage caused to local power lines by Hurricane Irene, the ABB Pinetops plant is closed until at least Monday, 12:00 PM. The plant is without power and the utility linemen are working diligently to restore power as soon as possible. The plant did not suffer any physical damage and we will be able to function safely and properly once power is restored.

To our loyal and valued utility customers: We are going to try to help East coast utilities restore power as quickly as possible. Please contact your account representative as soon as possible if you need cutouts, switches or instrument transformers to help you get back to normal operations.

To our sales force: Please contact your sales engineer via cell phone in the morning. We will be responding to all calls as quickly as possible. Many of our computer systems are not functioning due to the loss of power, but we will do everything within our power to offer the service that you have come to expect from ABB Pinetops.

We will be sending additional announcements regarding our status as soon as we have more information

Thank you for our understanding.

The Pinetops Team

ABB Pinetops Introduces Split-Core Primary Metering Unit

2011-08-20T19:58:00.000-04:00

Combining the benefits of the split core current and voltage transformer combination design and Hydrophobic Cycloaliphatic Epoxy (HCEP) insulation, ABB Pinetops introduces a primary metering unit (PMU) that better satisfies the needs of the customer. The Split-Core PMU simplifies the installation process by installing hot and eliminating the need to break the line. In addition, the PMU enhances reliability by exceeding the accuracy IEEE standard for revenue class metering. Finally, the HCEP construction enhances protection levels and ensures a long lifespan for the spilt-core PT/CT combination units.

Specifically, the PMU is designed for three phase primary metering applications, such as outside of a large manufacturing plant that requires high levels of energy use. The PT/CT combination transformers, also known as SCC-125’s, are mounted onto the aluminum frame pictured above and wired to a terminal strip outside of a NEMA 3R junction box. To further support ease of installation, the unit comes pre-assembled and ready to be mounted onto the utility pole.

Consider the benefits of the Split-Core PMU if concerns with your distribution network include following:

How do I decrease to cost of equipment installation and maintenance?

How do you ensure my equipment along the grid is reliable?

How can I guarantee that I provide my customers with accurate billing?

Click the link to get more information about our Split-Core PMU and contact ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121 with any questions.

ABB joins Elster as part of a new Smart Grid Voltage Conservation Alliance

2011-08-03T17:06:00.005-04:00

Elster formally announced on August 2, 2011 the formation of the Smart Grid Voltage Conservation Alliance (SGVCA). Together with Survalent and Quanta, ABB and Elster have teamed up to develop findings to support and drive utility business cases for continued investment into various areas of the smart grid.

The initial focus of this alliance is to work with Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. to design and execute a field study focusing on end-to-end voltage conservation. The goal of this study will be to show how reducing voltage levels by even small amounts (4-6%) will have a significant impact on a utility’s ability to increase energy conservation, especially during peak those demand hours when the distribution grid is expected to perform under high strain.

At ABB in Pinetops, NC we are proud to be represented as part of this effort with our GridSync solution. The major challenge utilities face in driving the voltage conservation business case is the inability to effectively manage the voltage profile along individual feeders due to the lack of visibility along their distribution network. The GridSync features our SCC-125 spilt core combination sensors which are easily installed at points along medium voltage overhead lines from the substation down to areas outside of homes, commercial buildings, and manufacturing facilities. These sensors empower GridSync with the capability of providing critical information at revenue meter class accuracy from remote points along the distribution network in near real-time and, in doing so, directly address the challenge hindering utilities from realizing the full benefits of the smart grid.

With the help of Elster, ABB, and the rest of the SGVCA, the convergence of Distribution Automation (DA) solutions and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is poised to kick into high gear. Now is a great time to take advantage of the smart grid solutions ABB is to offer! For more information on how ABB Pinetops can help, please contact us at 252-827-2121.

See below for the latest video from ABB's Director of Technology to learn about how utilities can save energy, reduce CO2 emissions, and increase customer satisfaction by optimizing voltage levels.

ABB in Pinetops Recognized for Safety by the State of North Carolina

2011-07-28T08:12:00.000-04:00

ABB plant receives Gold Award for Safety Performance for 6th Consecutive Year

The annual North Carolina Safety Awards Banquet was held in Rocky Mount, North Carolina this year. The event was sponsored by the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Labor.

Several members of the ABB Pinetops Safety Team attended the banquet on behalf of the facility to accept the Gold Award for Safety Performance. Gold Awards are given to those companies whose rate of days away from work, job transfer, or restriction is at least 50% below the industry average. This marked the sixth consecutive year the ABB Pinetops' facility has won this prestigious award.

Guest speakers for the evening included Cherie K. Berry, North Carolina Commissioner of Labor, who also handed out the awards.

All of the ABB attendees enjoyed seeing the success in safety that they and their co-workers earned with smart, safe work practices. The ABB Pinetops team looks forward to winning their seventh award in 2012!

ABB in Argentina the Latest to Harness Solar Power

2011-07-26T15:31:00.000-04:00

The main factory complex in Valentin Alsina, Buenos Aires is the latest in a growing trend of ABB plants to take advantage of the benefits of renewable energy generation.

Taking two years to reach fruition, the solar equipment installation effort began in 2009 when ABB in Argentina formulated a strategic environmental plan. To be successful it required the utilization of resources from the factory's own technical and operational capabilities and combining it with their current industrial operations. The result from all the planning and hard work is a 160-square meter solar array installation composed of photovoltaic (PV) panels generating 40 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year on the roof of the factory.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for this installation is that on site project engineers calculate that these solar panels will reduce the factory’s energy costs by about 1.8 percent annually. In addition, they will meet 5 percent of the plant’s power needs during peak generation and it will avoid up to 19 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

The success of efforts to connect small and medium sized PV systems to the public grid is vital in maximizing the benefits of integrating renewable sources of energy, such as enhancing grid stability through effective peak demand management. The ABB PVS300 string inverter is the cost effective solution for converting the direct current generated with solar power to high-quality alternating current for use along power grid.

Other ABB buildings that have installed solar generating capacity include a low-voltage factory in India; a drives factory in Finland; and ABB’s head office and manufacturing complex in South Africa. Keep an eye out for more ABB factories around the world sure to take advantage of the benefits of renewable energy in the future.

ABB To Provide New Arc-Resistant Transformers for BC Hydro in Canada

2011-07-21T14:05:00.000-04:00

ABB is designing and building a new, first-of-its-kind transformer safety solution – the arc-resistant, medium voltage, dry-type transformer – for Vancouver, British Columbia-based BC Hydro. The commissioning of these new transformers is scheduled for the spring of 2012. ABB’s new arc-resistant transformer technology, the first of its kind for dry-type transformers,compliments ABB’s SafeGear medium voltage arc flash switchgear;to offer complete secondary substation packages. The primary benefit of these dry-type transformers is safety.

ABB is absolutely committed to safety, both for its customers as well as its employees. The NFPA states that 10-15 arc flash events occur daily in the U.S. where someone is injured, with one to two of these events leading to death. This technology will protect nearby utility workers from serious injury or death if an arc flash event were to occur inside one of the transformer enclosures. The protection features of this transformer have never been available before for dry-type transformers. "At ABB, nothing is more important than the safety of our employees and customers, which is why we are proud to have developed, sold and built the first ABB arc-resistant medium voltage transformer," said Del Misenheimer, vice president and general manager for dry-type transformers for ABB in North America, based in Bland, Virginia. “We are equally delighted to have worked with BC Hydro, a great customer with a similar commitment to safety. BC Hydro worked together with ABB to define the underlying need and solution for a safer product."

ABB Pinetops is a proud supplier to our sister factory in Bland, Virginia and offer up a "Congratulations and job well done!" for great innovation towards safety.

July ABB Medium Voltage Distribution Components Newsletter

2011-07-11T15:11:00.002-04:00

The July ABB Medium Voltage Distribution Components Newsletter is out! Follow this link to get the latest news and information from Pinetops, NC!

ABB North America CEO Talks Smart Grid

2011-07-11T09:55:00.001-04:00

ABB North America CEO Enrique Santacana recently sat down with NEMA magazine "Electroindustry" for a discussion on how the Smart Grid is evolving and the role that ABB is playing in that evolution. Santacana said that as the Smart Grid moves past the initial rollout of smart meters and automated metering infrastructure (AMI), utilities will focus on five key areas.

Santacana says that a Smart Grid plan will revolve around these five key components - increased capacity, increased reliability, increased efficiency, increased sustainability and increased consumer engagement.

Increasing capacity will be necessary as electrical vehicles gain more popularity and as natural growth progresses. The focus on reliability will take place as we replace an aging infrastructure with not just newer products, but products with much improved technologies. Efficiency gains are imperative as we upgrade the grid. There is a lot of efficiency to gain with applications such as volt/VAr optimization, smart sensors and demand response systems that work in conjunction with customer input. Santacana even states that grid efficiency is the greatest source of renewable energy because of the large amount of savings we can get.

In the article, Enrique Santacana continues by stating that we need to fully integrate intermittent renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar more intelligently into the grid. We also need to put a strong emphasis on consumer engagement as well so that all parties have a hand in meeting the energy demands as well as the need for a cleaner environment together.

ABB is strongly committed to improving technologies that will fit the needs of both utilities and customers alike.

Please read the rest of the story here.

For information on how ABB Pinetops can help, please contact us at 252-827-2121.

Relion 615® series of Protection and Control Relays

2011-06-28T21:30:00.002-04:00

Guest blogger Jeff Vaughan, Marketing Manager for Distribution Automation, talks about an exciting new product launch from ABB. Jeff can be reached at jeffrey.a.vaughan@us.abb.com

ABB has released version 4.0 of the following 615 series ANSI protection and control products:

Feeder Protection and Control REF615
Motor Protection and Control REM615
Transformer Protection and Control RET615

The 615 series is a part of ABB’s Relion® product family. The 615 series consists of protection and control products designed for the protection, control, measurement and supervision of assets in utility and industrial power distribution systems.

Key advantages offered by the 615 series include:

Standard support for communications via Modbus, DNP3.0, IEC61850 providing integration into current networks while providing migration for the future
Underground cable fault detection allowing proactive replacement of cables most likely to fail
Easy interface for field personnel via web browser eliminating special cables and software
Cost effective, wire-alike retrofit of old ABB DPU245/445/2000 relays

Please follow this link for more information about this exciting new product.

ABB and Renewable Energy: Harnessing the Power of Water

2011-06-27T15:23:00.002-04:00

The next discussion topic from our series of blog posts concerning renewable sources of energy is hydropower.

Simply, hydropower is energy derived through harnessing the force of moving water. Far from a new concept, different forms of hydropower have been used throughout human history. For example, water powered mills were used to produce flour from grain as well as saw timber and stone in the ancient Roman Empire. Today, harnessing the power of water is still an important piece of energy generation in the form of hydroelectric dams.

These dams create electricity by creating potential energy with a reservoir. A limited amount of water from this reservoir is then allowed to flow through an intake into a large pipe called a penstock. The penstock then feeds water directly into the turbine which rotates the generator shaft to produce electricity. Depending on the status of peak demand, the wicket gate can be opened or closed to control the rate of electricity generated by each turbine. Hydropower ranges in capacity from small plant of a few hundred kilowatts to giants like the 18-gigawatt Three Gorges Dam in China as shown in the picture above.

ABB has been developing technologies and providing solutions for the hydropower industry for more than 125 years and now supports its current hydroelectric customers with a worldwide network in more than 100 countries. Our scope of supply ranges from integrated instrumentation, control, and electrical solutions to complete electro-mechanical packages for water-to-wire projects. Click HERE for more details on our technology solutions in Hydro Power Plants.

In addition to traditional hydroelectric dams, ABB has taken great interest in other methods of harnessing the power of water. In November 2010, ABB Technology Ventures announced that they invested about $13 million in Aquamarine Power, a nearshore wave energy company. This Scottish firm has developed innovative technology taking the power of waves and converting it into clean useable electricity. Dubbed the Oyster, this technology uses a wave powered pump to push high pressured water in driving an onshore hydro-electric turbine. Earlier this month Aquamarine took the first steps towards installing Oyster 2, described in the video HERE.

