Many other conferences offer seminars that are a part of their program for an “extra charge.” However, at Finepoint’s annual conference, these extended half-day seminars are included in the registration fee at no additional cost. These seminars are of vital interest to the electrical power industry. The "Siemens BZO Circuit Breaker Maintenance" seminar presented by Siemens is on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 8, and the "Maintaining Outdoor Air Disconnect Switches" seminar presented by Pascor Atlantic is on Friday morning, Oct. 10.

Every year conference participants play an active role in selecting seminar topics for the following year. Past training seminars have included SF6 gas handling and management, Westinghouse AA-7/10/14 mechanism maintenance, load tap changer testing and evaluation, circuit breaker trip failure analysis, outdoor air disconnect switches, Siemens SP/SPS breaker maintenance, Doble circuit breaker analyzer training, S&C Circuit-Switcher maintenance, Siemens PH-33T-5/6 operating systems, McGraw-Edison 550 load tap changers, and McGraw-Edison OA-3/4 mechanism maintenance. These seminars offer practical training in the latest problem solving methods, and they are an integral and important part of the conference.

Siemens PTI will be presenting the half-day training course on BZO6/6C Breaker Maintenance. Changes in workforce demographics have heightened the need to provide hands-on training in the installation, operation, and maintenance of power transmission and distribution equipment. The Siemens type BZO6/6C 121-145kV power circuit breaker maintenance training program is tailored to increase the knowledge of personnel responsible for the installation, operation, and maintenance of this equipment. Practical, rather than theoretical, training is emphasized, with actual involvement by attendees in problem solving. The training course will be taught by Jim Bradshaw who shares his 30+ years of field experience. Bradshaw has extensive experience with Siemens BZO, SDO, SP, SPS, SPS1, SPS2, TCP, LPO, and 3AT power circuit breakers. He is widely recognized by customers and Siemens employees as the leading specialist on Siemens power circuit breaker operation and maintenance. Siemens will also be exhibiting each evening at The Hospitality Expo in Booths 25 and 26.

Pascor Atlantic will be presenting the half-day seminar on the restoration of 30- to 40-year-old air disconnect switch equipment. Paul "PJ" Catron Pascor Atlantic Marketing and Customer Service Manager will delve into the advantages of bringing older equipment on systems around the world back to "like new" condition. This half-day session will be unlike any other given, as it will include the actual disassembly and rebuild of a set of switch "live parts". Catron will cover the process, procedure and materials required as well as insights on how to avoid missteps along the way to ensure a smoothly run refurbishment project. Catron has 25 years of experience in the outdoor air disconnect switch industry and has served as quality manager, materials manager, parts & service manager, engineering manager, field service technician. He specializes in air disconnect switch application history. As the average age of EHV disconnect switches rapidly approaches 45 years, you will find this information useful in extending equipment life, while maintaining lower budget expenses and preventing unscheduled outages on your systems. Pascor Atlantic will also be exhibiting each evening at The Hospitality Expo in Booth 42.