News

Friday 5 de August de 2011

Abengoa Brasil performs crossings in power lines

Climbing towers; launch cables, conductors and lightning rods; being hanged in the heights... All of this is part of the routine of the ones who work building power lines. But, when this job is performed next to cables, where electric currents can reach 750kV, the "high voltage" it is not only in the network. The risk of an electric discharge makes everybody be more alert .

"Nothing can go wrong", affirms Roberto Carlos dos Santos, a cable launcher that has been performing for six years the crossings in power lines. In Abengoa Brasil, he is one of the responsible for training professionals specialized in this work execution.

The first crossing in power lines with own staff took place in March 2011 in the South of Brazil, where ATE VI – Campos Novos Transmissora de Energia society is building a power line of 230kV, between the districts of Dona Francisca and Santa Maria.

The 12 people group, which is formed by electricians, helpers, technicians and safety engineers, has overcome another big and new challenge for the company.

"Everybody was trained and committed to take charge of this task. But certainly when we pass from a training in a construction site to the reality the atmosphere is different. We had total focus; each step was analyzed and performed with technique, according to the safety rules. As the staff was gaining confidence and experience, the operation time decreased. The first track, for example, with 840m and various obstacles between one tower and another, with uneven terrain and wood, we took 22 days to conclude it. In the last, with an empty space of 466m, we concluded it in four days. Everybody adapted well to this activity and at the end, an accomplished mission and motivation feeling for the next crossings was formed", tells Roberto.

The method used by the company is considered one of the safest ones. The security technician, Cláudio Alves da Silva explains that the cabling is made of aramid, an insulating material with capacity for 750kV. He highlights other characteristics: "The cable resistance is also high, it can bear a tension of 6 tons and up to 6800kg of load. Besides the quality of the equipment and accessories, the care with the formation of the staff, the storage of the pieces to avoid humidity, the planning and above all the individual commitment that each worker assumed with the staff safety were warranties for the success of the work" assures Cláudio.

According to Abengoa’s Brasil Power Lines Manager, Nicolás Gencarelli, what before was an obstacle, now it is a competitive advantage. "Creating the conditions to cross a live line, the company gained autonomy, because it can perform the crossing in the planned date and time; it reduced costs, because we do not need to ask to the National Operator System for turning off; it passed to retain the knowledge and form professionals, which will certainly develop the way that this task is performed and created the possibility of new businesses for the company, because in the future the company can offer this service to third parties" says Nicolás.