Whether from the sun, wind, and/or water, ABB has significant presence in renewable energy technology that creates power and productivity for a better world.

Smart Grid Is Much More Than Smart Meters

2011-06-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

ABB VP and Global Segment Manager Smart Grid Doug Voda recently sat down with Penn Energy for an interview regarding Smart Grid beyond the smart meter and how it is expected to move into distribution automation and even into the home.

ABB is very focused on smart grid technologies from the substation to the home and how to gain efficiency and reliability through distribution automation and monitoring of the grid.

Please listen to Doug talk about ABB and the future of smart grid technologies.

ABB Pinetops Announces Price Increase on Instrument Transformers

2011-06-21T23:11:00.000-04:00

Due to rising costs of raw materials, ABB Pinetops has announced a price increase for their instrument transformer products effective June 30, 2011. We have worked hard to reduce costs and keep prices steady, but can no longer absorb the rising cost of materials that are used in the manufacturing of our instrument transformers.

Price increases are as follows:
Low voltage metering transformers: 6-8%
Low voltage plastic case transformers: 6-10%
Bushing current transformers: 8-10%
Outdoor bushing current transformers: 8-10%
Polyurethane medium voltage transformers: 8-10%
HCEP medium voltage transformers: 8-10%
Generator current transformers: 8-10%

Customers with blanket agreements will be contacted to review price adjustments on an individual basis.

Issued on behalf of
Steve Lindsay
Domestic Marketing and Sales Manager

A Great Cause: ABB Employees in Pinetops team with the ABB Foundation for Relay for Life

2011-06-14T22:23:00.000-04:00

ABB Pinetops team captain, Dianne Glover, presents a check to Frances Wright and Jane Harper of the Edgecombe County Relay for Life. ABB Pinetops team members include, from left to right, Charlotte Thigpen, Yvonne Johnson, Brenda Bullock, Mary Ann Mckeel, Mae Mayo, Juandine Battle, Jr. Baker, Dale Owens, and Marshall Harrell.

For the third straight year, ABB employees from Pinetops, NC and the ABB Foundation partnered to raise more money for the American Cancer Society (ACS) through Relay for Life. ABB Pinetops raised $7,104 with the ABB Foundation matching dollar for dollar bringing the total to $14,208 presented to the Edgecombe County Relay for Life. Click HERE to read more about it.

This marks the 15th year that ABB employees at Pinetops, NC have been actively involved in Relay for life. With the 2011 total, these dedicated employees have raised more than $61,000 over the past seven years. This dedication to participating in Relay for Life every year shows how serious ABB Pinetops is in honoring cancer survivors, paying tribute to the lives lost to the disease, and raising money to help fight it within the community.

Involvement in Relay for Life helps in three important ways:

Saving Lives - ACS has contributed in almost every major discovery in cancer research.
Helping Those Touched by Cancer - ACS is able to support those through their website, www.cancer.org and their 24-hour toll-free number, 1-800-ACS-2345.
Empowering People to Fight Back - By participating, those touched by cancer get more than medical treatment, they get hope and the empowerment to fight back to win their battle.

The ABB team in Pinetops looks forward to another year of continuing to support this important event and charity. They know that because of organizations like the American Cancer Society, many of those in the community have received the treatment and motivation needed to beat cancer.

Ferroresonance and How VT Guard Can Help

2011-06-07T11:21:00.002-04:00

Written by Utility Sales Engineer John Gustafson.

A phenomenon not fully understood, ferroresonance is a specific type of non-linear resonance associated with electrical circuits. Like resonance the steady-state amplitude and frequency of the electrical circuit is shifted due to an outside stimuli. Ferroresonance occurs in electric circuits that have inductance in series with a capacitance, a voltage source and low losses. This scenario describes an electrical distribution system. Transformers (non-linear inductors), capacitor banks and distribution lines (capacitors), and power generator (3 phase power source). When ferroresonance is introduced into the system, overvoltages are introduced into the system. This overvoltage can cause failures in transformers, arresters and cables.

As the distribution system has evolved, moved to underground cables (with higher capacitance), single phase connection and disconnection, increase use of MOV type surge arresters, improved low-loss transformers and the move to a 25kV or 35kV system, the occurrence of ferroresonance in the distribution system has increased.

In a steady-state system, an outside stimulus must incite resonance to the system. An example of an outside stimulus in a mechanical system would be high winds on a bridge. For an electrical circuit stimuli that can cause ferroresonance include: voltage transients, overvoltages due to lightning, equipment energizing/de-energizing, phase to ground faults, circuit breaker opening or any other sudden changes on the circuit.

There are several design methods that can be used to reduce/eliminate ferroresonance occurrence including: using a delta connected VT, ensure the system is always grounded under any situation, purchase a low-inductance VT so that the saturation point is twice the system voltage, and/or introduce load resistances. The last option tends to be the option most investigated by utilities. The determination of the resistance value is not totally agreed upon and not simple.

ABB has another option, VT Guard. This product is a preventive device to combat ferroresonance which may be triggered in power networks with ungrounded or a not directly grounded neutral point. VT Guard is designed so that determining the load resistance is not necessary. VT Guard should be used in conjunction with voltage transformers connected in open delta.

For more information on how we can help you with this troubling phenomenon, please call us at 252-827-2121.

ABB installs Feeder Monitoring Solution in the Town of Pinetops, NC

2011-06-02T21:35:00.002-04:00

ABB installed two GridSync(TM) wireless feeder monitors locally in Pinetops, NC as a full scale feeder monitoring system for the town where GridSync was born. Pinetops officials will now get visibility into their distribution network to monitor for Volt/VAr issues and to monitor voltage levels at their feeders.

The GridSync features a unique split-core current and voltage transformer which allows a utility to install the units without cutting the lines. This hot installation saves the utility one of their largest expenses - man-hours. Wilson Energy performed the installations and was able to install the second GridSync in less than 2 hours with a 4 man crew.

GridSync is used to read current and voltage levels from power lines and calculate various monitoring points such as watts, VArs, VA, power quality and power factor so that the utility can understand what is happening on their system and take action to improve efficiency.

To find out how you can benefit from gaining insight onto your feeder system, please contact us at 252-827-2121.

ABB and Renewable Energy: Wind Power

2011-05-31T16:54:00.000-04:00

The next topic of discussion for our series of blog posts concerning renewable sources of energy is Wind Power.

Wind power is simply the conversion of wind into a useful form of energy. In the case of electricity, wind turbines are used to convert this kinetic energy into useful mechanical energy. These turbines can be used for applications as small as battery charging or auxiliary power on sail boats and as large as grid-connected arrays used as a large source of commercial electric power.

Despite the slight decrease in market size in major countries over the past year, wind remains one of the fastest growing sources of energy worldwide by reaching nearly 200MW of installed capacity throughout the world. This is a 239% increase from 5 years earlier. The United States represents about 20% of world’s installed capacity and continues to grow with 1.1MW of new wind power capacity installed in the first quarter of 2011.

ABB has had a profound impact on wind technology throughout the United States and the world over the past decades. ABB proves that 2011 is more of the same as the wind industry’s leading power technology solutions provider announced several major technological developments at the latest American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Windpower 2011 Conference last week:

Station Service Voltage Transformers (SSVT) for reliable cost-effective station power.

ABB's quick ship unit, known as the KXM Series-Parallel, for fast wind power projects.

New wind power generators with lower costs and customized interface.

“Green” transformers such as BIOTEMP, Green-R-Pad, and EcoDry.

ABB low voltage drives for wind turbine converter solutions.

R-MAG 38kV outdoor breaker. Bringing the state-of-the-art breaker technology to the wind industry.

ABB Substations with turnkey collector systems and custom grid interconnections.

For more details navigate to the full article here.

With its 30 years of experience, in-depth know-how, global manufacturing footprint and thorough understanding of both wind turbine applications and power systems, ABB serves wind power customers at every stage of the process. Review how extended range, high accuracy current instrument transformers out of Pinetops, NC are an excellent fit for variable load generation such as wind power. As wind power capacity continues to expand, so do ABB innovative solutions.

ABB & PPL Combine for 20 Years of Failure Free Fuse Cutouts!

2011-05-31T12:13:00.000-04:00

Twenty years without failure on fuse cutouts seems like a dream for most utilities. But with PPL and ABB's polysil cutout, it's a fact of life. Back in the 1980's, PPL found that their failure rate of porcelain cutouts far too high as a result of the harsh northeastern winters. Working together with ABB, a polymer concrete (polysil) cutout solution was design, tested, and introduced in 1990. And PPL has not had a failure since.

What is different about a polysil cutout?

Here is a list of benefits:

Cold weather reliability—resists damage from freeze and thaw cycles, no rod to insulator potting process required.
Metal is directly cast into the insulator;
Improved reliability;
Cast-in hot rods, which prevent moisture penetration;
UV resistant;
Excellent electrical properties and dielectric strengths;
Superior mechanical toughness;
Service history, dating back to 1991;
Durability that reduces typical breakage from shipping, storage and installation; and
Non-brittle material to withstand the rough handling often associated with this type of equipment and shatter proof.

For more on the success of ABB & PPL with the polysil cutout, please see this recent article in Utility Products magazine.

To find out how you can enjoy the same level of success with your utility's cutouts, please contact us at 252-827-2121.

North Carolina Is A Smart Grid Hub

2011-05-27T09:43:00.001-04:00

ABB, with its North American headquarters in Cary, NC, has long been recognized as the Smart Grid leader among the "Big 4" of ABB, GE, Siemens and Alstom. But now the Triangle area of North Carolina is also being recognized as one of the leading areas for Smart Grid across the country. SmartGridNews recently wrote an article about the Triangle area - "North Carolina a Hot Spot for Smart Grid Companies."

ABB has strong roots in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area with headquarters in Cary and a partnership with and offices on NC State's Centennial Campus. ABB recently made a strong commitment to build a Smart Grid Center of Excellence on the Centennial Campus. The Smart Grid Center of Excellence (COE) will include a testing and development laboratory, a verification center to certify customer solutions before deployment, and a demonstration center that will showcase ABB’s smart grid technologies and collaborative partnerships. ABB will work closely with the FREEDM Systems Center, a strategic partner of ABB’s which is also based on Centennial Campus of N.C. State. The FREEDM Systems Center was established in 2008 to develop smart grid technology based on advanced power electronics and information technology.

ABB Distribution Components in Pinetops, NC is strongly committed to the Smart Grid with products like the GridSync(TM) feeder monitoring system, the GridGuard(TM) 3-phase remote operated switch and the AutoLink(TM) electronic sectionalizer.

For more info on these or any of our other products, please contact us 252-827-2121.

Quick Shipments and Transmission Level Dry Type Instrument Transformers

2011-05-22T16:07:00.000-04:00

Guest blogger Chris Jones, Sales Engineer for ABB in Pinetops, talks about ABB's offering of transmission level, dry type instrument transformers and our ability to deliver quickly for your Instrument Transformer needs.

Since 1978, the Pinetops, NC location has manufactured Instrument Transformers (IT’s) for the North American market. Traditionally, ABB’s products included low voltage IT’s used in secondary metering applications, plastic case primarily used in switchgear applications and medium voltage IT’s ranging from 5kV through 34.5kV.

In 2008, ABB Acquired the Kuhlman Electric Corporation which had an alliance partnership with the Arteche Group. Arteche is an international leader in the development of solutions in the electricity Generation, T & D and industrial areas. Through the Arteche Alliance, ABB can now offer transmission level, dry type IT’s in the 46kV and 69kV class range.

The Arteche core and coil assembly is wound and encapsulated in a high dielectric epoxy resin (also known as cycloaliphatic epoxy or CEP for short) to provide high withstand capabilities. CEP insulation also has other outstanding characteristics such as high resistance to ultraviolet (UV) rays, high quality tracking resistance, excellent mechanical strength and an all around ability to withstand harsh environments.

