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Whether you are on the road to a job site or storm restoration effort or relaxing after a long workday, you can listen to stories about storm restoration efforts, best practices in line work and the men and women in the line trade. You will also have the opportunity to share your comments on topics covered in the podcasts. We invite you to subscribe to the podcast today and become part of our Line Life community.
Episodes
3 days ago
3 days ago
For Part 1 of our new Problem Solvers series for the Line Life Podcast, we are highlighting Tim Barat, who worked as a sparky (electrician) before training to become a liney (lineworker) in Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
While working in the line trade in 2009, Tim experienced Black Saturday, a day he will never forget. Wildfires took the lives of 173 people, injured 414, burned half a million acres, consumed 3,500 buildings and killed more than 1 million animals.
The wildfires impacted him personally and professionally and changed the course of his career. He moved from Australia to California, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California-Berkeley.
Tim and two other UC Berkeley alumni, Hall Chen and Abdulrahman Bin Omar, then invented Gridscope. Lineworkers install the device on transmission and distribution poles to provide continuous real-time asset monitoring even during outages. After securing a patent, the team founded the company, Gridware.
Listen to this episode to learn how Tim built his own electrical grid in California to test the technology and how he and his team took the product from a concept to reality.
Friday May 10, 2024
ICYMI: Reflecting on a Tragic Night and Resilient Recovery
Friday May 10, 2024
Friday May 10, 2024
In the aftermath of a fatal tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky, Mayfield Electric & Water Systems navigated devastation and outages. By listening to this narrated version of an article, which is part of T&D World's In Case You Missed It series, General Superintendent Marty T. Ivy shares how his utility was able to swiftly respond after a tornado with wind speeds reaching up to 190 miles per hour demolished nearly 500 homes, killed 22 people and knocked out power to most residents. To read the online story, published in the March 2024 field-focused Electric Utility Operations section of T&D World magazine, click here.
Friday May 03, 2024
Friday May 03, 2024
Jason Mendoza, a journeyman lineworker for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), served in the military before pursuing a career in the line trade. After working for utilities in the Midwest, he and his family moved to California, where he is now on a transmission crew at SDG&E. Listen to this episode to hear his stories of working from a helicopter and undergoing barehand training at his utility.
Friday Apr 26, 2024
ICYMI: Inventing Tools to Solve Field Challenges
Friday Apr 26, 2024
Friday Apr 26, 2024
At Salt River Project, the transmission group strives to work smarter, not harder. After identifying tasks in pole maintenance and construction with room for improvement, JD Newham, transmission group supervisor for SRP, worked with LineWise, a product development company, to invent specialized tools to help the line crews improve productivity and safety. Read the full story published in the Electric Utility Operations section of T&D World magazine here.
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Milton Draper, a journeyman lineworker and foreman for Ameren Illinois, married into a family of lineworkers. After working in the construction industry, he has worked in the line trade for the last 15 years, and he currently runs a three-member crew with two apprentices. He also divides his time between his work in the field and mentoring the next generation of lineworkers at the training center. In addition to being a lineworker, he has also been married for 15 years and is the father of two children: Preston (9) and Vivienne (6). His son, Preston, is also featured on this episode of the Line Life Podcast.
Friday Apr 12, 2024
ICYMI: Lineworker Supplement: Rodeo Flashback
Friday Apr 12, 2024
Friday Apr 12, 2024
In this ICYMI episode, three top journeyman teams share their tips, techniques and memories from years of competition at the International Lineman's Rodeo. The event, which will mark its 40th anniversary in 2024, gives lineworkers and their families the opportunity to come together to celebrate the line trade. Listen to this Line Life Podcast episode to learn more about:
- Two-Time Champs: the Southern California team of Ramon Garcia, Jacob Lybbert and Wil Robinson
- Florida Trio: the JEA team of Robert Hess, Michael Corbitt and Brian Gregg
- Carolina Competitors: the Duke Energy team of Sandy Barnhill, Jay Tipton and Keith Griffin
For more information about the Lineman's Rodeo, check out the website. We look forward to seeing you this October in Kansas City!
Friday Apr 05, 2024
Friday Apr 05, 2024
Kris Onda, a fourth-step apprentice for CORE Electric Cooperative in Conifer, Colorado, is an International Lineman's Rodeo competitor and the first lineworker in his family. During this episode, he talks about focusing on wildfire mitigation and wildlife protection and servicing his cooperative's members living on cliffs up in the mountains.
He also shares his experiences with the International Lineman's Rodeo, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024. Learn more at linemansrodeokc.com. Also check out the Spotlight on the Line Trade featuring Kris and Part 1 of our recent Lineman's Rodeo-themed episode, which highlights Kris and other competitors and supporters.
Friday Mar 22, 2024
ICYMI: Lineworker Supplement: Powering Puerto Rico
Friday Mar 22, 2024
Friday Mar 22, 2024
This narrated version of the third article in the September 2023 T&D World Lineworker Supplement, "Powering Puerto Rico," explores how LUMA's lineworkers are building a next-generation electrical system to increase grid resiliency and reliability.
The audio story is a follow-up to the two-part Line Life Podcast series featuring Dr. Shay Bahramirad, senior vice president, T&D, Strategy and Sustainability, for LUMA. It is also a precursor to a brand new article, LUMA Embarks on Island-Wide Work Plan," which will appear in the April 2024 issue of T&D World.
To read the online version of the "Powering Puerto Rico" story, visit the T&D World website.
We Want to Hear From You
T&D World's Line Life Podcast celebrates the line trade. If you have a suggestion for a future guest for a Line Life podcast episode or comments on our podcast, email us at linelinepodcast@gmail.com.
Also, be sure to check out our podcast landing page at https://www.tdworld.com/podcasts.
You can also follow our podcast on Podbean or your favorite podcasting app to be notified when new episodes are released.
For more field-related content, subscribe to T&D World's Lineman Life enewsletter, follow Linemen World on Instagram and visit www.tdworld.com/electric-utility-operations.