arrow Back to Newsroom

In the news: BPA’s barehand lineworkers brave high-voltage for grid stability

aerial view of transmission tower in field with the words "in the news" in the top right of the rectangle
The Northwest Public Power Association featured BPA’s specialized barehand line crew in its September 2023 edition of the Bulletin magazine.
The Northwest Public Power Association featured BPA’s specialized barehand line crew in its September 2023 edition of the Bulletin magazine. 
wave

Adding the flexibility to keep the line in service while it is being worked on is a huge benefit for our customers who rely on us for reliable transmission service.

John Lahti, vice president for Transmission Field Services

When it comes to working hands-on with 500,000 volts, it’s no shock that the Bonneville Power Administration employs a highly trained line crew to perform specialized maintenance on live lines. The Northwest Public Power Association featured this specialized team in its September 2023 edition of the Bulletin magazine.

The article, authored by BPA senior spokesperson Doug Johnson, highlights the benefits of the barehand crew working on energized lines, as well as the rigorous training and safety precautions the team members must ingrain into their work habits to successfully complete their duties.   

“Adding the flexibility to keep the line in service while it is being worked on is a huge benefit for our customers who rely on us for reliable transmission service,” said John Lahti, vice president for Transmission Field Services. “We’re able to perform needed work without scheduling an outage.”

Read the article on www.nwppa.org.

Related News