The Arteche CE-046 (46kV) and CE-072 (69kV) CT’s will operate with 0.3% class accuracy with a burden of B1.8 for metering applications and up to T800 for some relay applications. The U/VRU -52 (46kV) and URU-72 (69kV) will operate with 0.3% class accuracy for metering and relay applications with a burden of W, X, M, Y, Z. Units are individually tested per the IEEE standard C57.13.

Finally, considering today’s fast paced business environment in which projects and lead times do not always coincide, another advantage ABB offers through the Arteche Alliance are stocked products. ABB stocks a large assortment of Arteche IT’s in North Carolina ready to ship when you need them. Best of all, no expedite fees are required on stocked Arteche products.

Contact your local ABB sales rep for more information or contact us directly at the factory at 252-827-2121.

ABB and Renewable Energy: Solar Power - PV

2011-05-10T08:11:00.000-04:00

In the continued series of blog posts concerning renewable energy, the topic today will be to discuss ABB’s impact on the development of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology.

Known as one of the most popular forms of renewable energy today, solar PV is used in more than 100 countries and, though still a small fraction of the total energy produced, is the fastest growing power generation technology in the world. PV differs from concentrated solar power (CSP) in that solar radiation, as opposed to being reflected, is converted to direct current electricity using semiconductor material. The most popular material used today is crystalline Silicon, though thin-film technologies such as amorphous Silicon, Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), and Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) are finding a cost effective niche despite lower efficiencies.

Remaining the critical challenge for solar PV technology is the cost to both produce electricity and integrated it with today’s electrical grid. Specifically, the output of a solar cell is direct current (DC) electricity and must be converted to alternating current (AC) to become useable power. Based on decades of experience with its proven technology platform, ABB’s DC-AC inverter provides the most cost effective, efficient, and reliable way to feed the power network. Whether it is for power plant, commercial/industrial, or residential use, find out more about ABB’s offering for solar inverters here.

In addition to inverters, ABB is a leading global supplier of power and automation products that help maximize generation capacity through solar tracking as well as PV module manufacturing capacity through ground-breaking robotics solutions. No matter where you are on the solar power value chain, ABB leads the way with innovative solutions for a better world.

A Smarter Grid: Recovering Lost Revenue

2011-05-03T15:36:00.000-04:00

The question of most concern for utilities today continues to be, “How do I reduce revenue leakage”? Studies reveal that 80% of meter to cash cycle losses can be attributed to the "Big 3": theft, defective metering, and soft shutoff policies.

Statistics from the FBI indicate that, across the United States, energy theft runs just behind credit cards and automobiles as a problem at a scale of $6 billion annually. Now with prevalent use of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), the proper function of meter equipment is more important than ever as the foundation for accurate billing. Finally, utilities implement soft shutoff policies when a customer closes an account, but the service remains connected. In one hand this saves operational cost, but in the other it increases revenue leakage risk between customers.

Understanding the properties of different feeders throughout the distribution network is the best way to cost-effectively manage the system. The ABB GridSync wireless sensors provide utilities with the valuable intelligence in near real-time to analyze and take action against problems such as the “Big 3”. As a result, utilities will uncover instances of energy theft, locate unmetered errors, and discover problems with meter accuracy.

To get more information on how GridSync helps recover lost revenue, please contact the ABB Pinetops marketing department at 252-827-2121.

ABB Announces a Price Increase on Cutouts

2011-04-28T08:32:00.000-04:00

ABB Inc. announces a general price increase averaging 8% on all cutout, switch, and fuse products manufactured in the Pinetops, NC, facility. Increases on individual items will range from 6% to 10%, depending upon the specific product.

ABB will apply this price increase to all new quotations after May 16, 2011. ABB will honor the prices on all existing orders and quotations through their validity date.

The ABB facility in Pinetops, NC, provides various products for use in power distribution. These products include instrument transformers, fused and solid blade cutouts, disconnect and bypass switches, capacitor bank fuses, and the AutoLink sectionalizer.

As you may already know, many costs are rising that impact not just the materials of which the product is manufactured from, but also the processes necessary to manufacture the product and ensure on-time delivery to our respective customers. We've held off as long as possible, but have found our volume has reached a point where it is necessary to offset the increased costs of doing business with a modest price increase. The much needed increase will allow us to continue to focus on the highest quality products, ensure quality in-house customer service, maintain the shortest lead times in the market place, and fulfill emergency orders at time of need. Efforts are always in place to diversify our supplier portfolio, and we are seeking new innovations that will allow us to better manage and work around these increasing costs.

The following price increases will become effective on May 16, 2011:
Cutouts 6 - 10%
Disconnect Switches 6%
Capacitor Fuses 6%

Customers will be notified separately of the specific impact to them. Please contact your local ABB representative with any questions.

ABB and Renewable Energy: Concentrated Solar Power

2011-04-25T18:03:00.000-04:00

Guest blogger Matt Knott, Smart Grid Sales Engineer for ABB in Pinetops talks about ABB's involvement in Concentrated Solar Power.

In continuing our series of blog posts concerning renewable energy, the topic today will be ABB’s impact on the development of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology.

Last month ABB agreed to purchase a 35 percent stake in the German renewable energy equipment company, Novatec Solar. Highlighted as part of Joe Hogan’s (CEO of ABB Group) speech at ABB Automation & Power World last week, this investment further emphasizes ABB’s commitment to increasing the viability of renewable sources around the world. Novatec is a world leader in the Linear Fresnel CSP Technology as demonstrated with their 1.4 MW plant connected to the Spanish electricity grid since 2009.

Linear Fresnel reflectors differentiate themselves from other CSP technologies, such as the more common parabolic trough, because they are composed of many thin, flat mirror strips. These mirrors concentrate the reflected sunlight onto tubes through which working fluid is pumped. The flat design optimizes the amount of reflective surface, thus capturing more of the available sunlight. In addition, this design is more cost effective, which is a critical factor for the advancement of solar power technology. Read more about ABB purchase of Novatec at ABB Investment Sharpens Solar Focus.

In addition to investment, ABB offers a variety of products available today promoting both the cost effective generation of CSP energy and its efficient integration into the existing grid. Various drives, motors, and intelligent Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) allow CSP technology to track the sun and optimize throughput. Generator bus ducts, circuit breakers, and unit/auxiliary transformers maintain the reliability imperative for integrating renewable energy as a strong part of an energy provider's portfolio.

Efficiency and effective utilization of the world’s renewable resources are becoming critical drivers of business today and ABB is leading in the way with important technologies like CSP.

ABB and Renewable Energy: Solar Power

2011-04-12T13:32:00.000-04:00

Guest blogger Matt Knott, Smart Grid Sales Engineer for ABB in Pinetops talks about ABB's involvement in Solar Energy.

The world has entered into a new information age where the demand for more and more data increases every day. New technological innovations continually provide increased data capacity at increased communication speeds. As a result, a new dynamic has begun to emerge in the marketplace and the successful generation and delivery of energy is the key to its success. ABB is prepared to provide customers with the power to open these doors.

While traditional sources of energy still play an important role in satisfying demand, we need energy that is secure, reliable, improves public health, protects the environment, addresses climate change, creates jobs, and provides technological leadership. Renewable energy is poised to fit into all of these categories. Therefore, this is the first of a series of blog posts that address the different sources of renewable energy and how ABB is leading the way to ensure these sources succeed in the market. Today’s post is a discussion on Solar Energy.

Solar Energy is one of the most popular clean, renewable sources of power that is safe and is absent of any carbon emissions. The first of two major forms of solar power technology is Photovoltaic (PV), which converts solar radiation to DC electricity using semiconductors. The second is Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) which uses lenses or mirrors to focus sunlight onto a small area. From this point CSP acts as a traditional power plant using that concentrated heat to create steam and rotate a turbine to generate electricity.

ABB has been a leading player in the solar power industry since the early 1990s and our deep portfolio of PV industry products range from solar inverters, components for module tracking systems, and low voltage components and accessories. In addition, ABB provides complete power and automation solutions for major CSP technologies including parabolic troughs, power towers, and integrated solar combined cycle. ABB’s capabilities encompass the entire value chain of solar technology from design and engineering to service and maintenance. If you are looking for solutions and the know-how to take your solar project to the next level, please visit ABB’s Solar Power Solutions.

A Smarter Grid: Grid Reliability

2011-04-09T17:26:00.003-04:00

Electronic sectionalizers, like ABB's AutoLink are an important component in keeping the grid up and running. Sectionalizers work in tandem with reclosers to ensure that transient faults do not bring down large sections of the grid. By dividing up the grid, or sectionalizing, less people are impacted by outages.

When a fault occurs, a recloser attempts to clear the fault. You can tell this happens when the lights blink three times - often times during a storm. These "blinks" are the recloser opening and closing the line to attempt to clear the fault. Transient, or non-permanent, faults make up about 70-80% of all faults. During most of these faults, a fuse cutout will blow and not allow a fault condition to pass through. This results in a loss of electricity. This also sends the utility scrambling to find the source of the fault and the fuses that have blown. This is a timely and costly operation for the utility - and the consumers who are without electricity.

The AutoLink is able to determine when a recloser has opened the line and will not allow a transient fault to pass through. Sectionalizers are placed down stream from a recloser and will enable many sections of the grid - hopefully your neighborhood!- to remain with power while only the affected section loses power.

Watch this video to better understand how the AutoLink works.

To get more information, please contact the ABB Pinetops marketing department at 252-827-2121.

A Smarter Grid: Demand Side Management

2011-03-24T20:50:00.004-04:00

As part of their smart grid initiative, Met-Ed is starting to install thermostat and pool pump controls for residents in York, PA. With a plan to reach at least 20,000 willing volunteers, Met-Ed has already installed over 5,000 controllers. The goal of the utility is to reduce peak demand by 32,000 kilowatt-hours.

The program works by allowing customers to volunteer to allow the utility company to raise the temperature of their thermostats by up to 9 degrees to shave peak demand. In return the customers receive a $10 discount on their electric bill during the summer months running from June - September. They will also receive a $50 gift certificate for signing up for the program.

Demand side management, or letting the utility control certain devices in the home, is a part of many utility's smart grid strategy. Most smart grid strategies contain a mixture of customer control as well as grid optimization, such as conservation voltage reduction and volt-var optimization as a means of reducing peak demand for generation and distribution.

To see more about Met-Ed's program, please see this story.

A Smarter Grid: Energy Storage

2011-03-24T10:55:00.005-04:00

Did you know that 30 states currently have a Renewable Energy Standard (RES), but we as a nation do not? Oregon and Illinois are the states with the most aggressive standards. They plan to have 25% of their electricity generated by renewable sources by the year 2025. A truly smart grid will be able to fully integrate renewable - and often variable - sources of energy into the grid seamlessly.

One of the biggest problems utilities face is the intermittent nature of renewable energy. One day the sun is shining brightly and there is a strong breeze blowing. The next day could be cloudy and still. There are two problems that many utilities are trying to solve. How to plan for and integrate varying loads of energy each day from a variety of distributed energy sources and how to store excess energy that is produced by renewable energy resources.

ABB is a global leader when it comes to energy storage. With a varied portfolio of battery and pumped energy storage, ABB is able to meet the rigorous demands of utilities throughout the world. We also make it possible to help connect those stored energy locations back into the grid.

To learn more about how ABB integrates stored energy to the grid, please visit our web portal on Energy Storage and Grid Stabilization.

A Smarter Grid: Grid Reliability

2011-03-08T12:57:00.009-05:00

The electric grid in the US has 99.97% uptime. By most measures, that is very impressive. Until you realize what the down time costs our country in an economy that is increasingly digital.

Some examples: Sun Microsystems estimates it will lose $1 million for every 1 minute of a blackout, a rolling blackout in California's Silicon Valley resulted in $75 million in losses, the 2003 Northeast black out cost the region $6 billion. Blackouts nationally are estimated to cost $80 billion annually.

Grid reliability is an important aspect to building a truly smart grid in the United States. Grid reliability is achieved through a network that is built with senors that detect outages, faults and anomalies in current and voltage. The ability to restore and re-route electricity is a major aspect of the smart grid - this is often referred to fault detection, isolation and restoration, or FDIR. Switches, especially remotely operated units like the GridGuard, are an important piece of being able to re-route electricity to insure the highest amount of uptime.

