Platte River installing air flow spoilers to reduce winter outages
Platte River Power Authority will use a helicopter beginning December 1 to install air flow spoilers on the Rawhide–Laporte 230kV transmission line north of Wellington. The project is expected to continue through December 15, with possible extension through December 22, weather permitting.
Airflow spoilers help limit “line galloping,” a winter hazard in which ice forms on transmission lines and high winds cause them to swing or jump. These movements can cause lines to contact each other or nearby structures, prompting automatic shutdowns designed to protect the system. The new spoilers—rigid plastic thermal coils that wrap around portions of the lines—are intended to reduce these risks and strengthen grid reliability for Northern Colorado customers.
The work will begin near the Rawhide Energy Station, just north of Wellington. No specific flight times have been scheduled for individual areas along the line…