Thermography Inspection Program

In December of 1999, the Member Services Committee announced a new service to be provided to MPUA members, the Infrared Thermography Inspection Program.

The purpose of the MPUA Thermography Program is to provide infrared scanning technology to member municipal systems.  This is a joint cooperative program between the Missouri Public Utility Alliance and Columbia Water & Light.  The program provides a service to Alliance members and their communities that might otherwise be unattainable because of technical or financial reasons.  Infrared Thermography can demonstrate potential savings by reducing equipment failure, downtime and outages by detecting problems early -- before service or production is interrupted by failure.  Not only can the program be a benefit to the utility but can also be a valuable public relations asset when used as a service to local customers.

Columbia Water & Light will provide the infrared cameras, recording equipment and vehicles for transportation as well as trained personnel to operate the equipment and prepare reports.  MPUA will administer the program by providing scheduling and billing, report and video copying services and by marketing the program to Alliance members.

The applications for infrared thermographic inspections are limitless and the benefits are numerous.  Problems can be located quickly and without interruption of service.  Costly unscheduled outages can be reduced.  Maintenance staff can be utilized to a maximum advantage.  Equipment life can be extended by locating problem components prior to failure.  The service can be used on transmission and distribution lines, cable splices, insulators and lightning arresters, transformers and capacitor banks, disconnects, switches, meters and control connections, substations, fans and motors.  Thermographic inspections also apply to power plants and industrial customers for voltage regulation equipment, circuit breakers, relays and fuses, bus ducts and cable trays, motor couplings, gears and gear boxes, conveyor belts and drives, pumps and compressors, flay roof leak detection and heat loss on building envelopes.

If you have any interest in scheduling this service or have and questions, please call Danny Blakemore at Columbia Water and Light:  573-874-7325.