Method Statement

WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

PURPOSE:

To outline the procedural methodology to be adopted when installing a self-powered

weather station system on an overhead line tower. The weather station system is to
be mounted on the lower portion of the overhead line tower. An example tower-based
monitoring installation is given in Appendix 1, Figure 1.

The weather station system has the following components:

1. Tower mounting brackets and scaffold poles.

2. Weather monitoring equipment (wind speed and direction sensors, ambient
temperature sensor, solar radiation sensor) and junction box.
3. Two 80W solar panels and mounting frame.
4. Micro wind turbine.
5. RTU cabinet and battery.

A visualisation of these components is given in Appendix 1, Figure 2.

METHOD:

ALL INSTALLATION ACTIVITIES MUST BE CARRIED OUT IN ACCORDANCE

WITH SCOTTISH POWER SAFETY RULES.

Site preparation

1. Standby man to conduct START Risk Assessment. This is to be given to the

entire work party. A Safety from the System briefing is to be given to non-SPEN
staff (for example, contracted weather station installer).

2. Senior Authorised Person (SAP) to issue a Limited Work Certificate (LWC) for
installation works to be carried out.

3. Create a Safe Working Area and Exclusion Zone to ensure access beneath the
bracket installation is restricted.

4. Identify mounting location and inspect the mounting location to check it is free
from structural defects such as cracks.

5. Mounting location diagrams for towers AC35, AC138, AC177 and AD46 are given
in Appendix 1, Figures 3 - 6.

Preparation of weather station system components

1. Place all components of the weather station (mast sections, mounting brackets,
junction box, wind speed sensor, wind direction sensor, ambient temperature.
sensor, light sensor, solar panels, micro wind turbine, RTU cabinet and battery)
inside the cordoned-off area, beside the overhead line tower.

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 Method Statement

WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

Mounting weather station system

Southern-facing side of the tower:

1. Offer up the top bracket of the weather station system to the tower and clamp
firmly in place.

2. Hoist the mast section from the ground, attach to the top bracket and tighten
firmly into place.

3. Use mast section to locate the lower bracket and clamp the lower bracket firmly
into place. Adjust the mounting brackets to ensure the mast section is vertical
using a spirit level. Remove the mast section from the mounting brackets.

N.B. No drilling operations are required.

4. Mount the weather station, junction box and solar panel onto the mast.

N.B. Ensure the red dot on the underside of the wind speed / wind direction
(anemometer) is positioned to face North. See Appendix 1 Figure 7.
Ensure the light sensor is facing south.

5. Wrap cabling from sensors around the mast, tie into place securely and wire
sensors into junction box, ensuring the wires are stripped back far enough to
provide a good electrical connection when clamped into place.

6. Offer up the weather station mast to top and bottom brackets and clamp firmly
into place.

N.B. Wind speed sensor is very sensitive to impact as its performance is

diminished by surface stracthes

Northern-facing side of the tower:

1. Offer up the top bracket of the weather station system to the tower and clamp
firmly in place.

2. Hoist the mast section from the ground, attach to the top bracket and tighten
firmly into place.

3. Use mast section to locate the lower bracket and clamp the lower bracket firmly
into place. The lower bracket should be located above the anti-climb guard.
Adjust the mounting brackets to ensure the mast section is vertical. Remove the
mast section from the mounting brackets.

N.B. No drilling operations are required.

4. Mount the micro wind turbine on the mast and clamp the mast firmly to the
mounting brackets.

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 Method Statement

WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

5. Install RTU cabinet on mast and mounting brackets.

6. Install battery within RTU cabinet.

7. Wire-up the weather station junction box to the RTU cabinet, the solar panels to
the RTU cabinet and the micro wind turbine to the RTU cabinet. Clamp wires and
conduit to tower. Recommended separation of clamps is 0.3m maximum.

EXCEPTIONS:

1. Any metalwork (for example on Tower AC138) that is in the vicinity of the
anti-climbing guard must be protected with barbed wire wraps.

2. If MEWP is required for tower access:

a. Ensure necessary way leaves are in place to allow MEWP access

b. Locating MEWP

1. Ensure all relevant staff on site are aware of the presence of the MEWP
onsite and aware of associated risks.

2. Move MEWP into required location beside the tower and earth the
MEWP.

3. Ensure the MEWP stabilisers have been correctly located and cordon-off
work area to ensure access between the MEWP and tower is restricted.

c. Access to / Egress from MEWP

1. Ensure platform of MEWP is at ground height to allow access to / egress

from the platform.

2. All staff must ensure their harness is attached to the MEWP via a lanyard
upon accessing the work platform.

3. All tools carried within the MEWP must be placed in a bucket which is
secured to the MEWP.

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 Method Statement

WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

APPENDIX 1

Figure 1 – Monitoring installation at Preston Brook

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 Method Statement

WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

Figure 2 – Weather station monitoring system visualisation

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WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

Figure 3 – Clamping location on Tower AC35

Figure 4 – Clamping location on Tower AC138

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WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

Figure 5 – Clamping location on Tower AC177

Figure 6 – Clamping location on Tower AD46

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WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION

ON OVERHEAD LINE TOWER

Figure 7 – Red dot on underside of wind direction sensor (located to point towards
the North).