IEEE PES Show Blog

Into Your Work

April 30, 2012

I have been a substation engineer for over 35 years. I know firsthand how substation and transmission engineers like to tease each other about the importance of the other's specialty. Last year I wrote a series of articles on towers, poles and structures used in transmission and distribution work. That gave me a whole new understanding for this part of our industry. As a result, I can't wait to hit the T&D Expo exhibit floor and get up close and personal with the line hardware.

I was talking with my friend Jim Palmer about the Thomas & Betts exhibit. He got me excited about hands-on demos they are planning. He lost me (day-dream time) when he started talking about a "quick-pin" demonstration. To a 7th degree black-belt, quick pin has a totally different definition than the average utility type has. Heck I can think of a half a dozen techniques to bring about a quick pin without trying.

Fortunately for me, Jim is a very patient person and he explained (in one words of one syllable) the cool innovation T&B had developed. It sounds pretty neat and I will have to see how it works for myself. If you want to find out what "Quick-Pin" means to a transmission structure, I suggest you join me in my wanderings or talk to Jim and his colleagues.

About the Author

Gene Wolf Blog | Technical Writer

Gene Wolf has been designing and building substations and other high technology facilities for over 32 years. He received his BSEE from Wichita State University. He received his MSEE from New Mexico State University. He is a registered professional engineer in the states of California and New Mexico. He started his career as a substation engineer for Kansas Gas and Electric, retired as the Principal Engineer of Stations for Public Service Company of New Mexico recently, and founded Lone Wolf Engineering, LLC an engineering consulting company.

Gene is widely recognized as a technical leader in the electric power industry. Gene is a fellow of the IEEE. He is the former Chairman of the IEEE PES T&D Committee. He has held the position of the Chairman of the HVDC & FACTS Subcommittee and membership in many T&D working groups. Gene is also active in renewable energy. He sponsored the formation of the “Integration of Renewable Energy into the Transmission & Distribution Grids” subcommittee and the “Intelligent Grid Transmission and Distribution” subcommittee within the Transmission and Distribution committee.