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What are TripSavers and Why Is Penelec Installing Them?
Penelec, the Pennsylvania Electric Company, is planning on introducing the TripSaver devices to help with the power outages. We take a look at what TripSaver is and how it helps with reducing power outages. Read below all about – Penelec Installing New ‘TripSaver’.
What are power outages?
A power outage is the loss of electrical power network supply to the end-user. They are called power cuts, blackouts, or power failures.
Why do power outages occur?
Power outages can happen due to many reasons, for example, storms, earthquakes, vehicle collisions, lightning, excavation digging, high power demand, etc.
To solve the issue of power outages, personnel need to determine the cause of the outage and then find the solution. This process takes a bit of time, so power outages can last for a while and can be a bit of a headache for the end-user.
What is a TripSaver?
A TripSaver is an electrical device that seems to help with the problem of power outages. It works like a circuit breaker but with the added benefit of automatically re-energizing the power line within seconds to ensure that power flows safely to customers.
It can also sense a problem like a tree branch coming in contact with the electricity line and temporarily interrupt the power before it is damaged which would cause a lengthy delay. Unlike a fuse, you do not need a line worker to investigate the issue, which would take a lot more time, the TripSaver, instead, will restore the power if the branch is cleared. This is why the TripSaver is being considered as a smart device that pinpoints the location of the fault and helps personnel identify the problem quickly. This could save people a lot of time, and also solve the problem of power outages and long delays without power.
How much will TripSavers cost?
The company officials are saying that installing 400 Tripsavers would cost Penelec around $3.5 million in 2020, and it is part of the $200 million initiative of The Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP II) to enhance the technology of the electric grid and help customers in northern and central Pennsylvania. The company officials said that a two-man crew can install up to 5 TripSavers in a day.
Where will the TripSavers be installed?
These are the places where TripSavers will be installed:
Albion, Altoona, Bedford, Bradford, Clearfield, Corry, Dubois, Ebensburg, Erie, Huntingdon, Indiana, Johnstown, Lewistown, Mansfield, Meadville, Montrose, Oil City, Phillipsburg, Sayre, Shippensburg, Towanda and, Warren.
Are TripSavers Safe?
The biggest question that arises from the installation of TripSavers is whether or not these electrical devices are safe. Nick Austin, the regional president of Penelec revealed that the devices are safer and more efficient in-service restoration, for both the employees and the customers. Penelec serves more than half a million customers and this could be a game-changer for many of them!
You can watch a video of TripSavers getting installed and what the company had to say about them, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F71OghBk6rI&feature=youtu.be
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