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Power out in Roodepoort

City Power technicians are hard at work restoring power in parts of Roodepoort. The power outage was caused by a faulty feeder cable and the theft of two feeder cables.

ScottishPower report success with Cresatech earth monitor

ScottishPower publish substation earth monitoring report following the successful project with Cresatech CuTS® ZM.

The report from ScottishPower Energy Networks, published on 18th July 2016 provides confirmation that the Cresatech CuTS® unit and service is a viable solution for the detection and mitigation of safety impact and service continuity issues that result from metal infrastructure theft from electrical networks.” It “highlighted that it is possible to monitor substation assets through the use of an innovative monitoring system.”

The pervasive security, safety and service continuity issues generated by metal theft have driven power network operator’s requirements for a cost effective method of detecting such theft activity as it happens.

Cresatech CuTS® ZM sends a real time alert as the theft events occur so safety and service risks can be mitigated in the most suitable and effective manner.

“Liaising with the local districts, utilising local knowledge and reviewing past history of vandalism and theft, a number of substation locations were chosen for the trial. The locations were reviewed to ensure their suitability and an installation plan was developed with regards to available internal resources. This approach enabled the monitors to be evaluated against conventional alternative preventative measures and also increased the chance that they would be triggered for an actual theft occurrence.”

Key conclusions quoted directly from the report;

“During the trial period there was not a copper theft incident at any of the chosen 25 sites. However, a number of preplanned and random tests were carried out to simulate the removal or tampering of earthed infrastructure. These tests proved the Cresatech CuTS® system effectively detected removal or tampering of the earthed infrastructure.”

The trial successfully proved;

  • The successful and reliable detection of copper theft and tampering at key substation locations either through test simulations or actual events.
  • Low incidences of mal-operation and spurious alarms”

It was concluded that “The (Cresatech CuTS®) monitors adequately detected when earthing was removed or tampered with during testing”

“Remote monitoring technologies in general are likely to support multiple business cases, potentially across multiple stakeholders.  In the case of this project in addition to security, it has become clear that other benefits include;

  • Safety (for employees and public on-site and further downstream in the network); and
  • Operational efficiency (for example, asset protection, planned maintenance etc.) “

 

To read the full report on IFI 1209 and see the supporting documents including a Cost Benefit Analysis and video, please go to ScottishPower & Cresatech Report

Or send us your details on our contact page. 

To receive all 4 report documents please contact us and they will be sent direct to your mailbox.

Copper Thieves at ESB substation sparked €10m fire – April 2016

Thieves ‘attempting to steal copper wire’ from ESB substation sparked €10m fire

Gardai have appealed for help after it emerged that thieves stealing copper wire from an ESB substation caused a massive fire costing€10million worth of damage.

The ESB has revealed that 120,000 customers were left without power when the 220KV substation in Inchicore, South Dublin was targeted last night.

In a statement, released this evening by Crimestoppers, it was confirmed that the damage was caused by “third party interference”.

“Following an initial investigation by ESB Networks it has become apparent that this incident was caused by third party interference, where thieves were attempting to steal copper wire from the site.

 

Photo: Steve Humphreys

 

“The overall cost to ESB of this incident is estimated at up to €10million.”

A spokesman for Crimestoppers also confirmed that there will be a reward for information that leads to a prosecution in this case.

ESB Networks has reminded the public and perpetrators of the criminal activity of the dangers of interfering with our electricity infrastructure.

“Such interference is a highly dangerous activity with the perpetrators putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.”

The massive blaze caused the loss of electricity supply to customers across Inchicore, Lucan, Tallaght and Rathfarnham and other parts of West Dublin for 50 minutes.

Since 2012, over 150km of copper valued at €3million has been stolen, with a replacement cost to ESB Networks at €28million. The rise in thefts forced the electricity supplier to launch a nationwide campaign last August.

Local councillor Daithí deRoiste (FF) has blasted the thieves, explaining that a huge number of people were adversely affected by the power-cut.

 

“This is an utter disgrace. These people are nothing but scumbags who care only about themselves.”

 

Cllr deRoiste explained that parts of West Dublin were thrown into darkness on Sunday night when the fire broke out.

“The amount of people without electricity was phenomenal. The amount of children who went to bed hungry because there was no way of cooking food and all the restaurants were closed.

“The ESB said it cost €10million but that doesn’t take account of the money lost by businesses. Managers and owners had to send staff home early because they couldn’t stay open.

 

“A lot of these staff went without wages.”

 

Crimestoppers, an Garda Síochána and ESB Networks are calling on members of the public to be vigilant for suspicious activity and to come forward with information.

Such information can be given anonymously to the Crimestoppers confidential telephone service by calling 1800 25 00 25.

Alternatively, information can be provided to your local Garda station or ESB Networks on 1850 372 999.

