The World’s Leading Solution for Utilities to Improve Grid Stability and Reduce Wildfire Risk

The only patented technology on the market capable of detecting broken conductors for both transmission and distribution of any length and voltage within fractions of a second.

INTRODUCING

Camber Energy, Inc., through majority owned subsidiaries, Viking Protection Systems, LLC and Viking Sentinel Technology, LLC, and its joint venture partner(s) own the intellectual property rights to fully developed, patent pending, ready-for-market proprietary Electrical Transmission and Distribution Broken Conductor Protection System.

The systems are designed to detect a break in a transmission line, distribution line, or coupling failure, and to immediately terminate the power to the line before it reaches the ground, in an effort to dramatically increase public safety and reduce the risk of causing an incendiary event. The systems are designed to be an integral component within a much-needed, worldwide grid hardening and stability initiative by electric utilities to improve resiliency and reliability of existing infrastructure.

Unique Detection Technology

Camber Energy, Inc. and its joint venture partner own patented, proprietary technologies designed to detect unsafe and hazardous conditions for transmission lines and distribution lines of any length and any voltage.

Consequences of an “Open Conductor”

When a high voltage conductor ‘breaks’ or ‘opens’ one or both sides of the conductor will contact ground or touch a grounded steel structure – which typically takes up to 1.5 seconds to occur – resulting in potential adverse reliability and safety (e.g. fire) consequences.

Immediate Detection & De-Energization

Camber’s technology immediately identifies (within a tenth of a second or less) when a conductor breaks or opens and instantly de-energizes the appropriate source of power, whether it be from a transmission line or distribution line.

THE IMMEDIATE NEED

SAFETY

Open conductors in powerlines leading to live conductors on the ground and inadequate vegetation management along with failed electrical equipment rank as the some of the top causes of wildfires.

STABILITY

Open conductors in high voltage transmission powerlines are very disruptive to the transmission grid and can lead to instability.

AFFORDABILITY

End users (rate payers) ultimately absorb the cost of funding improvements, so it is the responsibility of the utility to find the most cost-effective solutions preferred.

FEASIBILITY

Replacing existing infrastructure is very costly and time consuming, and is not the most cost-effective solution.

BENEFITS OF CAMBER’S PROTECTION SYSTEMS

The speed within which the system can detect an open conductor (i.e. break in the power line), and therefore de-energize the circuit quicker
The technology has been tested
Low-Cost
Increase public safety and reduce the risk of incendiaryevents.
Installation is simple and affordable.
Assist with a much-needed grid hardening and stability initiative by utility companies worldwide.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR TECHNOLOGY & CONVENTIONAL METHODS

Our technology differs itself from all conventional technology in that it does not wait for a short circuit (or fault) to occur.

Conventional technology that has been used over the last 50 years solely relies on a short circuit to occur, meaning a conductor must either touch another conductor, touch ground or touch a grounded structure which causes a short circuit that conventional technology normally recognizes and shuts off the power source – this is too late to prevent an incendiary event from starting.

PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUTDOWN PROGRAMS (PSPS) ARE INEFFICIENT AND COSTLY

PSPS programs require utilities to manually shut off electricity on transmission and distribution lines in fire-prone areas during high-risk periods. PSPS's have significant limitations and drawbacks:
Major societal and economic disruptions and creates other public safety hazards.
Takes out large areas to protect a small specific location
Does not protect the area outside of the PSPS area. When an energized line outside of PSPS area makes contact with the ground or a grounded structure - sparks fly!
Relies on human-to-human communication to initiate and execute the program and does not provide 24/7/365 protection.

CRITICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR TECHNOLOGY & PSPS

ISSUE

PSPS

CAMBER TECHNOLOGY

Scope

The PSPS program is only effective in the defined fire danger area that the utility officials identify.
Our technology works on a 24/7 basis regardless of where the fire danger area is or where there is a broken conductor.

Impacted Area

To be effective, the PSPS program must define a very large area, which will interrupt power causing hardship for more utility customers than necessary.
Our technology is much more selective in that it will impact only the minimum number of customers as it only interrupts the circuit where the broken conductor occurs

Ability to Isolate

When defining the fire danger area, if there are critical transmission lines within this area, de-energizing (opening) these transmission lines will impact the resiliency of the transmission grid and could result in unnecessary blackouts.
Our technology only interrupts a transmission line if there is a broken conductor causing risk.

Ability to Reduce Fires

Outside of the defined fire danger area, the PSPS does not offer any protection against an open conductor potentially causing a fire.
Our technology protects against live (energized) conductors on the ground on a 24/7 basis. Distribution conductors falling on the ground as the result of a broken conductor is a major safety concern and has been a conundrum of the utility industry for decades. Our technology offers an effective, comprehensive solution, that has historically been unavailable.

TECHNOLOGY FOUNDERS

BOB STUART

“Every electric utility around the world can benefit from it [the technology]”
- Bob Stuart
Mr. Stuart has over 50 years of engineering, operation and protection experience with electric production, transmission, systems protection and control and substation design

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He is a recognized expert in transmission system operation and system protection design and application for generation, transmission and distribution. Bob retired in 2004 as Manager of Operations Engineering from PG&E after thirty-five years of service. During his distinguished PG&E career, he led major initiatives in system protection, transmission operation, control, and disturbance analysis.

Throughout his career, Bob has been an innovator and has successfully championed the application of microprocessor technology for system protection and in the use of fault tolerant remedial action schemes. He has been involved in several projects related to power system reliability, design and review of protection standards and has led the effort to design and implement special protection and remedial action schemes to prevent blackouts. Bob was also the Principal Investigator for a NASA SBIR Phase II project, “Holomorphic Embedded Load Flow Methods for Autonomous Spacecraft Power Systems” in support of NASA’s Manned Mission to MARS project.

Education: (i) B.S., Electrical Engineering, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo Senior Project on design of 500 kV substation; (ii) Registered Professional Engineer – State of California - License No. E8876; State of Texas – License No, 131616.

RON SMITH

“Our technology recognizes specific conditions and takes immediate action to open the circuit breakers, thereby mitigating the fault…"
- Ron Smith
Mr. Smith had a distinguished 33-year career at Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), that began as a Power Plant Operator.

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He quickly advanced to grid operations and dispatch. He held positions in Power Generation Portfolio Management, where he managed PG&E's generation portfolio into the California Independent Operator's Energy and Ancillary Services Market to the benefit of the utility ratepayers. From 2006-2014 he became a Generation Outage Coordinator responsible for scheduling all generator outages, short duration outages and annual maintenance schedules. He was responsible for all resource types, including nuclear, hydro, geothermal, steam and third-party power generation under contract with the PG&E.

Interested in Camber Energy's Broken Conductor Protection Technologies?

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Contact

12 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1100
Houston, TX 77046
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