Watch this video by former ABB Greensboro Marketing Manager Mohamed Abdelrahim to learn more about re-routing electricity with a remotely operated switch.

To learn more about how ABB can make your grid more reliable, please contact the Marketing department at 252-827-2121.

ABB Announces Integration of Distribution Automation and Components

2011-03-07T16:51:00.003-05:00

In an effort to bring together our products in medium voltage and to take advantage of developing new business opportunities, ABB is restructuring the Distribution Components (Pinetops, NC) and Distribution Automation (Coral Springs, FL) businesses under the leadership of Jon Rennie effective March 1, 2011. As an industry smart grid leader, ABB is now poised to take advantage of emerging technologies and to further integrate their products to show customers a single point of smart grid solutions. This move will align sensors, communications, relays, switches, sectionalizers and instrument transformers in a more complete offering.

Jon Rennie, currently Vice President and General Manager of the Distribution Components business in Pinetops, NC has been appointed as Vice President and General Manager of the combined Distribution Automation and Components business.

Jon began his ABB career in 1994. His first assignment was in the PPMV Switchgear business in Lake Mary, FL. Later Jon was responsible for ABB's PPMV Circuit Breaker business in Florence, SC. After spending five years in the global welding industry, Jon returned to ABB in 2006 to run the Distribution Components business in Pinetops, NC where he oversaw the integration of Kuhlman Electric's medium voltage instrument transformer business and the consolidation of the Greensboro, NC and Pinetops, NC operations.

ABB Announces a Price Increase on Instrument Transformers

2011-02-25T08:56:00.004-05:00

Due to rising costs of raw materials, ABB Pinetops has announced a price increase for their instrument transformer products effective March 1, 2011. We have worked hard to reduce costs and keep prices steady over the past year and a half, but can no longer absorb the cost of materials that are used in the manufacturing of our instrument transformers.

Price increases are as follows:

Low voltage metering transformers: 6%

Low voltage plastic case transformers: 6%

Bushing current transformers: 6%

Outdoor bushing current transformers: 8%

Polyurethane medium voltage transformers: 6%

HCEP medium voltage transformers: 8%

Generator current transformers: 8%

Customers with blanket agreements will be contacted to review price adjustments on an individual basis.

See more details here.

Issued on behalf of

Steve Lindsay

Domestic Marketing and Sales Manager

An ABB Legend Retires after 42 Years of Service

2011-02-18T08:19:00.005-05:00

Fred Ratchford began his career with Westinghouse in 1968, shortly after graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was invited to participate in the Westinghouse student training program, which gave trainees the opportunity to work in different Westinghouse facilities for periods of thirty days. During this time he had the opportunity to work in the Sharon, PA, facility, which was the “mother plant” to many of the Westinghouse spin-off facilities, including Muncie, IN; Alamo, TN; Jefferson City, MO; Athens, GA; South Boston, VA, and, ironically, Pinetops, NC. He began his career in Front End Sales (FES) in the Richmond, VA, office as inside sales serving Dominion Virginia Power.

In 1970, he transferred to the FES office in Tampa, FL, where he had the responsibility of generation, transmission, and distribution for municipals and rural co-ops. During this time he sold a turbine generator, balance of power plant (electrical), barged power transformers to the Keys (which electrically connected Key West, FL, to the mainland), turnkey substations, and many breakthrough, first-of-a-kind sales.

In 1985, he returned to the Richmond, VA FES office where he worked as part of the sales team dedicated to the Dominion Virginia Power account, as well as with municipals and rural co-ops in VA, MD, and DE. Eventually he became the only salesman assigned to the Dominion account. During this time he sold static VAR compensators, static exciters, generator breakers, power transformers of all varieties, relays, distribution transformers, gas and vacuum breakers, surge arresters, and many other types of equipment.

In 2003, Fred joined the Sales and Marketing team at ABB’s Medium Voltage Instrument Transformer factory in Pinetops, NC, where he sold to the utility, public power, and industrial markets. Because of his knowledge of the industry and ABB’s product offerings, his attention to detail, and his strong devotion to customer satisfaction, Fred has been a tremendous asset to the Pinetops facility.

When asked what changes he’s seen throughout the years, Fred responded by saying, “There have been huge technological changes over forty-two years, with kilowatt hour electric meters and relays moving from electro-mechanical devices to micro processor-based technology and breakers going from oil devices to two pressure SF6 gas and then to puffer technology. In addition, instrument transformers now use hydrophobic cycloaliphatic epoxy encapsulation and offer higher accuracies not seen previously, just to mention a few of the changes.”

When asked his most memorable sale, Fred remembered, “It took Dominion seven years to replace a backup power transformer in Bath County, VA. The first replacement was literally rolled over the mountainside when the hydraulics malfunctioned on the flatbed trailer. The second replacement was then destroyed by the railroad when it was hit twenty-five times, as indicated by the transformer’s impact recorder. The third replacement was delivered to the rail siding but had a defect and had to be returned to the factory and rebuilt. Finally, after seven years, the replacement was installed.” What a long lead time for that transformer! One other sale that came to his mind was when he was involved in a team effort to sell two turnkey 600 MW coal fired power plants valued at approximately $1.2 billion. “I have never had a better opportunity to learn the power plant business”, Fred recalled, “for this was worth two graduate level courses at any university. I did not have to take an examination, but we received the order, so I passed the course!”

Looking back over his time with ABB, Fred says what means the most to him are the people he’s met and worked with along the way. “I have met so many knowledgeable and gracious people, both customers and colleagues, who have been so generous to give of their time and share their experiences to assist me and others in performing our jobs.”

Fred’s last day with ABB is Friday, February 25, 2011. After retirement, Fred is looking forward to spending time with his family (he has three children and five grandchildren) and he and his wife, Suzanne, plan to do some traveling.

Fred, from all of us at ABB in Pinetops, we’ve enjoyed working with you, we will miss you tremendously, and we wish you the very best!

A Smarter Grid: Electric Vehicle Impact

2011-02-16T16:37:00.011-05:00

As America gears up for mass integration of electric vehicles, utilities are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact they will have on the electric grid. Nissan, GM and other manufacturers are ramping up production of EVs. Other companies, including ABB, are introducing charging stations for both residential and commercial applications. ABB has invested millions in ECOtality, a company that is leading the efforts in the US in EV infrastructure roll-out. There are many issues still to be resolved such as full EV infrastructure roll-out, range anxiety, who pays for the electric charge (at work, at the mall, etc.), and even the length of time for a charge. All this while the government is promoting EVs through tax breaks and rebates. But the biggest problem may actually be is how the existing grid infrastructure will handle the increased demand of electricity, whether it be at peak times or non-peak times.

Utilities will need to have more real-time eyes on the grid as demand increases, time of use pricing goes into effect and traditional off-peak hours become more congested. One way utilities can track the real-time activity on their distribution grid is to deploy feeder monitoring applications. ABB's GridSync™ wireless sensors allow utilities to monitor current and voltage levels as well as a host of other data points in real time throughout their distribution network. Utilizing a patented "split-core" combination current and voltage transformer, GridSync™ gives utilities a metering class accurate sensor with the ease of installation of a split core design. By supplying real time voltage, current, real and reactive power information, utilities can quickly monitor and manage their distribution networks to help them dynamically optimize their grid.

For more information on GridSync™, please visit the ABB website or contact the us at 252-827-2121.

A Smarter Grid: Reducing Distribution Line Losses

2011-02-11T10:50:00.002-05:00

Two questions immediately come to mind when considering distribution line losses. Simply, what are distribution line losses and why are they important?

Distribution line losses are the cumulative total of power that is lost as electricity is transmitted from generation to end users. In 2006, 655 billion kWh were lost within the distribution system. To put this into perspective, a 5% reduction in line losses would have saved consumers $2.85 billion annually based on the 2006 national average price of electricity. Additionally, 21 million tons of CO2 emissions would have been eliminated.

Common causes of distribution line losses are un-metered errors, unbalanced loading, energy theft, inaccuracy of revenue metering CT’s and PT’s, and standard distribution transformers to mention a few. Since distribution losses cost utilities a large amount of money, it seems prudent to consider various methods of reducing these losses.

The majority of CT’s and PT’s currently sold are rated in the 0.3% accuracy class. If a higher accuracy CT and PT were used, such as one rated in the 0.15% accuracy class, two immediate benefits are obvious. First, a more equitable playing field between the utility and the consumer would be established. Second, utility revenue accuracy would increase due to the higher accuracy of the PT’s and CT’s.

High efficiency distribution transformers and shunt capacitor banks are two common examples of equipment that can be installed as methods of reducing system losses; however, neither solution addresses energy theft, un-metered errors or unbalanced loading. Additionally, if standard distribution transformers were replaced with high efficiency transformers, the front end capital expense would be significant.

The most common and practical solutions to reducing distribution line losses are Grid Optimization and Distribution Automation. In theory, the concept is to modernize the existing grid which becomes more efficient and reduces distribution line losses. If a system were able to monitor the distribution system at various points and communicate with a host station, then unbalanced loading as well as energy theft could be detected and greatly lowered. As an added bonus, this increased efficiency would also allow for reduced generation and thus lower greenhouse gas output.

ABB's new GridSync™ system can help utilities better manage this process. By supplying near real time voltage, current, real and reactive power information, utilities can quickly monitor and manage their distribution networks to minimize losses. This will help utilities increase efficiency, dynamically optimize their grid, and reduce operating costs.

A Smarter Grid: Managing Real and Reactive Power in Real-Time

2011-02-09T10:54:00.001-05:00

In the delivery of electrical power, the act of transmitting power induces a power loss. A major cause of this is the generation of reactive power or VARs. The following post is a brief description of reactive power and how it can be reduced in the transmission of power.

Power is composed of two components: Real (or working) power and reactive power. The reactive power (VAR) reduces the amount of real power available. When inductive (i.e. transformers) or capacitive (i.e. capacitors) devices are introduced into an electrical system, a phase shift will occur between the current and the voltage. This shift reduces the amount of real power available.

Electrical power delivery systems typically have a lot transformers used throughout the transmission system. These transformers introduce a phase shift due to their inductance thus reducing the amount of real power available.

So to gain usable power, the phase shift needs to be minimized. This is typically done by adding capacitor banks in the system. Capacitor banks will cause a phase shift in the opposite direction than the inductors in the transformers.

ABB's new GridSync™ system can help utilities better manage this process. By supplying near real time voltage, current, real and reactive power information, utilities can quickly monitor and manage their use of capacitive loads to minimize real-time losses. This will help utilities increase efficiency, dynamically optimize their grid, and reduce operating costs.

For answers to your questions on how to better optimize your distribution network, please contact us at 252-827-2121.

ABB Pinetops Wins Major Solar Farm Award!

2011-02-04T10:59:00.008-05:00

ABB Pinetops recently was awarded the bid to supply our instrument transformers to a 5 MW solar farm being constructed in New Mexico. Although it is relatively small, this will be the largest solar farm in North America to use concentrated solar photovoltaics, a highly concentrated manner in which to turn the sun's heat into usable, and renewable energy. The plant will have 90 towers reaching 55 feet into the sky with panels that stretch 40 feet wide. The panels will automatically follow the path of the sun to maximize their efficiency.

At ABB Pinetops, we are proud of our efforts to support the renewable energy sector and have made supporting wind, solar, biomass and other green projects a major focus of our business model.

Let us know what you think.

To learn more about ABB in Pinetops, NC, please contact us at 252-827-3255.

New Products and Partners Announced at DistribuTECH

2011-02-03T18:17:00.007-05:00

2011 DistribuTech was another great show for ABB!

We unveiled the new SCC-125 split-core combination current and voltage transformer which garnered a lot of attention from the record 8,300 people in attendance. The SCC-125 is a meter-class accuracy CT/PT combo unit that has a split core and removable cap for easy installation. It is used in conjunction with GridSync™ to bring wireless distribution line monitoring to a utility for Smart Grid applications such as volt/VAr optimization, conservation voltage reduction and feeder metering.

