Here at LINE CONTRACTOR magazine, we aim to bring you the most current news from the field. That’s why our first feature this month is about the Carrington Event of 1859. Bear with me. That year, a shower of magnetic plasma ejected from the sun and collided with Earth’s magnetosphere, disturbing the only full-scale “electrical” system in existence: telegraph networks. “The Great Geomagnetic Storm of September 1859,” by Fred Sargent and Andrew McCoy, is on page 4. Find out why it’s relevant today. 

In some fields, “disruption” is a good thing. In the world of electrical transmission and distribution, however, it’s not something you want to experience. In this issue, Claire Swedberg interviews several electrical contractors working on storm hardening with utilities. Challenges, budgets and goals vary, but support from electrical contractors remains necessary. Read “Extreme Storm Preparedness” on page 8.

The project we profile this month is a transmission line upgrade between two Ameren Transmission substations. Workers from the L.E. Myers Co. loved soaring through the air and being dropped down on towers, according to the company’s operations manager. Check out “An Out-of-the-Box Approach” by Susan Bloom on page 12.

Before summer is over, we have useful information for weathering high temperatures, storms and the outdoors in general. Navigating the heat (page 7), identifying poisonous plants (page 15), using a generator (page 16) and meeting an outside safety pro (page 2). Of course, there is also a training article (page 3), new products (page 17) and utility news on page 11.

The secret to staying current is thinking ahead. We’re planning coverage for 2024 right now, and I would love to hear what you want to see in these pages. Email me your ideas at [email protected].