Aerial inspections of transmission lines help keep reliable power flowing to OPPD customers

Starting Monday, Omaha Public Power District will be conducting aerial inspections of transmission lines and equipment to help ensure reliability and resiliency of our electric system.

The survey will be conducted by helicopter and could take up to six days.

This is the helicopter that will be used to conduct inspections.

Aerial inspections are a regular part of OPPD’s system maintenance. OPPD contracts helicopters to examine various portions of the 1,330+ miles of transmission lines that serve our 13-county service territory. These aerial surveys have proven to be the quickest and lowest-cost method to spot potential problems in the district’s transmission system.

Next week’s survey will be examining transmission lines and equipment throughout the service territory. The exact schedule and flight path is subject to weather conditions. Local airfields and aviation agencies are notified of precise flight paths and timelines.

For this inspection, the helicopter will be used to conduct a survey of 69-, 161- and 345-kilovolt transmission lines.

OPPD personnel will be riding in the helicopter to complete the inspections. As needed, personnel on the ground are notified of inspection findings, enabling them to coordinate any necessary repairs.