 

ESB Networks have reminded customers of the precautionary measures to take in the event of a power cut:

  • Never approach broken lines or damaged poles, and keep children and animals away – report damage to ESB Networks at 1850 372 999 and listen to recorded messages carefully
  • Turn off electric cookers, ovens, irons, etc. if electricity supply is lost
  • Leave a light switched on so you know when power has been restored
  • Take extra care if using candles, oil lamps or other naked flames
  • Test smoke alarms with fresh batteries
  • Ensure adequate ventilation if using gas heaters.

Source The Independent

Copper theft at Sheffield substation sparks power surge

Televisions and microwaves in some Sheffield homes have been damaged after copper thefts at two substations caused a power surge.

CE Electric UK said about 400 customers in the Batemoor area of the city were without power.

A spokeswoman said there had been reports of damage to some appliances.

The power surge is thought to have been caused by thieves cutting a conductor at the substations as they stole copper from the sites.

The spokeswoman said engineers were working to restore power to the homes as quickly as possible

South Yorkshire Police confirmed it was investigating the thefts on Saturday morning.

A spokesman said they were working with the fire service and CE Electric UK.

Source BBC

Copper Thefts Threaten U.S. Critical Infrastructure

This assessment highlights copper theft and its impact on US critical infrastructure.

Intelligence Assessment (Unclassified)
Prepared by the
FBI Criminal Intelligence Section
September 15, 2008

Scope Note

The assessment highlights copper theft and its impact on US critical infrastructure. Copper thefts are occurring throughout the United States and are perpetrated by individuals and organized groups motivated by quick profits and a variety of vulnerable targets. Information for the assessment was developed through May 2008 from the following sources:

  • FBI
  • Open sources

Source and Confidence Statement

Reporting relative to the impact of copper thefts on US critical infrastructure was derived from the FBI and open sources . The FBI has high confidence that the FBI source reporting used to prepare the assessment is reliable. The FBI also has high confidence in the reliability of information derived from open-source reporting.

Key Judgments

  • Copper thieves are threatening US critical infrastructure by targeting electrical sub-stations, cellular towers, telephone land lines, railroads, water wells, construction sites, and vacant homes for lucrative profits. The theft of copper from these targets disrupts the flow of electricity, telecommunications, transportation, water supply, heating, and security and emergency services and presents a risk to both public safety and national security.1
  • Copper thieves are typically individuals or organised groups who operate independently or in loose association with each other and commit thefts in conjunction with fencing activities and the sale of contraband. Organised groups of drug addicts, gang members, and metal thieves are conducting large scale thefts from electric utilities, warehouses, foreclosed or vacant properties, and oil well sites for tens of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds per month. 2
  • The demand for copper from developing nations such as China and India is creating a robust international copper trade. Copper thieves are exploiting this demand and the resulting price surge by stealing and selling the metal for high profits to recyclers across the United States. As the global supply of copper continues to tighten, the market for illicit copper will likely increase. 3

Copper Thefts Threaten US Critical Infrastructure

Copper thieves are threatening US critical infrastructure by targeting electrical substations, cellular towers, telephone land lines, railroads, water wells, construction sites, and vacant homes for lucrative profits. Copper thefts from these targets have increased since 2006; and they are currently disrupting the flow of electricity, telecommunications, transportation, water supply, heating, and security and emergency services, and present a risk to both public safety and national security.

  • According to open-source reporting, on 4 April 2008, five tornado warning sirens in the Jackson, Mississippi, area did not warn residents of an approaching tornado because copper thieves had stripped the sirens of copper wiring, thus rendering them inoperable.
  • According to open-source reporting, on 20 March 2008, nearly 4,000 residents in Polk County, Florida, were left without power after copper wire was stripped from an active transformer at a Tampa Electric Company (TECO) power facility. Monetary losses to TECO were approximately $500,000.
  • According to agricultural industry reporting, as of March 2007, farmers in Pinal County, Arizona , were experiencing a copper theft epidemic as perpetrators stripped copper from their water irrigation wells and pumps resulting in the loss of crops and high replacement costs. Pinal County’s infrastructure loss due to copper theft was $10 million.

Criminal Groups Involved in Copper Thefts

Copper thieves are typically individuals or organised groups who operate independently or in loose association with each other and commit thefts in conjunction with fencing activities and the sale of contraband. Organised groups of drug addicts, gang members, and metal thieves are conducting large scale thefts from electric utilities, warehouses, foreclosed and vacant properties, and oil well sites for tens of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds per month.

  • According to open sources, as recently as April 2008, highly organised theft rings specialising in copper theft from houses and warehouses were operating in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These rings or gangs hit several houses per day, yielding more than $20,000 in profits per month. The targets were most often foreclosed homes.4
  • Open-source reporting from March 2008 indicates that an organised copper theft ring used the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s foreclosure lists to pinpoint targets in Cleveland, Ohio. Perpetrators had 200 pounds of stolen copper in their van, road maps, and tools. Three additional perpetrators were found to be using the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s list of mortgage and bank foreclosures to target residences in Cleveland, South Euclid, Cleveland Heights, and other cities in Ohio.5

Global Demand Increasing

China , India, and other developing nations are driving the demand for raw materials such as copper and creating a robust international trade. Copper thieves are receiving cash from recyclers who often fill orders for commercial scrap dealers. Recycled copper flows from these dealers to smelters, mills, foundries, ingot makers, powder plants, and other industries to be re-used in the United States or for supplying the international raw materials demand. As the global supply of copper continues to tighten, the market for illicit copper will likely increase.

