Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (TEC) and Exelon Clearsight, LLC recently announced they have formed a partnership to bring advanced unmanned aircraft system (UAS) or drone, robot, and software-enabled inspections to utilities in Texas. Under the agreement, the TEC will have exclusive rights to sell Exelon Clearsight's services to electric cooperatives, generation and transmission cooperatives, and municipal authorities across the state of Texas.
This announcement comes less than a year after the Texas Legislature imposed new requirements on electric utilities to inspect overhead lines to ensure compliance with the National Electric Safety Code (NESC), and document findings of non-conformance and the steps taken to mitigate line clearance issues and public safety concerns.
"Exelon Clearsight uses remotely-piloted drones that can get very close to lines and towers to capture acute details and spot potential reliability or safety issues before they occur, resulting in faster response times, enhanced reliability, and greater customer satisfaction." said Colbey Ryan, co-founder and general manager of Utilities, Exelon Clearsight.
"We are excited about partnering with Clearsight to provide unique value-added services to our members," said Johnny Andrews, chief operating officer, TEC Manufacturing and Distribution Services. "Drones, robots, and software-enabled inspections are powerful new tools for inspecting transmission assets. Making these technologies available to member cooperatives is a priority for the TEC and we felt Clearsight was the obvious partner."
