Innovating Utility Pole Safety: How Northpower Leveraged AI and Computer Vision for Risk Mitigation
In today’s fast-paced world, industries are constantly evolving and adapting to new challenges. The energy industry, in particular, is at a critical turning point as the push for decarbonization and energy resilience grows stronger. Companies like Northpower in New Zealand are stepping up to the plate to address these challenges head-on.
Northpower, a provider of reliable electricity and fiber internet services in the Northland region of New Zealand, is committed to investing in infrastructure, developing new products and services, and giving back to its communities. With over 1,400 staff working across 14 locations, Northpower plays a crucial role in maintaining essential services for customers and building a sustainable future for Northland.
One of the key challenges Northpower faced was identifying and remedying public safety risks related to stay wires on utility poles. Without reliable historical data, manual inspections of their extensive network of 57,230 power poles were labor-intensive and costly. To address this challenge, Northpower partnered with technology company Sculpt to implement a cutting-edge solution using computer vision and artificial intelligence.
The solution leveraged Amazon SageMaker, a fully managed service that helps developers and data scientists build, train, and deploy machine learning models. By using SageMaker Studio, Northpower was able to launch an object detection model that identified stay wires without insulators on utility poles. This innovative approach allowed Northpower to prioritize tasks for field teams, resulting in the identification of 141 power pole assets that required immediate action out of their extensive network.
The success of this project highlights the power of technology to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. By harnessing the capabilities of AI and machine learning, Northpower was able to enhance public safety, reduce carbon usage, and optimize their inspection processes.
As we navigate the challenges of the energy industry’s transition to a more sustainable future, companies like Northpower are leading the way with innovative solutions. By embracing cutting-edge technology and partnering with forward-thinking companies, organizations can overcome obstacles, drive positive change, and build a more resilient and sustainable future for all.
About the Authors:
Scott Patterson is a Senior Solutions Architect at AWS.
Andreas Astrom is the Head of Technology and Innovation at Northpower.