Open-source reporting from February 2007 indicates that the global copper supply tightened due to a landslide at the Freeport-McMoran Copper and Cold mine in Grasberg, Indonesia in October 2003 and a worker’s strike at the El Abra copper mine in Clama, Chile in November 2004. These events contributed to copper production shortfalls and led to an increase in recycling, which in turn created a market for copper.6

  • Open-source reporting from October 2006 indicated that the demand for copper from China increased substantially due to the construction of facilities for the 2008 Olympics.7
  • Open-source reporting indicated that from January 2001 to March 2008, the price of copper increased more than 500 percent.8 This has prompted unscrupulous and sometimes unwitting independent and commercial scrap metal dealers to pay record prices for copper, regardless of its origin, making the material a more attractive target for theft.

Outlook

The global demand for copper, combined with the economic and home foreclosure crisis, is creating numerous opportunities for copper-theft perpetrators to exploit copper-rich targets. Organized copper theft rings may increasingly target vacant or foreclosed homes as they are a lucrative source of unattended copper inventory. Current economic conditions, such as the rising cost of gasoline, food, and consumer goods, the declining housing market, the ease through which copper is exchanged for cash, and the lack of a significant deterrent effect, make it likely that copper thefts will remain a lucrative financial resource for criminals.

Industry officials have taken some countermeasures to address the copper theft problem. These include the installment of physical and technological security measures, increased collaboration among the various industry sectors, and the development of law enforcement partnerships.9 Many states are also taking countermeasures by enacting or enhancing legislation regulating the scrap industry––to include increased recordkeeping and penalties for copper theft and noncompliant scrap dealers. However, there are limited resources available to enforce these laws, and a very small percentage of perpetrators are arrested and convicted. Additionally, as copper thefts are typically addressed as misdemeanors, those individuals convicted pay

 

This intelligence assessment was prepared by the Criminal Investigative Division of the FBI.

1 WAPT.com, “Copper Thieves Silence Tornado Siren,” 8 April 2008, available at www.wapt.com.
2 The Orlando Sentinel, “Theft Causes Power Outage,” 21 March 2008, available at www.orlandosentinel.com.
3 Murphree, Julie. “Copper Theft in Arizona at Epidemic Levels,” Arizona Farm Bureau: Arizona Agriculture, March 2007, Vol. 60, No. 3, available at www.azfb.org.
4 Tevlin, Jon. “The New Underground Currency,” StarTribune.com, 12 April 2008, available at www.msnbc.msn.com.
5 The Plain Dealer, “Copper Theft Ring Worked From Foreclosure Lists, Cleveland Heights Police Say,” 28 March 2008, available at www.cleveland.com.
6 According to an extensive study sponsored by the Chief Security Officer web site (www.csoonline.org) – Scott Berinato, “Copper Theft: The Metal Theft Epidemic,”1 February 2007, http://www.csoonline.com/read/020107/fea_metal.html.
7 Xinhau News Agency. “Bejing to Spend More on Infrastructure for Olympics,” CHINA.ORG.CN, 9, October, 2006, available at www.china.org.cn.
8 NYMEX Daily Spot Settlement Price, http://www.nymex.com (accessed on 9 March 2008).
9 US Attorney Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Meetings with industry and law enforcement 25 April 2008 and 29 July 2008; LexisNexis; (U) Hassan, Anita. “Jackson Lee Says She Will Introduce Legislation That Enlists Help of FBI,” The Houston Chronicle, 6 September 2008.

Source: FBI

Police track copper thefts

THE SNCF has signed a deal with the gendarmerie nationale to use a fleet of police helicopters in the fight against copper thieves.

The company is estimated to be losing €35m a year through the theft of copper cables.

According to the rail operator, the copper thefts are often the reason for trains being delayed, totalling up to 6,000 hours.

The rising price of copper has led to an increase in thefts, with the metal now fetching €7,420 a tonne.

It has signed the deal to help better protect the cables along its 32,000km of railway tracks.

Source: The Connexion

Distributech Themes

Cresatech business development Catherine Fulton attended Distributech as a delegate and attended the lectures, panels and keynotes alongside energy industry professionals.

Integration and smart aggregation were themes, along with smart metering and what seemed to be the most popular topic- cyber security. Helen Whittaker from BC Hydro presented one of the best discussions on the event. Big impacts were with drones and functional mobile apps. Cresatech had good friends in the exhibition hall, most notably Embedded Logix, who are making a big splash in the energy industry with their smart data integration for substation security. Learn more about Helen here.

Up next for Cresatech is the UK Metal Theft Summit 2/25 @ Scottish Fire and Rescue ServiceTraining Centre, Cambuslang G72 7NA.