Best Practices in Overhead Line Design

Event Info
Registration
Hotel
Accreditation
FAQs

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Timing

Monday, October 3 – Wednesday, October 5
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. each day

Course Overview

Overhead distribution continues to play an essential role for most utilities in delivering electric service to end-use customers either directly or as the source for underground line extensions. Overhead line design is an engineering discipline that requires the consistent and proper application of engineering principles and ethics to prepare quality designs and reduce liability exposure.

Learn how to enhance your line design processes and prepare designs that are safe, reliable, and in compliance with National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) requirements. Review industry best practices, engage with your peers, and complete over twenty-five (25) practical hands-on design exercises using line design software.

Attendees will return to their work better prepared to help their organizations adopt design practices that comply with applicable professional engineering laws and regulations.

Course Topics

Overhead Line Design Accountabilities and Process
- Overhead line design protocols and processes
- NESC general requirements for overhead lines
- Joint use and other considerations in overhead line design
Conductor/Cable Sag, Tension, and Clearance
- NESC requirements for maximum conductor/cable sag determination
- NESC and practical requirements for maximum conductor/cable design tension
- Conductor/cable sag and tension calculations, sag-tension software, and application examples/exercises
NESC Clearance Requirements
- Clearances to ground and water surfaces; buildings and other structures; and between conductors, cables and equipment
- Selected special clearance conditions and application examples/exercises
Overhead Line Structure Loading and Strength
- NESC requirements for supporting structure design
- Determination of mechanical forces on supporting structures
- Overhead line guying and anchoring design considerations
- Supporting structure loading application examples and exercises
- Wood poles (types, treatments, dimensions, strength classes, and specifications) and manufactured poles (types, characteristics, NESC equivalent designs, and specifications)
- Pole embedment designs
Half-day Line Design Workshop
- Line design exercises, software applications and discussion

What to Bring

Participants are required to bring a laptop to work through in-class, line design application exercises and a basic engineering calculator or app.

Line Design Software

You will use the Utility Line Design Client program to perform some basic line design calculations in class. You’ll receive complimentary access to for 30 days (from the start of the course).

Sample Agenda/Learning Outcomes

Coming soon!

Course Level

Basic/Intermediate: No prerequisites; no advance preparation. For those looking for more comprehensive training, it is highly recommended that you attend this course in conjunction with the Overhead Distribution Principles and Applications virtual training being held August 23-31.

Accreditation

The following continuing education credits will be provided, after successfully completing the session (click here to review requirements). Certificates will be available by Oct. 21.

Recommended CEUs 2/PDHs 19.5/CPEs 23.4
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge

Who Should Attend

Those who work at all levels of overhead distribution line design including:

Engineering managers
Design engineers
Design/staking supervisors and technicians
Consulting engineers
Crew supervisors and senior lineworkers

This course builds on content presented in the Overhead Distribution Principles and Applications virtual course (August 23-31). It is highly recommended that attendees take both courses.

Instructors

Headshot photo of Tom Black M. Thomas Black, P.E. is an accomplished executive manager, consultant and course instructor with more than 30 years of experience in the electric and gas utility industries. In addition to working with Collaborative Learning, Tom’s experience includes employment with both municipal and investor owned utilities across multiple jurisdictions in Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. He teaches a variety of courses on technical topics and has extensive executive level experience in managing electric and gas utility systems, including serving as chief energy officer and energy delivery general manager. Tom has also served on the boards of RMEL and the Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities and is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Headshot photo of Ted Dimberio Ted Dimberio, P.E., in an accomplished engineer with over 40 years of experience in electric and telecommunication line design. He is currently President and CFO of Utility Line Design and President of Line Design University. Ted has worked in all capacities of line design including field staking, construction supervision, management, and consulting. He has been an industry leader in developing engineering software for electric distribution utilities that auto-generates profile drawings and required line design calculations to verify and document engineering decisions. Ted received his civil and structural engineering education from Mesabi State Junior College and the University of Minnesota. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Headshot photo of Erich Schoennegel Erich Schoennagel, P.E., has cultivated over 45 years of experience in the electric industry. He is a former manager and engineer with CenterPoint Energy and managed the Transmission Project Engineering group. Erich served for 15 years as a member advisor and chairman of the Underground Transmission Task Force for the Electric Power Research Institute until his retirement from CenterPoint Energy. There he directed research related to underground transmission and superconductivity. He was a board member of the annual TSDOS symposium, and a former member of the American Concrete Institute 336 committee related to foundation design and construction.

