Copper thief apparently zapped

Copper wires and other electricity-related assets can be attractive targets for thieves -- but stealing electrical infrastructure carries risks beyond the legal realm.

The Associated Press is reporting that police have found evidence of an attempt to steal $100 worth of copper wiring from an electrical substation in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  The evidence, which reportedly includes a melted hacksaw covered in soot, suggests that a thief broke into the substation and came in contact with live wires carrying 23,000 volts.  Yesterday's incident apparently caused a small explosion and temporarily disrupted the power supply to the local area.  The police have stated that the would-be thief is likely severely injured or dead.
 
Copper thieves are presumably hoping to cut the metal out of its installation and sell it for scrap.  While the value of bulk quantities of scrap copper has been at a relative historic high, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that copper pricing has fallen due to expected decreases in European economic activity, selling on the New York Mercantile Exchange's Comex division for $3.39 per pound.  It would be a desperate thief indeed who risks electrocution for any price, let alone copper's scrap value.

This incident follows on a report earlier this month of the arguably more sophisticated theft of solar panels, inverters and batteries from U.S. Forest Service facilities in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire.

Securing solar panels against theft

As more solar panels are installed in remote locations, how can they be secured against theft?

New Hampshire's Swift River, along the Kancamagus Highway.

Between new, more efficient technologies and government incentive programs, people are installing solar photovoltaic panels at a much faster rate than in the past.  While most solar PV projects are being developed on industrial or commercial buildings or homes, remote or off-the-grid solar projects form a growing sector of the market.  This can be particularly cost-effective where traditional grid-based electricity would be cost-prohibitive to install.  For example, the National Park Service is using solar panels to power campground facilities in remote locations, as are state park units and other public land management agencies like the U.S. Forest Service.

Theft of these solar panels and related electric equipment may be a growing problem in some locations.  For example, the Manchester Union Leader reports that thieves stole a variety of equipment including solar panels, electrical panels, charge controllers, inverters and deep cycle batteries from Forest Service facilities along New Hampshire's Kancamagus Highway this past winter.  Along with associated vandalism, the damage and losses to the campground and visitor facilities in the White Mountain National Forest are reported to exceed $10,000.

For some years, electric utilities have faced similar challenges in the form of copper theft, where thieves steal wires and other electric equipment for its value as scrap metal.  As people, businesses and agencies other than utilities become distributed producers of electric energy, they are being exposed to the parallel risk of solar panel theft.  Securing solar energy equipment could take a variety of forms, from physical security (e.g. bolting the equipment down more securely) to monitoring, patrols, or electronic surveillance.  Adding more security to an installation may increase its costs somewhat, but may be a good investment for some situations compared to the risk of loss.

August 27, 2010 - restoring old dams? sunken treasure

Storm over the Kennebec River near Dresden

Earlier this month, I wrote about the situation at Scribner's Mill on the Crooked River in Maine.  The Scribner's Mill Preservation Project is doing a great job of restoring the old sawmill located on the banks of the river.  Formerly, the sawmill was paired with a nine-foot dam that was breached in 1972; prior to dam breach, the impounded water fell through water wheels to power the mill directly.  The mill preservationists are again proposing to build a dam on the site to allow the mill to regain its status as a working water mill.  Two years ago, they proposed putting up a 4' dam; the Maine Department of Environmental Protection rejected their efforts.  Now they're proposing a 3' dam.

Arguments against rebuilding the dam include ones based on the importance of the Crooked River to the entire Sebago Lake ecosystem.  The Crooked River is the principal spawning habitat for the famous wild landlocked salmon in the lake.  Landlocks are the same species as Atlantic salmon, but spend their entire lives in fresh water.  Maine has a special fishery for wild landlocked salmon, and Sebago Lake is one of its most accessible waterbodies.  In addition to fisheries concerns, the Crooked River is also the principal surface inflow of water into the lake, which is the drinking source for about 200,000 people in Maine.

Last night, Maine Public Broadcasting Network ran a good story on the debate.

In other renewable news: following on the recent ORPC tidal energy turbine installation at a Coast Guard facility in Eastport, today the Coast Guard is raising a wind turbine at a Southwest Harbor facility.


Who doesn't love a tale of a forgotten shipwreck holding a sunken treasure?  During a blizzard in February 1944, the British freighter Empire Knight foundered on a covered reef near Boon Island off York, Maine.  The ship broke up and sank.  In 1990, the Coast Guard learned that the ship contained over 17,000 pounds of mercury.  Divers recovered a small portion of the mercury and contaminated material, but found that 16,000 pounds had escaped and was loose in a cargo hold.  The Coast Guard closed the site.  Now, a treasure hunter wants to recover the mercury in an environmentally responsible manner -- and also what he believes may be copper-platinum wire worth $200 million (a bit more valuable than the copper wire commonly stolen!), plus a "secret cargo" that could be worth from $10 million on up.

August 25, 2010 - tidal energy; sewage anaerobic digestion

What is the first federal facility anywhere to use tidal power as an energy source?  A Coast Guard station in Eastport, Maine is claiming the title with its project to install Ocean Renewable Power Company's tidal energy turbine and generator.  ORPC installed a 60 kW tidal turbine and generator in March 2010.  Last week, ORPC announced that the unit had commenced powering the Coast Guard's 41' utility boat with electricity of a quality compatible with being grid-tied.  Yesterday, in Eastport, there was a celebration of the project's successes and promises.

Lewiston and Auburn, two of Maine's largest sister cities on either side of the Androscoggin River, share sewer treatment services through the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority.  Currently, the plant treats 12.7 million gallons of sewage per day.  This process results in two major products: clean water, and the solids that (in technical ways, if not semantically) make up the difference between sewage and water.  The authority mixes about half of the solids with wood to make a marketable compost, but has to pay to dispose the remaining solids.  Now, the authority is considering installing an anaerobic digestion plant.  This plant would have two major effects.  First, it would significantly reduce the mass of solids requiring disposal -- up to a 40% reduction.  Where that mass would go produces the second major effect of the plant: through anaerobic digestion, combustible gas (primarily methane) is produced from the solids.  This gas can be burned in a gas turbine, which can be tied to a generator.  For Lewiston-Auburn, gas production is estimated at 170,000 cubic feet of methane per day; the authority estimates that it can produce 2/3 of its own electricity requirements from this fuel stream. The cost?  $16.6 million.  On September 8, the board of the authority will vote on the project.

The public debate over wind energy's merits continues with this letter to the Lewiston Sun Journal critical of developing wind near small towns and mountains in Maine.  Claims made include "they will not produce enough energy to make a dent in our needs, but it will make some investors very rich" and "the energy will be sold out of state".

Copper theft is an issue in Maine.  Copper is valuable for its scrap value.  Thieves strike utility infrastructure as well as homes.  Here's a news report of a thief busted for stealing the copper piping from a house listed for sale.