610 N. Whitney Way, Suite 160 Madison, WI 53705, U.S.A. Phone: (608) 238-2171, Fax: (608) 238-9241 Email: info@powline.com
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Power Line Systems was founded in 1984 to provide consulting services and develop engineering software for the structural and geometric design of electric power lines. Since then Power Line Systems has become the world-wide leader in software for transmission lines. We supply software to over 820 organizations in 93 countries. Our customers include the full spectrum from the smallest consulting organizations, fabricators and municipal utilities to over half of the hundred largest generating utilities in the U.S. and large international leaders like BC Hydro, Hydro Quebec, National Grid, Cemig, Power Link Queensland, Eskom, Comision Federal de Electricidad and Electricité de France...

Power Line Systems started in the structural analysis arena. Dr. Alain Peyrot, our president, spent years perfecting finite element routines for modeling cable elements and nonlinear structures. These specialized routines were ideally suited to systems of cables such as transmission lines and guyed communication masts. When PLS combined these algorithims with innovative user interfaces specifically designed for modeling transmission line structures the result was superb transmission line software. The power and simplicity of these programs quickly earned PLS a reputation as a leader in tools for the analysis of transmission lines. This philosophy continues today with these same routines providing the foundation of our current generation of structure programs.

Power Line Systems had the vision to see that the very same 3d model used for structural analysis could be extended to transmission lines. The simple addition of a terrain model to our 3d structure model gave us an environment ideally suited for the generation of drawings and calculations needed by a line engineer. The result was our PLS-CADD program, the most powerful and best integrated line design program ever created. PLS-CADD automates tedious calculations and drafting resulting in huge productivity gains. An engineer using PLS-CADD can quickly compare many different design alternatives to obtain the lowest cost design. PLS-CADD rapidly became the world-wide industry standard for line design.

While transmission line design software is our core business, we have done numerous failure investigations and consulting projects. We are also experienced with research projects and maintain an active involvement on ASCE committees. Few other companies can match our breadth of experience with both theoretical and practical aspects of modeling transmission lines. We offer a number of different classes where you can benefit from this experience. For years we have been co-teaching the University of Wisconsin course "Design of Transmission Line Structures and Foundations" which has been attended by thousands of engineers. In addition to these classes we can also offer custom classes or seminars on the use of our software and related transmission line topics.

The principals and development partners of Power Line Systems have a unique combination of research skills, computer expertise and practical design knowledge.

Alain H. Peyrot - President

Dr. Alain H. Peyrot received his General Engineering degree at the Ecole Centrale in Paris, France in 1965. His MS and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering (Minor in Electrical Engineering) were obtained from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1966 and 1968, respectively.

Dr. Peyrot has a broad range of experience in structural analysis and design. As a Professor at the University of Wisconsin, he has taught courses on Design of Wood, Steel and Concrete Structures, Finite Elements and Probabilistic Methods, Dynamics, Wind and Earthquake Engineering, and Design of Power Lines. He is the author of over 100 technical papers, many of them related to structural design and behavior of electric power lines.

As a visiting scholar at the Ocean Engineering Division of the French Petroleum Institute during 1978-79, Dr. Peyrot developed several analysis techniques for offshore platforms and mooring systems.

As an independent consultant, or as a partner of Power Line Systems, Inc., Dr. Peyrot has worked on many research and design projects. These have been concerned with building or tall chimney vibrations, statistical quality control, earthquake design of nuclear facilities, cable structures, and many transmission analysis, design, and failure investigation projects. He has contributed to the development of some of the most widely used computer programs in the power industry.

Dr. Peyrot is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin. He has been or is a member of many ASCE, IEEE and CIGRE technical committees. He was the US representative (1986-91) to CIGRE Committee SC22-WG06 which deals with reliability-based design techniques for overhead lines. He has been chairman of the ASCE Committee on Electrical Transmission Structures and chairman of the ASCE Committee to Develop a Guide for Guyed Transmission Structures.

In 1997 Dr. Peyrot received the ASCE Structural Engineering Institute Gene Wilhoite innovations in transmission line engineering award for significant contributions to the advancement of the art and science of transmission line engineering.

Eric M. Peyrot - Vice President

Over the past fifteen years, Eric M. Peyrot has developed many computer programs for electric utilities, transmission structure fabricators, oil companies and surveying organizations. His expertise covers both the software and hardware aspects of computing.

He holds BS degrees in both Electrical and Computer Engineering and in Computer Sciences from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Development, Training and Marketing Partners

In addition to its own software development staff, Power Line Systems has alliances with a number of utility and consulting organizations to train and support its software worldwide. Our cooperation with some of the best transmission design professionals in the world provides our clients with the assurance that we will maintain our leadership position.