Pricing

	Before Sept. 12	After Sept. 12
Individual Course Members Other	$1,650 $3,350	$1,700 $3,400
*Overhead Distribution Bundle (save $200!)** Members Other	$2,700 $5,600

*The Overhead Distribution Bundle includes registration fees for the 2 classes in the track: Overhead Distribution Systems Principles & Applications (virtual) and Best Practices in Overhead Line Design (in-person).

See registration tab for more details and information on group discounts.

Questions?

Registration: [email protected]

Program/Content: [email protected]

Hotel: [email protected]

Billing: [email protected]

Registration Fees

	Registration received on/before Sept. 12		Registration received after Sept. 12
	Members	Others	Members	Others
Accounting
Accounting Bundle: 3 courses (save $300)	$2,475	$5,250
Public Utility Accounting, Oct. 3-4	$1,050	$2,100	$1,100	$2,150
Work Order & Asset Management Accounting, Oct. 5	$675	$1,350	$725	$1,400
Advanced Public Utility Accounting, Oct. 6-7	$1,050	$2,100	$1,100	$2,150
Cost of Service & Rate Design
COS/Rates Bundle: 3 courses (save $300)	$2,100	$4,500
Basic Cost of Service & Key Financial Concepts, Oct. 3	$675	$1,350	$725	$1,400
Strategic Rate Design: Trends and Distributed Generation Impacts, Oct. 4	$675	$1,350	$725	$1,400
Cost of Service Workshop: Implementation and Applications, Oct. 5-6	$1,050	$2,100	$1,100	$2,150
Advanced Key Accounts Certificate Program
Advanced Key Accounts Certificate Program*, Oct. 5-7	$2,000	$4,000	$2,050	$4,050
Public Power Manager Certificate Program
Public Power Manager Certificate Program*	$2,800	$5,600	$2,950	$5,750
Strategic Challenges and Trends, Sept. 27 (virtual)	$350	$700	$400	$750
Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Cost of Service Studies: What Managers Need to Know, Sept. 29 (virtual)	$350	$700	$400	$750
Strategic Leadership for Public Power, Oct. 4-7 (In-person)	$2,200	$4,400	$2,250	$4,450
Certificate Program Enrollment Fee**	$350	$350	$350	$350
Overhead Distribution
Overhead Distribution Bundle (save $200)	$2,700	$5,600
Overhead Distribution Principles & Applications, Aug. 23-31 (virtual)	$1,250	$2,500	$1,300	$2,550
Best Practices in Overhead Line Design, Oct. 3-5	$1,650	$3,300	$1,700	$3,350
The New 2023 NESC
2023 NESC Workshop, Oct. 6-7 (1.5 days)	$875	$1,750	$925	$1,800

*Includes all required coursework and the program enrollment fee—everything you need to participate in and graduate from the certificate program.

**The program enrollment fee covers the cost of study material, review of the post-course project, and graduation plaque. This fee is included in the program package price .

Group Registration Discounts

Save money on each registration when your organization registers five or more people for the same class. The larger your group, the more you save! Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders.

If you need assistance, contact [email protected].

Number of registrants	Class discount (per person)
1-4	n/a
5-9	$50
10-14	$100
15-24	$150
25+	$200

Cancellations/No-Show/Refunds/Substitutions

Registrants who cancel in writing on or before September 26, 2022, are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after September 26 will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel by September 26 are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund. Cancellation requests must be made through your my.publicpower portal or addressed to [email protected]. If APPA cancels a course, you will receive a full refund.

