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Dawson PPD testing NE Tech to improve grid reliability

Written by Fast Forward | Jan 24, 2022 7:59:00 PM

Dawson Public Power District joins Snappy Workflow’s beta program this irrigation season for large scale system thermography. Utilities use thermography to identify failing components so proactive repairs can be made.  Until now technology limited using thermography at scale without negatively impacting rates or limited personnel during peak season.

“This technology will help us identify and address problems, making us more efficient in reducing outage times for our customers. It is exciting to be one of the first electric utilities to use Snappy Workflow. We see it as a cost-effective way to provide better service,” says Gwen Kautz, Dawson PPD’s General Manager. Gwen has been in the utility industry for 42 years, leading as Dawson’s General Manager for the last 10 years.

The team at Snappy Workflow is developing a vehicle-based sensor and software package to enable utilities a real-time snapshot of hundreds of miles of powerline in just a day. When scaled properly, this will directly improve the maintenance programs at the utility, with minimal cost vs traditional methods.

In 2021, U.S. News and World Record ranked Nebraska #3 nationally for power grid reliability. “It’s the proactive mindset of entities like Dawson PPD that drive an exceptional experience for the consumer in Nebraska. The team at Snappy Workflow is excited to establish a model for grid inspections that will soon lead the nation in efficiency,” said Curtis Kayton, Snappy’s President.