Viking Energy Group Inc (VKIN)

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$VKIN USA Today: Viking Energy Group’s latest technology will dramatically increase public safety


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sponsor-story/viking-energy-group/2022/03/23/viking-energy-groups-latest-technology-dramatically-increase-public-safety/7120440001/

While there are many potential causes for wildfires, poorly managed or broken electric transmission infrastructure can be one of them. So, utility companies are constantly looking for ways to proactively address that risk and make sure the modern grid is safe. One of those ways is with new, innovative technology. This is important as transmission lines are still delivering the vast majority of electricity consumed in the United States.

In February, Viking Energy Group announced it acquired a 51% interest in two entities that own the intellectual property rights to fully developed, patent pending, ready-for-market proprietary Electric Transmission and Distribution Open Conductor Detection Systems.

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. The technology will dramatically increase public safety and reduce the risk of causing an incendiary event and is 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.

According to James Doris, president and chief executive officer of Viking, adoption of these technologies will ultimately provide a win-win-win and will be a gamechanger for safety across high-risk areas moving forward.

“It truly is difficult to put a monetary value on a solution that can sense a broken power line and cut the electricity flowing through the line before the wire hits the ground,” he said. “Arcing and sparking energized power lines are hazardous, and difficult to detect using traditional concepts. Unfortunately, people in places like California, Western Canada, Australia and other parts of the world are fully aware of what can happen when a downed, energized power line makes contact with the ground.”

Doris said he recognizes that there is no single magic bullet to solve the challenge of increasing wildfire risk, but this technology is a proven solution that can make a big impact moving forward.

“The damage caused by these wildfires has been catastrophic,” he said. “We have already begun discussions with major utilities in California and global equipment manufacturers for deployment. Our solution can be quickly and cost-effectively deployed in high-risk areas first, then utilized more broadly by all utility companies to help reach their grid hardening goals.”

Viking’s newly acquired products offer protective solutions for two distinct utility applications: transmission lines and distribution lines. The transmission lines solution is a software-based solution designed to be deployed within a utility's existing protection relay infrastructure, allowing the utility to protect their grid without the need for costly and time-consuming installations. The distribution line solution, known as The Line Sentinel, is fully engineered and will be introduced to the market through an internationally-recognized manufacturer and distributor of protective relay systems and other products.

Together, these two solutions can contribute to dramatically reducing the risk of wildfires and improving grid safety, protecting the public and utility stakeholders against potential disaster.

For more information on Viking Energy Group’s acquisitions and to stay informed as the technology progresses, visit vikingenergygroup.com.