� It was still the time of bicycles in China when, in 2000, INMR accompanied Claude de Tourreil for our first visit to Beijing’ s Tsinghua University. There, we were introduced to Prof. Liang Xidong( left) as well as Prof. Guan Zhicheng( right) – both of whom went on to become valued contributors with their incisive Scene from China columns. Prof. Liang also served as expert speaker at every single INMR WORLD CONGRESS since 2001. Xie xie, Liang Xidong. Prof. Guan will take on this role during our next event in Vancouver, this September.
� On a bitterly cold day in January more than a decade ago, INMR accompanied long-time contributor and friend, Bill Chisholm( left), to inspect the 230 kV Hamilton Beach Substation – long one of the former Ontario Hydro’ s( now Hydro One) most problematic in terms of pollution flashovers. This Canadian substation eventually came to serve as a model for successful implementation of anti-pollution measures and, in particular, for application of RTV silicone coatings that are still in service after more than 15 years.
� Florida Power & Light is one American power utility that has seen more than its fair share of problems on overhead lines, triggered mostly by heavy contamination from the sea. In 1998, INMR accompanied FPL Substation Engineer, Jack Hochheimer to visit Aquarina, a special test station located along one of the most polluted stretches of coast in the state. Hochheimer( left) and Randy Newnam explained that this facility allowed FPL to evaluate comparative performance of components such as insulators, arresters and cable terminations under service conditions of high UV, wind, humidity and high maritime pollution.
“ Between the mid 1970s and now, past mechanical problems with composite insulators have been mostly solved. There is no longer any reason not to use them, although they must still be monitored.”
H. L. M. Boot, former South Holland Electricity Company( retired) Netherlands, September 1993
Photos: INMR ©
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