We also announced that we are now working with Elster to combine their EnergyAxis® Advanced Grid Infrastructure (AGI) with the ABB SCC-125 sensor technology to bring new Smart Grid solutions. This was received with a lot of interest from utilities who are looking to add medium voltage monitoring to their AGI infrastructure.

We are looking forward to working with the many utilities who stopped by and showed great interest into what is one of the biggest steps forward in instrument transformers technology in many years.

If you have any questions about the GridSync™, the SCC-125, or our new relationship with Elster, please contact ABB in Pinetops at 252-827-2121.

Chris Jones joins the Pinetops' Marketing Team

2011-01-24T11:43:00.006-05:00

ABB in Pinetops, NC would like to welcome Chris Jones to the Marketing and Sales Team of the Medium Voltage Distribution Components Division. Chris's main responsibility as a sales engineer will be to cover IOU's in the Southeastern region of the USA.

Chris has over 17 years of experience in the electrical industry, including 15 years at Schneider Electric/Square D Company working out of the Raleigh Sales Office location. Chris's main responsibilities at Schneider Electric as a sales engineer included working within the construction and industrial markets.

Chris earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University with a focus on Power and Distribution Systems.

Where Are Instrument Transformers Used? Commercial & Industrial Installations

2011-01-13T09:37:00.007-05:00

As a conclusion to our series on "Where Instrument Transformers Are Used", we are going to look at the lowest voltage levels where current and voltage instrument transformers are used. Commercial and industrial buildings that require a 240 or 480 volt electrical service require current and voltage transformers to meter their electricity usage. For applications like these, utilities use a 600V class instrument transformer encapsulated in thermoplastic rubber, or TPR. These units are cost effective, durable transformers that can be used both outdoors or in inside small metal enclosures.

Below is a picture of a typical 600V unit that might be used with a distribution transformer feeding a commercial or industrial load.

This is the most common use of instrument transformers and these units are produced in very high volumes at our operation here in Pinetops, NC. Please contact the ABB Marketing team for more information on this or other metering products for your needs at 252.827-2121.

ABB Operation in Pinetops, NC Recognized for Operational Excellence for the Second Year

2011-01-06T12:36:00.007-05:00

This morning I received great news. Our division head of Operational Excellence announced that our operation in Pinetops, NC was once again selected as the Operational Excellence Champion! This is the second year in a row we have received this award. Our plant was graded in seven areas of performance: Customer Focus; Strategy, Execution, & Change Management; Continuous Improvement & People Focus; Lean Manufacturing; Quality Assurance; Supplier Development; and Health, Safety, & Environmental. The Pinetops operation received the highest overall score as compared to other operations within the company.

I am extremely proud of the team here in Pinetops. They work hard every day to make sure our customers receive the highest quality products exactly when they need them. To be recognized like this for the second time is exciting!

So congratulations to the ABB Pinetops employees! You guys are number one again!

ABB Employees Help local Family for Christmas

2010-12-21T08:13:00.008-05:00

This December, North Carolina has experienced colder than normal temperatures along with ice, sleet, and snow. While dropping her daughter off at school one morning, ABB Product Manager Shirley Slade noticed several children not wearing jackets despite temperatures below 20 degrees.

Shirley spoke to school officials and learned there were several families who could not afford to provide winter coats or even any Christmas gifts to their children. She discovered many of those families had been adopted by local businesses and church groups for the holidays. She also learned there was one family that still needed help this Christmas season.

Shirley volunteered to do what she could for the family but soon word got out to the employees of ABB in Pinetops that this family needed help. In very little time, it became a plant-wide effort to help this family provide a better Christmas for their three young children.

In less than a week, the employees at ABB raised close to $700 to buy much needed coats, boots, gloves, and school clothes for the family. Other employees donated gifts for the three children. Sam Sharpe, a production employee, brought in a brand new bike for the oldest child and ABB pitched in to purchase bikes for the other children.

In the end, each child received a large box of clothing, a large box of gifts, and a bicycle thanks to the generosity of our workforce. It took two trucks to haul away all the items collected for this family.

I am very proud of the ABB Pinetops' family for showing the the true meaning of the holiday season. We have some awesome employees here!

Can Volt VAR Optimization save the planet?

2010-12-20T08:42:00.003-05:00

Photo: ABB Archives

Can Volt VAR Optimization save the planet? In a word...yes.

The distribution grid is inefficient. This inefficiency leads to wasted electricity, unnecessary generation, squandered money and harmful CO2 in the atmosphere. The United States alone loses in excess of 250 Billion kWh per year on the distribution system alone - and this does not include over 1 trillion kWh lost on the transmission network. A small 10% improvement of efficiency on the distribution grid would save almost $6 Billion and reduce carbon emissions by 42 million tons.

How can we make the grid more efficient? The simplest way that we can do this is to improve the effectiveness of electricity flow. To understand how this can be accomplished, we need to discuss the difference between real and reactive power.

Real power is the energy that charges our phones, runs our air conditioning and keeps our factories producing goods. Real energy does the work. Reactive energy, on the other hand, contributes nothing to energy output, but nonetheless takes up space on a power line and produces unnecessary heat on a conductor line. The more reactive power, or VARs, on the power line, the less room there is for real power. You could compare this to the amount of foam on top of your beer. And nobody likes extra foam in their beer!

To optimize the movement of electricity, we want to eliminate reactive energy. Today, many utilities use tools such as capacitor banks or special transformers either in the substation or on the distribution grid. These devices work to keep reactive power low. This is commonly referred to as volt VAR control.

Now, with smart grid technology we can use a more intelligent approach and put into place volt VAR optimization, or VVO for short. What is the difference? The difference is found in what we know about the status of the power lines.

ABB's GridSync™ is able to calculate many different data points on the power lines, including VARs, as well as power factor, power quality, real and reactive power and much more. The GridSync™ unit can then communicate that data back to the utility where they can take action based on the analysis of the power line data.

To find out more about GridSync™, click here or call ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121.

Where Are Instrument Transformers Used? Primary Metering Units

2010-12-03T10:01:00.004-05:00

In our series "Where Instrument Transformers Are Used," we last left off at the Distribution Substation. This is the point where voltages are stepped down to be distributed throughout the network. The overhead lines that you see around your town are part of the distribution network. Most of these lines operate at the 15kV level, although some are in the 25kV class and even a few at the 34.5kV class. This is important to us, since that determines the level of insulation that is used for our current and voltage transformers.

A significant part of a utility's revenue comes from metering large commercial and industrial points. For these, we use what is called a primary metering unit. These units meter at much higher voltages than what is used either in a house or even the final voltages that are seen within the facility. Thus these are considered "primary" voltages.

A primary metering unit, or PMU, consists of either 3 current and 3 voltage transformers or 3 combination current and voltage transformers, similar to the picture above. The instrument transformers step down the current and voltage to 5 amperes and 120 volts respectively. The secondary leads connect from the PMU to a meter which the utility can read for revenue metering purposes.

ABB Pinetops makes several different PMUs. We can use our high accuracy, extended range current transformer technology either as part of a combo unit or a stand alone current transformer. We also offer standard revenue metering accuracy in our HCEP, urethane and Arteche units. The GridSync(TM) can also be used for primary metering if the utility wishes to receive their information remotely.

For more information, please contact a sales engineer in Pinetops at 252-827-2121.

Where Are Instrument Transformers Used? Distribution Substations

2010-11-16T11:03:00.008-05:00

In our last post in this series, we talked about the role of instrument transformers in transmission substations. Most of ABB's medium voltage current and voltage transformers are not rated for transmission level substations - the exception being the transformers being used inside of other gear such as breakers or power transformers. Our sister plant in Crystal Springs, MS makes oil-filled instrument transformers for these higher voltage instrument transformers. ABB Pinetops manufactures dry type CTs and PTs at 69kV and below.

Distribution substations are the next stop along the path for electricity. They step down transmission level voltages to be distributed to residences and local businesses. Most utilities in the United States reduce voltages to the 15kV class for distribution throughout the network. In the substation, we supply medium voltage outdoor current and voltage transformers. We make the KON and KOR style current transformers for metering and protection respectively. Our HCEP current transformers are available in high accuracy, extended range - you can read more about them here. We also provide utilities with single and double bushing voltage transformers. All of our substation units are available in HCEP, polyurethane and in CEP through our Arteche partnership. You can read more about the different insulating materials here.

Many of the current and voltage transformers that are found in the larger apparatus in a transmission substation are also found in a distribution substation - such as power transformers and circuit breakers. You can read more about these units in the previous article below.

For technical details or sales information, please contact the ABB Pinetops marketing team at 252-827-2121

ABB Salutes its Military Veterans

2010-11-11T09:35:00.007-05:00

At ABB in Pinetops and Greensboro, we have 21 Veterans representing every branch of the service: Navy, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Marines. Each of these employees is a leader in our plant and an important part of our success.

This year we presented each Veteran with a folding Buck knife as a gift. We also had a Military themed cake made by Denise Hackett, wife of Dennis Hackett our production manager.

So, once again we say, “Thank You to all our Veterans! Thank you for your service!”

ABB Pinetops & Greensboro Veterans:

Brad Freels

Roger Roberson

Kevin O’Donnell

Steve Thomson

Michael Wiggins

Junior Eason

Jon Rennie

Richard Culifer

Fred Ratchford

David James

Nathan Everett

Don Richerson

Marcus Bailey

Roger Jefferson

Benny Morgan

Thomas Snider

Johnnie Lyons

Gary Haynes

Kentucky Pommerening

Fletcher White

Robert Healy

Where Are Instrument Transformers Used? Transmission Substations

2010-11-05T08:32:00.006-04:00

In our last blog post in this series, we learned about instrument transformers in generator step up transformers. At a generating facility, voltages are stepped up to transmission levels to increase the efficiency of sending energy over long distances. As electricity is delivered over long distances, it will eventually need to be stepped back down to sub-transmission levels and eventually distribution levels. Typical bulk transmission levels range from a low of 69kV to 345kV and even higher.

When those voltages need to be stepped down, they enter into a transmission substation. At that point, a power transformer, like the ones made by ABB in St. Louis or Varennes, Canada, step the voltage down to a more usable level. Our bushing current transformers are used inside of these power transformers to provide protection schemes which will protect the transformer and other assets inside the substation. Current and voltage transformers can also be used for metering at these levels, especially at connection points where electricity may be sold off to different utilities.

At Pinetops, we manufacture dry-type instrument transformers and only offer these dry types up to the 69kV level. For instrument transformers above 69kV, utilities must use oil-filled units to withstand the voltage levels. These are manufactured by our friends at ABB in Crystal Springs, MS and Arteche, our instrument transformer partners in the US and Canada.

Do you need an alternative to porcelain cutouts?

2010-11-04T15:18:00.009-04:00

Recently, we moved the production of ABB fuse cutouts from our operation in Greensboro, NC to our plant in Pinetops, NC. ABB is a leader in fuse cutout technology and we offer several alternatives to standard porcelain cutouts. Below are two offerings that continue to grow in popularity with our utility customers. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Silicone rubber

Silicone rubber has been used for more than thirty years as an outdoor insulation material and is the fastest growing choice for polymeric material for medium and high voltage outdoor insulation. Silicone is used for its superior performance, durability, and insulation properties. It has the unique ability to maintain its hydrophobicity and offers greater stability against heat and ultraviolet radiation compared to other polymers. In addition, silicone cutouts are 30% - 50% lighter than porcelain units. Silicone insulators are available in all ratings up to 180 kV BIL.

Silicone performs as a highly effective flashover resistant insulation material, thus making it an optimum choice for highly contaminated environments. Silicone is not susceptible to UV degradation – will not "chalk" like other insulating materials. Natural UV radiation consists of wavelengths over 300 nanometers.

The shorter and more energetic wavelengths are filtered by the atmosphere. Silicone has its maximum absorption below 300 nanometers, which means that it has higher resistance against break-down than other polymers. These properties give silicone its superior stability against heat and UV-radiation.

