UW Student Earns Power Line Research Award
A University of Wyoming Ph.D. student received a Best Paper Award at an international energy systems conference in Munich.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Energy
University of Wyoming Ph.D. student Jehad Hedel received the Best Paper Award at the 10th International Conference on Power Energy Systems and Applications (ICoPESA 2026), held in Munich in July. His paper models how far overhead transmission lines move toward nearby vegetation under steady wind and gusts.
Why it matters
Electricity can jump from power lines to nearby vegetation when lines get too close, potentially causing outages or fires. The research offers a computational tool for understanding this risk in Wyoming and other regions with extensive transmission infrastructure.
The 10th edition of ICoPESA was held in Munich in July 2026, and the paper was selected on originality, significance, technical quality, clarity, organization, and experimental or theoretical validation. The extraction does not provide quantitative results on line displacement distances.
The players
Jehad Hedel
Ph.D. student at the University of Wyoming who authored the award-winning paper, originally from Irbid, Jordan.
University of Wyoming
The public research university in Laramie, Wyoming, where Hedel is enrolled and where the research was conducted.
Nga Nguyen
Faculty adviser to Hedel in the UW Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
The details
Hedel's team developed a computer model estimating how far a power line moves under steady wind and gusts, a process that can bring lines closer to nearby trees. The work was conducted in part with funds from a National Science Foundation Advanced Sensing and Computation for Environmental Decision-Making grant, under the supervision of Nga Nguyen in the UW Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Timeline
July 2026: ICoPESA 2026 held in Munich, where the paper was presented.
November 7, 2026: Announcement of the Best Paper Award published.
Big Picture
The work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Sensing and Computation for Environmental Decision-Making program, which funds research linking sensing and computation to environmental choices. Applying that framework to transmission-line vegetation clearance extends it to utility infrastructure safety.
The research could help utility companies decide where tree trimming is most needed along transmission corridors. Households served by those lines may see fewer outages tied to vegetation contact if the approach is adopted.
The takeaway
Vegetation contact with power lines is a measurable risk that depends on wind conditions, so modeling wind effects can guide where maintenance resources go. Hedel plans to continue research aimed at making power systems safer and more reliable.
Further reading
Explore more on Energy coverage tied to Wyoming's grid and infrastructure.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
