Underground Electrical Distribution Systems

Introduction to Underground Distribution

• Planning considerations
• Introduction to UG equipment types and applications
• Device-locating and system-layout philosophies
• Policy considerations and examples
• Terms and conditions of customer interconnection and service
• Easements and ownership of facilities
• Industry codes/standards, cost recovery methods 

Planning and Design Criteria 

• Transformer loading
• Circuit capacity ratings and configurations 
• Circuit switch and protection
• Voltage regulation and surge protection
• Intro to Strategic Undergrounding

Underground Cable

• Cable theory and construction
• Electrical and mechanical properties
• Conductor and insulation types
• Selection, ratings, and loading practices

Cable Accessories

• Voltage stress relief
• Terminators and splices
• Selection, ratings, and installation practices

Underground Structures

• Direct burial trenches, conduits and ducts, vaults and manholes
• Riser poles
• Technical specifications and installation practices 

Pad-Mounted and Submersible Equipment

• Transformers, switches, fuses, and lightning arresters
• Selection ratings
• Installation practices

 Cable Installation in Underground Structures

• Cable pulling limitations and calculations 
• Pulling equipment and methods

National Electrical Safety Code (NESC^®) Requirements, Including Notable Applicable Provisions of the NESC

• General requirements
• Grounding and safety rules for UG systems

Cable Testing and Maintenance

• Why cables fail
• Test methods
• Maintenance options
• Rejuvenation

Pad-Mount Transformer Specification

Overvoltage (Lightning) Protection on Underground Systems

• Nature of lightning and switching impulses
• Effective Grounding
• Basic insulation level (BIL)
• Insulation coordination
• Arrester theory and design/selection and application 

Overcurrent Protection on Underground Systems

• Types and characteristics of faults
• Fuse selection and coordination 
  (will come with fuse selection exercise) 

 Operation and Maintenance of Underground Systems

• Cable locating and marking
• Switching operations
• Cable replacement vs. rejuvenation 
• Physical and infrared testing of equipment
• Preventive maintenance methods

Registration Date/Time:
10/5/2026 08:00am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 10/5/2026  8:30am - 5:00pm Central Time
• 10/6/2026  8:30am - 5:00pm Central Time
• 10/7/2026  8:30am - 3:30pm Central Time

This is a HyFlex (in-person and online) taught course. Your registration is for one teaching platform only. Please be prepared to attend all days either in-person or online. Contact us if you have any questions or if you need to make a change. 

This course uses the Canvas course management and Zoom platforms. A UW NetID is required to access Canvas and course materials. Please follow the instructions in your registration confirmation email to set up a NetID and access the Canvas course site. 

For in-person students: Physical course materials will be available on the first day of class.

For online students: Course materials are shipped to you. You will receive an email two weeks before the course starts with a link to an online address verification form. You will provide your shipping address in this form.                                     

Enrollments are allowed up to the first day of the course. However, the course materials may not arrive before the start of the course for enrollment within 5 business days of the course start date.

• Instructors

  Michael Smalley

  Principal Engineer

  Mike Smalley has 28 years of electric utility engineering experience. The last 20 years have been focused on underground electrical distribution materials and standards, with a primary responsibility of low and medium-voltage underground cable systems. He is a senior member of the IEEE insulated conductors committee and a past chair of the AEIC cable engineering committee. He received a B.S. in electrical engineering technology from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and a M.S. in engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mike is a registered professional engineer in the state of Wisconsin.

  Thomas Callsen

  Principal Engineer/Consulting Engineer

  Thomas Callsen has over 30 years of related utility experience. During his 25 years at Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd), Thomas held numerous engineering roles, culminating as a principal engineer/consulting engineer in the distribution standards department where he was responsible for distribution transformers, capacitors, fuses, reclosers and distribution automation hardware. In 2006 Thomas received DistribuTECH’s prestigious “Project of the Year Award” for his “Distribution Center in a Box” substation. In 2009 he received the award again for industry’s first real-time overhead fault indicator communicating over a mesh network radio system. (Both products are now commercially available.) He received a US patent for the invention of the DC in a Box transformer design. Thomas is a senior member of the IEEE and an active member of the IEEE transformer committee that writes the industry standards for transformers in North America. Thomas holds a BSEE from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and is a licensed professional engineer.

  Kevin Rogers

  Program Director

  Kevin Rogers is an electrical engineer with a background in electrical power systems. He is a registered professional engineer, and his 18 years of industry experience spans across electric utility, government, commercial, and industrial applications. His technical responsibilities have included design and commissioning of mission-critical facilities, underground medium voltage distribution planning, design, and operations, high-voltage substation design, and relaying protection and control for complex interconnections.

• Program Director

  Kevin Rogers

When two or more sign up from same employer, your course fee is $1495 per person.

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.