Polymer concrete

ABB has been using polymer concrete for more than nineteen years. Available in 110 and 125 kV BIL ratings, polymer concrete provides a safe, shatter-proof design with molded-in rods to prevent moisture penetration.

Because it resists damage from freeze/thaw cycles, the material is an excellent alternative to porcelain in colder climates. Polymer concrete is a field proven material that provides excellent electrical properties and dielectric strengths, as well as superior mechanical durability.

ABB's Polymer concrete is a low cost alternative to potted porcelain cutouts that have a tendency to crack or shatter in extreme cold weather climates. The polymer concrete insulator cutout is the only one of its kind in the industry. Proprietary manufacturing materials make the Polymer concrete cutout cold weather resistant. Its unique, casting process makes it more resistant to moisture ingress, and therefore, resistant to damage from freeze/thaw cycles. Safety is also enhanced by the shatter proof design, eliminating any possibility of shattered porcelain falling on a utility worker. Polymer concrete provides excellent electrical properties and dielectric strengths, as well as superior mechanical toughness. One utility, with over 250,000 units installed for more than 18 years, has not had a single cracked polymer concrete cutout.

The King of Burgers meets the King of Instrument Transformers

2010-10-29T09:00:00.004-04:00

Maybe it's something in the water here in Pinetops, but we have some interesting employees. I had to laugh when I saw the "Burger King" walking through our plant greeting our employees this morning. Randy Newnam, our Customer Order Engineer (and resident class clown), decided to dress as the fast food giant's somewhat creepy mascot as a way to get everyone ready for the Halloween weekend. It made for a fun morning!

Where Are Instrument Transformers Used? Generator Step Up Transformers

2010-10-21T12:04:00.007-04:00

In continuing our series "Where Are Instrument Transformers Used?", we move a little further down the line, but we are still at the generating plant. The last post talked about generator current transformers, or GCTs. Today, we will talk about CTs that are used in Generator Step Up Transformers, or GSUs. The main purpose of the GSU is to "step up" the voltage from the generator to levels that are more efficient for the transmission of large amounts of electricity. ABB manufactures GSUs that will step up voltages as high as 765kV. GSUs are located in the power station and can be either single phase or three phase. Here in the United States, ABB manufactures large power transformers in St. Louis, MO and medium power transformers in South Boston, VA and Crystal Springs, MS.

Each type of GSU is going to use a ring core, or window, current transformer that will mostly be used for protection schemes. The CTs are mounted below the bushings and send a current reading to a connected relay. The CTs that are used in these applications consist of a solid metal core, copper windings to determine the ratio and encapsulated in either a cotton tape for units that will be placed in oil or a polyester wrap for dry units. Most of these units are custom made and the size of these units can range from a 6" up to a 36" inner diameter. The outer diameter and height of the unit will fluctuate based on the ratio and accuracy called out for in the application.

For technical details or sales information, please contact the ABB Pinetops marketing team at 252-827-2121.

Where Are Instrument Transformers Used? From Power Generation to Revenue Metering

2010-10-18T10:57:00.005-04:00

Instrument transformers are used throughout the Transmission and Distribution network and today we are starting a new series detailing where and how our current and voltage transformers are used and why they are used in those applications. We will also talk about the differences in the form and factor of each transformer in those particular applications.

For our first lesson, let's start at the point of electric generation. Generator current transformers, or GCTs as we refer to them, are located either on the isolated-phase bus or on a non-insulated generator bushing. The core and coil assembly is wound and tape wrapped with either Mylar or polyester glass tape and comes in various window sizes ranging from 6” up to 41”. The GCT has an internally shielded winding for 10kA and above rated units to minimize the effects of stray flux from adjacent current carrying conductors. The GCT is mounted to the non-magnetic insulating board using high strength straps and silicone adhesive to provide excellent mechanical strength to withstand the high vibration application on generators.

GCTs can be used either for metering or in a protection scheme. For metering accuracy, our GCTs can meter at the standard 0.3% accuracy or it can also come with high accuracy 0.15% accuracy. On the protection side, the GCT can reach up to a C800 accuracy. Our GCTs can be used up to 50,000A with a ratio of 50,000:5.

Please contact the ABB Marketing and Sales team at 252.827-2121 for any questions you may have on your generator current transformer needs.

What is the Most Important Smart Grid Application?

2010-10-01T13:27:00.009-04:00

In a recent survey, major North American utilities identified Distribution Automation/Grid Optimization as the most important Smart Grid application. Over 75% of the utilities stated that Distribution Automation/Grid Optimization was Very Important or Most Important. This ranked as better than AMI, Demand Response and In-Home Energy Management systems, among others.

Why have utilities identified Grid Optimization as being so important? Increasing the efficiency of the distribution power lines has been identified as the quickest solution to reducing generation and thus limiting the amount of greenhouse gases. Utilities believe that they can improve the efficiency of distribution level power by 4-6% with a Volt/VAr Optimization (VVO) system.

ABB recently installed GridSync(TM) at a major US utility (see blog post) which will allow them to monitor the distribution lines to reduce reactive power on their lines. GridSync(TM) can also be used to monitor power quality, power factor, load, voltage sag and many other key pieces of information that are useful to a utility. To find out more about what the GridSync does, please read this article. You can also learn more about VVO applications by reading this article.

Please contact ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121 for more information.

Smart Grid is here! GridSync goes Live

2010-09-29T10:21:00.004-04:00

ABB Pinetops, working with a major investor owned utility, installed its first GridSync(TM) system on Tuesday, September 28th. GridSync(TM), a family of remote wireless grid sensors, was originally unveiled at ABB's Automation and Power World show in Houston earlier this year. GridSync(TM) is designed for Smart Grid applications like Volt/VAr Optimization and Conservation Voltage Reduction. GridSync(TM) allows utilities to monitor its distribution lines in real time and be able to monitor data such as Voltage, Current, VArs, power quality, power factor, load demand, voltage sag, and real and reactive power. The GridSync(TM) sends that data back to the utility wirelessly to allow them to monitor their feeders remotely.

Utilities use this data to make power lines more efficient, with the ultimate goal of reducing the amount of generation that is needed. Reducing the overall demand with increased efficiency is a major step towards a more efficient power grid. ABB is a major driving force behind Smart Grid products and systems. To learn more about Volt/VAr Optimization, please read our previous article or watch our ABB PowerEd video.
GridSync(TM) was developed by the engineers in Pinetops with collaboration from our partners, Byram Labs and Elster. Over the past year, many hours of hard work, late nights, weekends, and an amazing amount of brain power went into this product. ABB is excited to salute the engineers, production employees, and the teams at Byram Labs and Elster who helped make this day possible.

ABB Sponsored Exhibit opens to the Public!

2010-09-24T16:29:00.004-04:00

Back in February, we announced our sponsorship for a new exhibit at the Imagination Station Science Museum called, “How People Make Things.” Well the time has finally come and the new exhibit opens to the public today!

“How People Make Things” is a traveling exhibit inspired by the factory tours on the Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood show. It was created with the mindset that every object has a story of how it is made. It celebrates the people, the manufacturing processes, and the technology used to make everyday objects in our world. The exhibit brings the manufacturing experience to life by providing hand-on activities in cutting, molding, deforming, and assembly (visitors can take home the objects they create), role-playing opportunities, matching games, factory tour videos, and live demonstrations.

Mr. Rogers was quoted as saying, “My father and my two grandfathers worked in factories, and I was always interested in their work. When we show factories, they certainly have fascinating machines, but I always emphasize that it takes people to make machines and to make them work. I like children to know that people can take pride in their work and that everyone’s job is important.”

That’s the way we feel at ABB in Pinetops as well and we are proud to support this exhibit. We are also excited that ABB has a special place in the exhibit in the “Factories in your Neighborhood” area. We have a spot where we feature the ABB products that are built right here in North Carolina by North Carolinians.

The exhibit will be at Imagination Station from September 24th to January 2nd, so plan to attend with your children or grandchildren. It’s sure to be fun for all ages!

ABB Pinetops celebrates Clean Up the World Weekend

2010-09-20T08:43:00.003-04:00

September 17-19 was Clean Up the World Weekend - an international program devoted to inspiring and empowering communities to clean up, fix up, and conserve their environment.

At the ABB operation in Pinetops, North Carolina, we try to incorporate this ideology into our everyday business.

In January 2010, the Pinetops facility became the second ABB factory in the United States to successfully complete the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Supplier Network Program - a process created to help small and medium-sized businesses stay competitive and profitable while reducing their impact on the environment. After an intense cross-functional, three-day environmental "Lean, Green, and Clean" kaizen event, we came away with a new perspective on environmental waste. Seventy-eight action items were developed that will help us reduce our waste, save energy, and improve our environmental processes. Some of the most helpful action items to come from this process were our need for a more standardized energy usage assessment and tracking program.

Understanding how, and even more importantly where, our energy usage was coming from was a necessary foundation for developing programs to reduce and control that usage. In addition to focusing on our standard power usage, we decided to branch out into renewable energy solutions. We are currently in the process of applying for grants to build a solar power plant on the roof of our new building addition. We also are working to put in several vertical tower wind turbines on our property to take advantage of yet another renewable energy process.

We have several other projects going on that really illustrate the purpose of Clean Up the World Weekend:

Our new building addition was designed with the most energy efficient equipment available
We replaced the HVAC system, which was more than 30-years-old, with a new, energy, efficient and environmentally-friendly unit
We are improving our waste streams to reduce our landfill amount and constantly increase our recyclable materials
We do regular environmental training and communications with our plant employees
We switched out our regular holiday greeting cards for ones made of recycled paper that have seeds embedded into them that can be planted

As important as it is to constantly evaluate and identify process improvements at our manufacturing facilities, it is even more vital that we put just as much effort into ensuring the products we produce at ABB are having a positive impact on the environment. This is the latest approach in Pinetops' efforts to improve the environment and sustainability. One of biggest efforts is to improve the efficiency of the electrical grid. In 2006, a total of 1,638 billion kWh of energy was lost on the US-power grid, with 655 billion kWh lost in the distribution system alone. A 10 percent improvement in grid efficiency at the distribution level alone would have produced $5.7 billion in savings and saved over 42 million tons of CO2 emissions. To help improve grid efficiency, we launched the ABB GridSync system which measures the health of the grid and allow utilities to optimize the performance and minimize losses.

The other way are products are helping the environment is our focus on renewable energy development. We developed a range of instrument transformer products at ABB in Pinetops that are designed specifically for the variable nature of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. We have successfully these products into a large percentage of renewable energy development projects in the United States.

Each one of us can have an impact on the future state of our world. Clean Up the World Weekend illustrates this in the support they give to communities across the globe to take a step in making a difference. We at ABB are a community of people, processes, and products that together can take a huge leap in improving our environmental impact. Remember all it takes is one small action to make a difference: having a re-useable container instead of tossing a plastic bottle, a tweak in one of our product designs that helps reduce emissions, carpooling to and from business meetings, or just remembering to turn the lights off when you leave the office for the evening.

Let us know what you think.

Volt/VAr Optimization: Making a Smart Grid an Optimized Grid

2010-08-25T16:18:00.012-04:00

There has been a lot of discussion about Smart Grid and its ability to eliminate losses and improve grid efficiency. More and more experts are beginning to recognize how volt/VAr optimization can help. I found an excellent ABB white paper written on this very topic that I thought I would share with our readers below.

ABB is a leading expert in volt/VAr optimization and has recently deployed its advanced volt/VAr Optimization (VVO) application at Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E). You can see that story HERE.

So, take a look and let me know what you think about this important Smart Grid topic...

Smart Grid

The term “smart grid” has been used to describe a broad range of technologies, design concepts and operating practices that collectively paint an exciting picture of what our electric power infrastructure might look like in ten or twenty years. But what about the grid we have today? Certainly one of the most important attributes of a smart grid is the ability to wring more out of the assets currently deployed throughout our electricity delivery system. That is the essence of optimization.

