Powerline technicians construct, maintain and repair overhead and underground electrical power transmission and distribution systems.
In general, powerline technicians:
Erect and maintain steel, wood or concrete poles, towers and guy wires;
Install, maintain and repair overhead and underground power lines and cables, insulators, conductors, lightning arrestors, switches, transformers, street lighting and other associated equipment;
Work with various types of heavy equipment including ariel booms, diggers (RDB), backhoes, trackhoes, nodwells, tension stringing equipment, and skid steers, and splice, solder and insulate conductors and related wiring to connect power distribution and transmission networks.
When there is a power disturbance, failure, or storm damage, powerline technicians locate the source of the problem, and replace or repair defective power lines and accessories. They use wiring diagrams, voltage indicating devices, and other electrical-testing instruments to identify defective automatic sectionalizing devices, circuit breakers, fuses, voltage regulators, transformers, switches, relays, or wiring. The power lines may be de-energized and grounded, or may remain energized. Live-line maintenance techniques are used on energized power lines. The hazards of working with energized power lines are reduced by use of special equipment and training with safe work practices and procedures.