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Closing the Hazard Awareness Delay – Real-Time Grid Visibility with Active Grid Response

Written by Podbean Account on . Posted in podcasts.

In this episode of Incident Prevention’s Utility Safety Podcast, host Kate Wade sits down with Tim Bedford, a 36-year veteran of PG&E and current Principal Customer Success Manager at Gridware. Together, they explore a critical new category of grid intelligence: Active Grid Response.

 

Tim explains the concept of “Hazard Awareness Delay”—the dangerous gap in time between a grid event occurring and the utility becoming aware of it . By utilizing Gridware’s Gridscope, a mechanical sensing device installed on poles, utilities can now detect hazards like broken poles, vegetation impact, and conductor vibration in real-time .

 

Listen in to learn:

  • How real-time grid visibility eliminates unnecessary exposure for linemen, drastically improving utility safety.

     

  • The role of mechanical sensing in preventing wildfires by identifying risks before they ignite .

     

  • How Gridware’s technology creates a “zero delay line break” response, potentially de-energizing falling lines before they hit the ground .

     

  • Strategies for funding safety technology through reliability and fleet maintenance budgets .

     

Whether you are in operations, safety management, or fleet logistics, this episode offers actionable insights into modernizing grid protection.

Guest Contact: Tim Bedford | tim.bedford@gridware.io Learn More: www.gridware.io

 

Key Takeaways

 

  • Defining Hazard Awareness Delay: This is the critical time lapse between an event occurring on the electrical system and the utility’s awareness of it; reducing this delay prevents outages and catastrophic events like wildfires.

 

  • Mechanical Sensing Technology: Gridware’s “Gridscope” acts like a pickup on a guitar string, detecting vibration, sound, and pole angle changes to pinpoint exact fault locations without needing to patrol the entire line.

 

  • Enhancing Lineman Safety: By providing the exact location of a fault, utilities reduce the need for linemen to patrol hazardous terrain in the dark, significantly lowering safety risks and exposure.

 

  • Rapid Installation: The devices are approximately the size of a shoebox, weigh 3.5 lbs, and can be installed in under five minutes; a single crew can install upwards of 50 devices per day.

 

  • Future “Zero Delay” Capabilities: Gridware is currently piloting technology that can detect a line break and trigger a recloser to de-energize the circuit before the wire even hits the ground.
 

Q&A: Utility Safety & Grid Visibility

Q: What is the “Active Grid Response” solution provided by Gridware?

A: Active Grid Response is a new category of grid intelligence that provides real-time visibility into the physical, electrical, and environmental conditions of the grid. It uses sensors to monitor vibrations and pole angles, allowing utilities to identify specific hazards—like a tree striking a line or a car hitting a pole—before they escalate into major outages or wildfires.

 
 
 

Q: How does this technology directly improve utility safety for the workforce?

A: It drastically reduces the “hunt and seek” method of finding faults. Instead of a troubleman patrolling miles of line in hazardous conditions (darkness, rough terrain, severe weather), the system provides a pinpoint location . This minimizes the time employees spend in dangerous environments and reduces fleet vehicle exposure .

 
 

Q: Is this technology cost-prohibitive for smaller utilities or tight budgets?

A: Tim Bedford suggests that funding often comes from shifting budgets based on the use case. For example, the technology offsets costs in fleet fuel, engine hours, and patrol time. Additionally, it can replace less effective legacy devices like standard fault indicators, and deployments can be scaled to focus only on high-risk protection zones rather than the entire system immediately.

 

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#UtilitySafety #GridModernization #LinemanSafety #WildfirePrevention #SmartGrid #ActiveGridResponse

 

 

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This podcast is sponsored by T&D Powerskills. If you are looking for a comprehensive lineworker training solution, visit tdpowerskills.com today and use the exclusive podcast listener promo code IP2026 to receive a 5% discount!