The benefits of grid optimization are fairly straightforward:

−− To get more out of the existing infrastructure and thus defer investments in new generation, transmission and distribution facilities

−− To reduce the overall cost of delivering power to end users

−− To improve reliable delivery of power to end users

−− To reduce resource usage and by extension, emissions of CO2 and other pollutants

Running through all of these is the concept of efficiency, whether in an economic or physical sense. So, how do we go about improving the efficiency of our power grid, short of wholesale replacements of aging equipment and massive investments in the latest technologies? In short, what can be done now to make the grid operate better?

What does “efficiency” mean for a power grid?

Efficiency at the utility level is often overlooked outside of industry circles, in particular the substantial gains that could be made in the efficiency of power transmission and distribution systems. Grid efficiency comes down largely to “line losses,” the amount of power leaving a generation plant that is lost on the way to our homes and businesses. Losses in the transmission and distribution system of 6 to 8 percent are typical even in the world’s most advanced countries, and they can run even higher.

In 2006, a total of 1,638 billion kWh of energy was lost on the US power grid, with 655 billion kWh lost in the distribution system alone. To put this in perspective, consider that a 10 percent improvement in grid efficiency at the distribution level alone would have produced $5.7 billion in savings based on the 2006 national average price of electricity. It would also have saved over 42 million tons of CO2 emissions.

But achieving that ten percent is not as difficult as one might think. As we’ll see in a moment, there are technologies available today that can have a tremendous impact without bank-breaking investments. What’s also important to note, though, is that far from convincing millions of consumers to try something new, applying these technologies involve only utilities. Of those, the 210 investor-owned utilities operating in the US today serve over 70 percent of all end users, so the universe of “customers” for improved grid efficiency is remarkably small. Compare that to the millions of consumers who would have to change their energy usage under demand response programs, for example, in order for those initiatives to realize their full potential.

Reducing losses

Improving the efficiency of power transmission and distribution comes down to two choices: you can reduce the resistance of the wires by making them larger or using better materials (not a practical solution), or you can improve the effectiveness of the flow of electricity. To address the latter, it’s important to understand one technical concept and that is the difference between active and reactive power.

Real power is what we use to run our lights, computers and production lines. It’s the power the “does the work.” Reactive power does not contribute anything to doing work, but it does cause conductors to heat up and it takes up a certain amount of “space” in the wires. The more reactive power flowing on a line, the less “room” there is for real power, and the less efficient the transmission and/or distribution system will be.

So, to optimize the movement of electric energy, we would ideally like to eliminate reactive power flows, or at least minimize them. Utilities do this today on their local distribution systems using devices such as capacitor banks or special transformers, typically located at substations or on feeder. These devices work to keep reactive power flows down, making the full capacity of the conductor available for the real power that will be used by our lights, TVs and refrigerators. This process is known as volt/VAr control.

Historically, volt/VAr control devices have operated autonomously, independent of one another and without centralized coordination. This approach worked, but it left a good deal of efficiency on the table since actions taken by one device might have less-than-optimal results for another location on the grid or for the system as a whole.

Enter VVO: volt/VAr optimization

Advances in automation and communications have laid the foundation to make centralized, coordinated voltage control possible and in fact applications to take advantage of it have been in the works for years. The problem lies in the fact that the computing requirements for such applications to generate useful solutions in near real time are staggering. However, new methodologies and today’s faster computers have converged to make volt/VAr optimization viable.

VVO, as it is known, is an advanced application that runs periodically or in response to operator demand at the utility control center or in substation automation systems. Combined with two-way communication infrastructure and remote control capability for capacitor banks and voltage regulating transformers, VVO makes it possible to optimize the energy delivery efficiency on distribution systems using real-time information.

The real breakthrough here is in the speed and quality of the computation. VVO uses advanced algorithms to identify the optimal operation strategy from millions, or even billions of possibilities. Arriving at that result fast enough to apply it in practice, in a day-to-day utility working environment, is a tall order.

The result is improved efficiency that reduces the amount of power that must be generated and with it the emissions of CO2 and other pollutants associated with power generation. VVO also allows utilities to control costs better by getting the most out of their networks.

What’s next

More applications are being developed now that address not only the efficiency of grid operations but also reliability. For example, fault detection, isolation and restoration (FDIR) will require more components (devices on the grid and software applications) than VVO, and different utilities are likely to take different approaches to implementing this type of functionality. Similarly, managing large volumes of distributed generation resources like rooftop solar panels will take even more sensors, faster computers and more robust algorithms to manage the interrelated effects of so many devices on the utility’s system.

For all of these applications, however, one component is vital: communications. The ability to move large amounts of data from disparate points on the grid is the key to enabling the applications that will in turn facilitate the widespread adoption of distributed generation and maintain (or even improve) the level of service customers expect. Of course, challenges remain. There are issues surrounding standards and interoperability, security, and of course cost to name a few. The long-term benefits, though, are compelling. VVO is only the beginning of a new stage in the evolution of our power systems that will make them simultaneously more reliable, more efficient and more economical.

ABB supplies another major Wind Farm!

2010-08-23T15:53:00.005-04:00

More great news on the Wind Power front! ABB Pinetops is supplying voltage transformers to a 200MW wind farm in North Dakota. The wind farm will provide power to public power utilities in North Dakota and Minnesota. When it is completed, this project will be the largest wind farm in North Dakota. The wind farm will generate enough energy to power 67,000 homes.

The wind farm will use the Arteche PTT-200-9710 voltage transformers. ABB is the exclusive distributor of Arteche instrument transformers in the United States and Canada. The PTT-200-9710 is a 35kV class unit that is highly popular with wind farms and other substation packagers because of its value in both cost and quality. The PTT-200-9710 is encapsulated in cycloaliphatic epoxy (CEP) material, a highly durable and weather resistant material which will be very useful in the extreme weather environments in North Dakota.

Please contact ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121 or visit our page on the ABB website for more information.

How do we avoid the Fail Whale in the Electrical Grid?

2010-08-22T12:16:00.008-04:00

As someone who has dabbled in social media for the past few years, I am all too familiar with Twitter’s “Fail Whale.” If you haven’t seen it before, it is a whimsical picture of a giant whale being carried by Twitter birds with the message, “Twitter is over capacity. Too many tweets! Please wait a moment and try again.” It’s simply Twitter’s cute way of saying it can’t handle the volume of users. While it is certainly inconvenient for Twitter users, the Fail Whale will not create a national crisis.

As I was staring at the Fail Whale one afternoon, it occurred to me that this could be a message we could be seeing from our nation’s electrical grid if we don’t begin the hard work of modernizing the grid and preparing it for the future. I’m sure not many Americans would stand for a message like this while preparing their morning coffee, “The grid is over capacity. Too many users! Please wait a moment and try again.” But the truth is that without a major upgrade to our nation’s electrical grid, we could be headed in that direction.

Think about these three major events that are occurring to the grid as we speak. First, the demand for electricity is continuing to rise. A 2009 report by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) predicts that, on average, peak demand will increase by almost 15 percent by 2018. Second, there is an increased use of renewable power generation. This is being driven by a desire to reduce carbon emissions and being mandated by state Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). Third, is the growth of the electric vehicle. The launch of the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf shows that electric vehicles, like hybrids before them, are quickly moving from concepts to reality.

So what is the answer? Many experts will tell you that Smart Grid is the solution. But a quick Google search of Smart Grid will give you such a variety of thoughts and opinions that a clear picture of what Smart Grid is, what it will cost, and what it can do for our nation’s electrical grid is still fuzzy.

Recently I saw a video posted by Greentech Media on an interview done (on the Weather Channel of all places) with two grid experts. I think it paints a pretty good picture of what Smart Grid is, why we need it, how much it will cost, how long it will take to implement, and the challenges of implementation. You can see the video below.

Implementing Smart Grid may be the most important engineering endeavor of our lifetimes. We need our nation’s grid to become “smarter” to deal with the growing demand for electricity, the addition of distributed renewable generation sources, the desire for increased efficiency, and the need for demand feedback.

Bottom line is that for us to avoid the Fail Whale, we need a fundamental transformation of our electrical grid.

High Accuracy Current Transformers: Technology to the Core

2010-08-03T16:39:00.008-04:00

ABB Pinetops has pioneered high accuracy, extended range current transformers over the last several years with much success. But we often get asked how our CTs are more accurate than traditional units. The answer lies in the advanced core material that we use.

ABB has researched many types of core materials for instrument transformers and has settled on one that is a highly permeable metal that allows for much more accurate measurement of electrical current flow than traditional electrical steel. The structure of this material allows us to use less metal in the core resulting in less overall weight. Among its many high quality features, this advanced core material has greater thermal stability giving it a wider temperature operating range. Current transformers built with this material can be used from a low of -55C to a high of +130C over an extended period of time.

ABB's high accuracy extended range CTs exceed ANSI standards for metering capability with a tested accuracy of 0.15% or greater from 1% of nominal current through rating factor. This high accuracy saves utilities money through reduced billing errors and is also great for a reduction in inventory parts.

To find out more about ABB's high accuracy, extended range current transformers, please contact us at 252-827-2121.

Avoiding Power Line Losses Through Feeder Metering

2010-07-15T14:51:00.004-04:00

Utilities face power line losses every day from a variety of sources. Line losses are a major source of lost revenue for a utility and the good news is that they can be avoided.

What are the leading causes of line losses? Losses can be caused by inaccuracy of revenue meters, possibly by incorrect calibrations or sizing, unmetered errors from apparatus such as street lights or security lights, billing system errors, energy theft or power factor or phase imbalance. All these issues can result in a loss of revenue for a utility. In today's tight market, utilities should be doing all they can to minimize losses where ever they can.

How can ABB help with line losses? A utility can easily use the GridSync™ wireless monitoring system to perform Feeder Metering on distribution lines. By placing one GridSync™ unit upstream of a cluster of metered units and one unit downstream of the metered units, a utility can easily locate losses by detecting the amount of power at the first GridSync™ unit and the amount of power at the second GridSync™ unit and comparing the difference to the amount of power that was metered in between.

Please contact ABB Pinetops for more information on the GridSync wireless monitoring system to find out how we can help your utility needs. To find out more about GridSync™, click here or call ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121.

What is Volt/VAR Optimization and Why Should I Care?

2010-06-25T11:36:00.008-04:00

Now, with smart grid technology we can use a more intelligent approach and put into place volt/VAr optimization, or VVO for short. What is the difference? The difference is found in what we know about the status of the power lines.

ABB's GridSync^TM is able to calculate many different data points on the power lines, including VArs, as well as power factor, power quality, real and reactive power and much more. The GridSync^TM unit can then communicate that data back to the utility where they can take action based on the analysis of the power line data.

To find out more about GridSync^TM, click here or call ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121.

#1 in Customer Service…Again

2010-06-21T14:38:00.001-04:00

Connie Jenkins, Linda Hogg, and Linda Avery with the ABB Customer Focus Award

When you combine 79 years of customer service experience, the outcome is likely to be good. That is what happened on May 15, 2010 at the annual awards dinner at ABB’s Automation and Power World event in Houston, TX. Every year, awards are given to businesses that exemplify the best in customer service. For the past two years, ABB in Pinetops, NC has won the award for the Medium Voltage division (see last year's article). The primary reason for this success is three employees who have dedicated themselves to providing the absolute best in customer service, Linda Hogg, Linda Avery, and Connie Jenkins.

“They are the backbone of our operation,” said Jon Rennie, vice president and general manager of ABB Pinetops, “Our success is directly tied to their desire to fully satisfy our customers.” This is not just a recent phenomenon either. Linda Avery has been at the Pinetops location for 32 years, Linda Hogg has been in Pinetops for 31 years, and Connie Jenkins has 16 years experience in Pinetops. This combined experience means they have heard just about anything a customer can ask for and they are uniquely qualified to respond to those requests.

The company thanked these employees for their efforts by recognizing them with the ABB Quality Salute Award for their outstanding performance.

ABB: Power to the People?

