National Grid Takes to the Skies to Inspect Transmission Lines

ALBANY, NY (02/07/2012)(readMedia)-- New Yorkers may notice increased helicopter activity in the coming weeks as National Grid undertakes its annual helicopter inspection of more than 6,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines in upstate New York. The rugged and isolated terrain over which much of National Grid's transmission system passes makes the use of helicopters an efficient and accurate patrol when coupled with regularly scheduled ground level inspections. Transmission lines are generally defined as high voltage lines carrying electricity at or greater than 115 kv. They typically deliver power from generating plants to local electric companies who in turn serve their customers.

"Spotting potential problems before they turn into service interruptions is an essential part of maintaining the safety and reliability of the transmission system that supplies power to National Grid's 1.6 million New York electricity customers and other electric utility companies," said Gerald Convery, National Grid's Director of Electricity Transmission Inspections & Maintenance. "Particularly during the winter months when ice and high winds can impact our transmission equipment, we owe it to our customers to take pre-emptive measures to head off service interruptions whenever and wherever we can."

The inspections are conducted by experienced trained personnel using high-powered gyroscopic binoculars. They are particularly interested in signs of wear on power line conductors and lightning protection devices, damaged or leaning transmission structures, loose or broken guy wires, broken, chipped or cracked insulator equipment as well as trees leaning toward the lines or into the transmission corridors.

In addition to damaged lines, towers or trees, the flights are conducted to identify signs of waste disposal or unauthorized construction on the rights of way. These could alter the amount of clearance between the ground and the power lines and might lead to human contact with the lines that could result in severe injuries or vegetation interference that could lead to power outages. Of additional concern are signs of erosion, which may cause the transmission structures to become unstable.

The inspections are expected to take approximately five weeks to complete, weather permitting. Flight schedules and routes may be changed on short notice due to regional weather conditions. Public safety officials in the communities over which the flights pass are notified of flight patterns. Flights will also be conducted during the summer months.

NATIONAL GRID

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it 'joins everything up'.

In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.

National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com.

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