Travel Arrangements/Hotel Parking

Travel arrangements and costs associated with hotel parking are the responsibility of the participants. APPA will not reimburse for changes in travel expenditures regardless of the cause.

Meals

A light breakfast, afternoon snack, and beverage breaks are included in the registration fee. All other meals are on your own.

Internet Access

Wi-Fi may only be available in hotel common areas (sleeping rooms and hotel lobby) and will not be available in APPA meeting rooms. Please make arrangements to use cellular data on your device or bring a MiFi or Internet hotspot for personal use. APPA will not provide a password for Wi-Fi.

Name Badges

Name badges can be picked up at the APPA registration desk at the hotel starting at 7:30 a.m.

Code of Conduct

Participants agree to abide by the APPA Code of Conduct. If participants engage in unacceptable behavior as outlined in the code, the Association may take any action it deems appropriate, including but not limited to, expulsion from the current and future meetings, with no warning or refund.

More information

Registration: [email protected]

Program/Content: [email protected]

Hotel: [email protected]

Billing: [email protected]

Hotel Information

The 2022 Fall Education Institute will take place at the:

Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk
123 Losoya Street
San Antonio, TX 78205

Reservations

Phone: 800-233-1234
Group Rate: $235 (Single/Double) per night (plus State and Local Taxes)
Room Rate Cut-off Date: Sept. 12
Group Code: G-AMPU
Online Reservation Link: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/SATRS/G-AMPU

Logistics

Check-in: 4 p.m.; Check-out: 11 a.m.
Valet Parking: Valet Parking $52/overnight; Self-Parking $40/overnight

Please note: It is possible that the block of rooms could sell out prior to Sept. 12, so make your hotel reservations early.

Reservations & Cancellations

Please contact the hotel directly to reserve and manage your reservation. If you need assistance making reservations, contact [email protected].

Internet Access

Wi-Fi may only be available in hotel common areas (sleeping rooms and hotel lobby) and will not be available in meeting rooms. Please make arrangements to use cellular data on your device or bring a MiFi or Internet hotspot for personal use. APPA will not provide a password for Wi-Fi.

Location

All courses will be held in the Hyatt Regency San Antonio. The hotel is located about 10 miles from the San Antonio International Airport (SAT). Please contact the hotel for transportation options.

Travel Arrangements/Hotel Parking

Travel arrangements and costs associated with hotel parking are the responsibility of the participants. APPA will not reimburse for changes in travel expenditures regardless of the cause.

Earn While You Learn!

Participate in APPA programs to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs).

What educational credits are available?

You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live virtual and in-person sessions—provided the following requirements are met:

Requirements for Successful Completion: In-person

Attendees must sign in each day, attend (and participate) in the entire course and complete an evaluation form at the end of class
Partial credit cannot be given for partial attendance
Attendance is monitored by an APPA staff member and the instructor
Completion certificates will be added within 2 weeks to member profiles on the APPA website (for those who meet the requirements)

Requirements for Successful Completion: Virtual

Attendees are required to attend and participate in 90% of the live virtual session and complete an online evaluation at the end.
Partial credit cannot be given for partial attendance
Attendance is monitored by an APPA staff member during the event, through an online report log, and upon review of the post-event evaluation data
Completion certificates will be added within 2 weeks to member profiles on the APPA website (for those who meet the requirements)
Virtual sessions are recorded (attendees automatically receive access to recordings within a week), though continuing education credits can only be given for attending live events. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact [email protected] or 202-467-2921. Verify our IACET Accreditation.

CPE logo Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits: The American Public Power Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org. Unless noted, there are no prerequisites for the courses offered and no advance preparation is required. Courses are group-internet based offerings at the basic program level (unless otherwise noted). Credit hours and areas of study for the courses are listed on the individual course pages. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as clarification of requirements, complaints, and refunds, please contact [email protected]

Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.