ServicesPDC engineers provide our clients in the electric utility industry with practical, state-of-the-art engineering guidance. PDC's clients benefit from our many years of experience with utility projects, our extensive activities with technical societies such as the IEEE Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC), ESMOL Committee, and Overhead Lines Committee as well as CIGRE Study Committee B1, and our key roles in much of the important transmission system research in the United States.
PDC's staff members and our associates have authored or co-authored literally hundreds of IEEE papers, articles, books, and EPRI reports on electric power transmission and distribution, and our experts are frequently invited to lecture or take part in courses on these topics. They have written major sections of the McGraw Hill Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers and the EPRI Red Book on overhead transmission systems, and have written major portions of the 1992 EPRI Underground Transmission Systems Reference Book as well as the 2007 update. Typical PDC services include: |
Ampacity Audits and UpratingOur engineers routinely perform cable ampacity analyses, for all cable system types, and for land and submarine cables. We perform these studies as part of conceptual analyses, detailed cable system design, or evaluations of existing cable systems. Click here to learn more.
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New Circuit DesignPDC offers a full range of cable engineering services to utilities and architect-engineering firms. PDC undertakes all phases of work, except for detailed construction drawings and construction management - and we work closely with firms that provide those services. Click here to learn more. |
Operation and MaintenanceMany utilities operate circuits installed decades ago and they no longer have personnel familiar with the installation, operation and maintenance of these circuits. PDC's engineers regularly provide system audits, perform diagnostic services in the field and generate O&M manuals to help utilities ensure their cable systems continue operating reliably. Click here to learn more.
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Factory Audits and Witness TestingPDC's engineers have performed factory audits on all of the major transmission cable manufacturers in the world. PDC's engineers have extensive experience witnessing testing of cables and accessories through 500 kV. We witness Type Tests, Prequalification Tests, and Factory Acceptance Testing - both sample and production. We also have a great deal of experience developing and evaluating Inspection and Test Plans (ITP), and developing both witness and hold points for the utility.
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Owner's EngineerPDC is often brought on early in a project to act as the utility owner's engineer. In this role, we perform feasibility studies and preliminary engineering, develop cable system specifications, develop Requests for Proposal, and assist the utility with evaluating the proposal responses. |
Field ObservationPDC provides the services of several field observers who have an average of more than 45 years of experience in transmission cable projects. In addition to their longstanding experience with all types of transmission cable construction and installation, they have available the technical expertise of experienced PDC engineers. Our observers provide a detailed daily log, including photographs of selected portions of the installation.
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Standards and Specifications DevelopmentSeveral of PDC’s engineers and associates have worked in Standards departments of investor-owned utilities, and have a great deal of experience developing standards and specifications for both extruded-dielectric and pipe-type cable systems. Standards experience includes cables, joints, terminations, cable clamps and racking, line pipes, pumping plants, cathodic protection, sheath bonding systems, ground systems, fiber optics for temperature monitoring, duct banks, conduit, duct bank concrete, Fluidized Thermal Backfill (FTB™), type and qualification tests and commissioning tests. Standards and specifications also include earthwork, geothermal survey and thermal resistivity assessment, Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), auger boring (Jack and Bore), vaults and cable installation.
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Additional ServicesPDC has extensive experience in the following areas:
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