2010-06-17T13:22:00.004-04:00

First of all, let me start out by saying that I don't recommend stocks, let alone my own company's stock. I leave that to the experts because I'm not really good at it. So please don't take this post as a recommendation to buy or sell ANY stocks!

But I did find this article and video by The Motley Fool to be a very interesting observation about alternative energy, where it is being produced, and the need to get it to where it will be consumed. Motley Fool Global Gains research analyst Nate Weisshaar states:

With the majority of alternative energy sources being located well away from the population centers that need the electricity, ABB's leading power transmission technology will be a key component as the world adopts green energy.

I actually think Mr. Weisshaar is right on in his analysis. As the US moves toward wind and solar power, major investments will need to made in the power transmission and distribution grid to transport this energy to where people need it. This is something that ABB is really good at.

So don't take my investment advice, but if you have a need for the world's best instrument transformers to help bring "Power to the People," give me a call...

ABB and the World Cup

2010-06-11T07:54:00.004-04:00

As a global company, ABB takes great pride in work we do across the world and what better way to show our products but at the world's largest sporting event? Soccer's World Cup opens today and ABB was instrumental in many of the projects that help to put on the sporting spectacle.

Soccer City, located in Soweto, is South Africa's largest stadium with a design inspired by traditional African pottery. ABB delivered 14 transformers for the expansion and renovation of the stadium, which will hold the opening ceremonies and the tournament's championship game.

Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg will host 7 games including the United States' game against Slovenia on June 18. ABB built a turnkey substation to ensure a stable power supply to the stadium. ABB also engineered a large rail project on the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link which will link soccer fans between Johannesburg and Pretoria. ABB is providing advanced traction solutions as well as substations along the 80 km railway system which can travel at speeds of up to 160 km per hour.

Read more about ABB's projects in South Africa for this year's World Cup here.

ABB in Pinetops Recognized by the State of North Carolina

2010-06-02T16:31:00.001-04:00

Caption - Members of the ABB Pinetops Safety Star Team accept the Gold Award from Cherie K. Berry, North Carolina Commissioner of Labor

Pinetops plant receives Gold Award for Safety Performance for 5th Consecutive Year

On Tuesday, the annual North Carolina Safety Awards Banquet was held at the Gateway Convention Center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The event was sponsored by the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Labor. The banquet's tag line was, "These awards represent pain that was never felt, medical bills and workmen's compensation that never had to be paid by either employees or employers and employee hours and production never lost to recuperation."

Several members of the ABB Pinetops staff and Safety Star Team attended the banquet on behalf of the facility to accept the Gold Award for Safety Performance. Gold Awards are given to those companies whose rate of days away from work, job transfer, or restriction is at least 50% below the industry average. 2009 marked the fifth consecutive year that the ABB Pinetops' facility has won this prestigious award.

The guest speaker for the evening was Cherie K. Berry, North Carolina Commissioner of Labor, who also handed out the awards. During her speech, Cherie mentioned her background as an employee for a company that made spark plug wires and inspired her nickname "Sparky." She also touched on the recent economic changes noting that these things are cyclical and often act just like a roller coaster, "you get hurt if you jump out, so hang on tight, because these rides can be both exciting and scary at the same time but if you just hold on, you'll be okay." Commissioner Berry also stated how she firmly believes that education and training have made the difference in North Carolina's safety record.

Safety Star Team member, Yvonne Johnson accepted the Gold Award on behalf of the Pinetops' team from Commissioner Berry at the close of the evenings' events. All seven of the ABB Pinetops' attendees enjoyed seeing the success in safety that they and their co-workers earned with smart, safe work practices. The ABB Pinetops Team looks forward to winning their sixth award in 2010, along with their formal recognition for hitting two million hours without a lost time incident.

ABB Employees in Pinetops partner with the ABB Foundation for Relay for Life

2010-05-28T09:32:00.002-04:00

ABB Pinetops employees present a check to Jane Gurley Harper, the Corporate Sponsorship Chairperson for the Edgecombe County Relay for Life

The American Cancer Society has long been a charity near and dear to the hearts of ABB employees in Pinetops, NC. For 14 years, they have been actively involved in Relay for Life, a program which raises money for the American Cancer Society. Through the years, employees have held raffles, bake sales, sold kitchen utensils, and sponsored hot plate dinners to raise money to help battle this deadly disease. During the past six years, these dedicated employees have raised more than $47,000.

In 2010, the Pinetops employees once again partnered with ABB Foundation the second time. The goal was to raise $5,600 for the annual Relay for Life event which was held the evening of May 14 in Tarboro, NC. Forty-seven teams set up booths and tents in the football field of Tarboro High School. The uplifting, family-friendly event included over 1,000 people who walked, camped out in tents, served food, entertained the participants, and just gave their time and energy support this important cause.

At the end of the night, ABB employees presented a check for $16,495 to the Edgecombe County Relay for Life, the most it had ever raised. The employees raised $9,995 and ABB Foundation contributed an additional $6,500. In all, more than $155,000 was raised by the Edgecombe County Relay for Life organization.

The ABB team in Pinetops looks forward to continuing to support this important event and charity. They know that because of organizations like the American Cancer Society, many of their friends, family, and co-workers have been able to enjoy more birthdays and holidays by beating cancer.

Podcast: How GridSync (TM) Makes the Grid Smarter

2010-05-19T17:38:00.003-04:00

At the ABB Automation and Power World 2010 exhibition, ABB is presenting a new wireless sensor for power distribution networks (GridSync) that helps utilities save money by optimizing power line voltages.

Listen to the podcast of Jon Rennie, who's responsible for ABB's Medium Voltage Instrument Transformer business in North America, talk about how the GridSync sensor works and what benefits it can deliver. More information on GridSync is located here.

ABB Pinetops Unveils GridSync (TM) Wireless Sensors

2010-05-14T22:03:00.008-04:00

The GridSync™ wireless sensors will be officially introduced to the utility industry at ABB's Automation and Power World in Houston today, Saturday May 15.

What is the GridSync™ wireless sensors system?

The ABB GridSync™ wireless sensors integrate combination current and voltage transformers with a complete wireless communications package that sends power line data to the utility for analysis and action. The primary applications for the GridSync™ sensors are for VoltVar Optimization (VVO) and Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) to help utilities optimize line voltages and power quality throughout the distribution grid.

Unlike traditional current and voltage sensors, the GridSync™ wireless sensors deliver revenue class accuracy by using highly accurate combination current and voltage transformers. These CTs and PTs talk to a remote terminal unit (RTU) which can be configured in a varierty of ways to transmit power line data back to the utility. The RTU can use DNP 3.0 or modbus protocols via cellular, 900mHz or just about any other method of communication protocol in use by a utility.

In addition to current and voltage readings, the GridSync™ wireless sensors transmit power quality, load demand, four quadrant load profile data, real and reactive energy, VA, VAR and time of use data as well as a full range of additional data.

For more information about the GridSync™ wireless sensors, please contact your local ABB sales rep or call ABB Pinetops at 252-827-2121.

2,000,000 Safe Work Hours!

2010-05-05T15:02:00.004-04:00

The ABB operation in Pinetops, NC hit another milestone in their safety program. On May 3, 2010, the plant surpassed 2,000,000 hours without a Lost Time Accident. This represents nearly four years without a serious incident.

“This is a great accomplishment and I am extremely proud of the team in Pinetops,” said Jon Rennie, Vice President and General Manager. “Because of their hard work, there has not been one significant injury since 2006. They are living out our number one Safety value that ‘Nothing we do at ABB is worth getting hurt for.’”

The Pinetops operation has a robust safety program that includes monthly safety training, an active employee safety team, a strong near miss program, monthly management safety observation tours, ergonomics projects, and strong two-way safety communications.

“The success of our safety program really rests on our outstanding workforce,” said Jennifer Dively, Environmental, Health and Safety Manager for Pinetops, “They are proactive in creating a positive safety culture. This plant is unique because it is a family atmosphere where the employees really work hard to take care of each other and make safety the top priority.”

The plant plans on celebrating this milestone with a steak and shrimp dinner for all employees.

GridSync (TM) to be introduced at ABB Automation and Power World

2010-04-27T15:57:00.004-04:00

ABB Automation & Power World 2010 is a premier Automation and Power Technology Event that takes place annually and showcases ABB’s solutions to the toughest automation and power technology challenges. This year the event takes place on May 18-20, 2010 at the George R.Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX. We are excited about showing a brand new, revolutionary product at this event called GridSync (TM). More details will follow, but here is a sneak peak at this new, exciting product.

Keep up to date with all the Automation & Power World information with Twitter, Facebook, andLinkedin!

The Wind Keeps Blowing Our Way

2010-04-07T12:51:00.003-04:00

ABB Pinetops has secured orders for two more wind farms, one in Oregon and the other in Canada. ABB Pinetops will supply the two wind farms with our VOY-20G voltage transformer made out of our HCEP material and the LG series of current transformers. The LG line of current transformers came to ABB Pinetops as part of the Kuhlman acquisition in 2008 and has been a great asset to our product portfolio.

The wind farm in Oregon is expected to be fully built out by 2012 and will be the largest land-based wind farm in the world when completed. There are others planned that will exceed the 338 turbine wind farm, however. The wind farm will have the capacity to generate 835 megawatts (MW) or 2 billion kWh per year. This is enough energy to power 235,000 homes per year. At its peak, the wind farm will employ 400 people and once completed will have 35 permanent, high skill, well-paying jobs.

The Canadian wind farm will be located in Ontario along the shores of Lake Erie and will have the capacity to deliver 103.5 MW of electricity. The wind farm will supply power to businesses and residents in southern Ontario and will supply enough electricity to power 25,000 average Canadian homes. The project will generate 300 jobs in Ontario and will require 10 permanent jobs to oversee and maintain the wind farm once it is completed.

ABB Pinetops takes great pride in being an integral supplier to the wind farm industry and has products that fully support renewable energies including wind, solar, biomass and hydropower.

For more information on our full line of products, please contact your ABB sales rep or ABB Sales Engineer in Pinetops, NC at 252-827-2121.

ABB Pinetops Hosts local Fire, Police, and Emergency Response Visit

2010-04-06T15:56:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, April 1st, 2010, ABB Pinetops hosted fifty local fire, police, and emergency response personnel for our annual dinner and plant tour. Six different response units were represented from two counties: Pinetops Fire Department, South Edgecombe Fire Department, Macclesfield Fire Department, Pinetops Police, Edgecombe County Sheriff's Department, and the South Edgecombe K-9 Unit. After a group dinner, the emergency responders were given a brief overview of the site by EHS Manager, Jen Dively. Following the introduction to the site, the participants were given detailed tours of the facility by local plant employees. The chemical storage areas, including our new 90-day storage building, security protocols, evacuation procedures, and access points were focused on during the tour. During our tour, Officer Weeks and his K-9 companion toured the facility and demonstrated the high level of skill and partnership that exists between a handler and his dog. Even though the dog did not identify any "finds," he did get plenty of admiration and attention from the entire group!

Each visiting unit was given a site binder at the end of the tour that contained the contact information for the Crisis Management Team as is outlined in our site Business Continuity Plan, copies of the chemical lists by HMIS/NFPA hazard categorization for Pinetops and our Tarboro facility, detailed evacuation and assembly diagrams for both sites, and a list of the site Emergency Response Team members. Our visitors also gave some helpful feedback on the RED BOX program we are going to be installing at the site. This program is based on a best practice program in ABB Australia where a red box is mounted at the entrance to the site to ensure that any emergency personnel responding to an issue at our facility have immediate access to all pertinent emergency event information at the site; including chemical hazards, egress points, contact personnel, etc. Our goal is to avoid any emergency response event, but in the event that our local professionals do have to respond to ABB Pinetops, we want to help ensure their safety as well as that of our employees and visitors.

The entire event went extremely well, and we at ABB Pinetops are thankful for the amazing men and women who serve as emergency responders in our area. We look forward to having them back to tour the site once our building additions are complete.

Big thanks to Eddie Drake, Junior Eason, and Roger Roberson for participating in the dinner and acting as expert tour guides. An even bigger thanks to Tom Stallings for helping to organize the entire event!