Thermal imaging of a power line. Photo courtesy of Fast Forward.
Shreveport, La. — Over the next several weeks, SWEPCO will partner with Fast Forward to perform proactive inspections of its electric delivery system using panoramic and thermal cameras mounted on marked vehicles. Customers in Longview, Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana may see these Fast Forward vehicles in their neighborhoods as they capture detailed images of transformers, wires and other distribution equipment.
The inspections are designed to identify potential problem areas before they affect service, improving system visibility and helping SWEPCO prioritize repairs and maintenance. The data collected will support efforts to enhance reliability, reduce the frequency of outages, and speed restoration when disruptions occur.
“These inspections build on our 2025 resiliency efforts that included inspecting 80,000 poles and replacing more than 17,000 of them,” said Brett Mattison, SWEPCO president and COO. “As we saw in Winter Storm Fern, that work made an important impact. Now that the storm has passed, we’re not stopping in our work to be a premium utility in the minds of our customers.”
SWEPCO appreciates customer understanding while crews and the company’s partner perform these important inspections. Learn more about Fast Forward technology here: https://ff-ai.com/solutions