Electricity does not only travel through “visible” conductors that connect the high voltage pylons. Cities are traversed by underground cables, which must be constantly monitored to ensure the safety of the electricity system. In Turin, Pierpaolo Basentini, 33, takes care of it. He is the technical representative for the cables under the responsibility of Terna's Turin Plant Unit. Terna is the operator of the national electricity transmission grid. Basentini is an operational technician and during his working days he reviews all the reports of excavations and requests for plans, as well as the actual construction sites that are in the vicinity of the underground power lines.
“Everything regarding cables in Turin and the interference they could be subjected to is the focus of my work. My colleagues and I are also dedicated to maintaining a relationship with the companies involved in the excavations, to remind them of the importance of keeping us informed of all the works in progress. It is possible that someone in the community may forget to send us an email to notify us of any works, as in the case of repairs to aqueducts or district heating", he says. "For this reason we have an operative who checks the cables on a daily basis, moving around the city. We have never faced an extreme situation, fortunately: it is true that the cables are marked, but it is also thanks to our work training companies (which are almost always the same ones, in these types of jobs), and to which we explain over and over again all the factors to be taken into consideration. It is worth taking an extra ten minutes if it means protecting the power lines and everyone’s work”.