Due to the increase in power being generated by renewable sources such as wind and hydropower a new power line running from the North to South of Scotland was required. Following the construction of the new power line there was a concern that the power lines running across the highest point could be affected by high winds resulting in potential power line galloping. As a result OnGarde Ltd via ESS Safeforce were approached by Balfour Beatty to supply a live CCTV camera system that was capable of monitoring the power cables at a remote location 2300 feet (700m) above sea level with potential snow fall of between 1m - 2m & high wind of in excess of 100mph (160km/h). during high winds.

Potential Problems
The main issue OnGarde faced when designing the system required to meet Balfour Beatty’s requirements was the remote location without any power supply, the extreme weather conditions including the high winds & heavy snow fall. It was soon apparent that the existing OnGarde CCTV tower would not be suitable for this project & as a result a special unit & camera was required that could withstand these extreme conditions.

Solution
The solution was to supply Balfour Beatty with a specially designed camera system with the several key and unique features.
Due to the remote location the camera the system required the ability to record all activity but at the same time it needed to have the ability to view the power lines both up and down the valley, the system also needed to be viewed & operated remotely. In addition as the camera was pointing up at the power lines it required a lens wiper that could also be operated remotely at any time. The system also had to be capable of withstanding the high winds & the heavy snowfall. As a result the system was contained in a IP65 pyramid design housing that would offer stability during high winds & nowhere for snow to settle.

As there was no power supply available at such a remote site, the camera system needed a standalone power supply that would ensure power was available camerato the 24/7 but at the same time required minimal servicing. The solution was to supply a unique battery powered system called a Hybrid PowerStation. This system only required charging twice a week and as a result a generator was supplied along side with a timer that would only be needed for a few hours twice a week. This also meant that the generator would use very little fuel and only needed to be topped up once a week.

The Result
A camera system was successfully supplied that met all the customer’s requirements giving clear video footage, both live and recorded of the power lines at risk during the most extreme conditions.