It didn't take them long to get there. This is Sulphur la, about 12 miles from Lake Charles, but this is just a fraction of what will be arriving over the next few days. If you've never seen them in action, they are an awe inspiring sight to behold. Yep, they will be very well paid for their work, but it will be very long days and nights for the next several weeks or more. They will come from all over the SE, South, and Eastern US.
Yup. They don't play. Gotta get the lights on. Neighboring power companies were already mustering crews before the storm even made landfall. I know that Georgia Power sent a bunch of crews. I think that Alabama Power sent as many, or even more. It's what we/they do. And others do the same for us, when our system gets hit.
And yeah... the pay is astounding, but the hours are long and grueling. And amenities are few. They have to be very self-sufficient. (On the other hand, residents actually stand along the roads and clap when the crews arrive. Gotta love it.) To be fair... I have never been on a storm crew, but I know a bunch of folks who have. For the longest time, I was too inexperienced. By the time I had enough experience, my job situation changed, and I was no longer part of the field organization. But I salute all of these folks. They are truly where the rubber meets the road.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 08-29-2020).]
I've told the wife in the past that these guys earn their pay far better that any sports athlete and deserve more. Anybody willing to go out in a huge strom to get the lines back up and the power back on have my respect.
Is a Normal Operation. Besides local crews, Many others already had crews down there parked in safe areas away for storm surges etc.
In many cases, they work for Same root companies no matter what names on trucks etc. Examples: Exelon that owns PECO and others including Power Generation like Three Mile and Salem Nuke Plants. FirstEnergy owns JCP&L and others. National Grid own Niagara Mohawk and others.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
I've told the wife in the past that these guys earn their pay far better that any sports athlete and deserve more. Anybody willing to go out in a huge strom to get the lines back up and the power back on have my respect.
In 2017, just after Hurricane Irma swept through here and left us all without power, we were down to about 40 gal. of fuel left for our generators so I ventured out to find any open gas stations to get more.
I ended up near Interstate 75 before I found fuel available and while we were filling cans we watched as an unending line of bucket trucks and supply trucks rolled south.
We filled 4 20 gal. fuel cans and shopped for snacks before leaving so we were probably there a good 30 minutes and there was never a break in the line on the highway the entire time and was still going as we left.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 08-29-2020).]
It didn't take them long to get there. This is Sulphur la, about 12 miles from Lake Charles, but this is just a fraction of what will be arriving over the next few days. If you've never seen them in action, they are an awe inspiring sight to behold. Yep, they will be very well paid for their work, but it will be very long days and nights for the next several weeks or more. They will come from all over the SE, South, and Eastern US.
By the way, can I just take this opportunity to say how incredibly impressed I am with the town of Sulphur?
We stop there every so often on the way to Miami when I go visit friends and family from Texas. I always drive because I fly a lot for work and absolutely hate flying commercial... hate it... very little I hate more.
Anyway, we stopped by and went to some bar-ish restaurant. They were having karaoke night, of which many local townsfolk were participating. We came in (with my daughter who at the time was 9) and we clearly were dressed differently. Me with my obnoxious flagrant Miami shirts with the sleeves flipped back, etc. But they waved us in, and two nice old ladies said... "COME IN!!! Welcome, no one in here bites!"
So we sat at a table that was facing the stage, and people were saying high to us and being super nice. We hung around and watched lots of karaoke, and they asked us to sing something. I politely refused, but then they played that "I'm proud to be an American..." song, and holy **** if the entire bar / restaurant didn't all come together and sing it as loud as they possibly could. I did too of course and it was so awesome how inviting they were. These people didn't know me at all, and clearly knew I was not from around (also because they asked and were being friendly). Just all-around such a really, really nice group of people.
Afterwards, we went across the street to an ice cream shop where there were 3 Catholic priests hanging out and talking to a family about scripture. Everyone in that town was so incredibly nice.
We used to stop by Beaumont as the first stop (or last stop) depending on which way we were going, but we now stop at Sulphur because the people there are just so damned nice.
Having all those helpful assets is great, managing and putting them where they are needed most is a challenge. Everyone thinks they should be first in line to get power back.
I have an acquaintance in our state's Emergency Management, doesn't matter what is decided, someone is upset.
Obviously, they have a priority list they go by but, it never satisfies those who want their power back on, they want it now and could not give a damn who else gets it until they have theirs comforts met first. It is, what it is.
Those crews deserve every dime they get but, so do the Emergency Management directing their efforts.
Having all those helpful assets is great, managing and putting them where they are needed most is a challenge. Everyone thinks they should be first in line to get power back.
Obviously, they have a priority list they go by but, it never satisfies those who want their power back on, they want it now and could not give a damn who else gets it until they have theirs comforts met first. It is, what it is. ... Rams
The way they usually work it, is that they try to get the largest number of people back on with a single restoration, then the next largest number, with the next restoration, and so on. (If you live on a cul-de-sac, with 5 houses, and the line is down at the top of your street, all things being equal, you are probably going to get to wait a while.)
With all of that said, since there are so many transmission (high voltage) lines down, they will try to get the transmission (high voltage that feeds distribution substations) restored first. Then they will restore the distribution (lower voltage neighborhood) stations tied in to the transmission system. From there, they will restore the distribution system. The local lines that feed the neighborhoods. The individual drops from the distribution lines to the houses will be last.
Of course, since there is so much damage, the situation at hand is likely more "concentrated/coordinated/segmented" than that, and there are likely transmission AND distribution crews working at the same time, so all of that is not cast in stone. Just speaking in generalities. Although it's a huge tangle, everyone knows their piece of the puzzle, and trusts that the other groups know their own. And they talk to each other. And it works
If anyone cares... Transmission is loosely defined as anything 46KV and above. Distribution, 46 KV and below. Of course, that is depending upon the needs at the time, and the design of the local grid. (This is pretty much how GA has their system laid out.)
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 09-01-2020).]
Although, it was a while back, I can relate to what Raydar is saying. Back in the mid-nineties, a major ice storm took down about a hundred of those towers with transmission lines leading to Memphis. I lived out in the country about 30 miles south from the state line in Mississippi. I spent 38 days splitting firewood to keep the home fires burning, hauled water home every day and worked my butt off until power was restored. More homes and people in the larger metro areas get first call. Yeah, I can relate.
On a side note, my county Sheriff has started a donation drive to help the hurricane victims in Louisiana. They are looking for a box trailer semi to haul all the "stuff" down there. I called and volunteered my services with truck and box trailer but, I doubt they'll use me. My trailer is only 34 feet and a semi is 53 and can haul a whole lot more weight. than I can.
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 09-02-2020).]
It is time to put our electrical grid underground.
A great deal of electrical and (especially) fiber optics is already there. They are not guaranteed safe there, either. (Ever heard the term "backhoe fade"? It's a thing. Helps to keep my life interesting.)
quote
Originally posted by williegoat:
Left Wing Boogie Man
Perfect!
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 09-02-2020).]
A great deal of electrical and (especially) fiber optics is already there. They are not guaranteed safe there, either. (Ever heard the term "backhoe fade"? It's a thing. Helps to keep my life interesting.)
Most of the utility lines in the Phoenix area have been underground for decades. My neighborhood was built in the '70s and they are currently in the middle of a year-long project to replace all of the underground electric lines.
About 20 years ago, I had a failure in one leg and they had to dig a five foot deep hole in my front yard to repair the line. The dumb thing was that I knew what happened when half of my house went dim, but the power company wouldn't own up to it and told me to call an electrician. The electrician took about five minutes and a couple hundred dollars to tell me that I needed to call the power company.
Originally posted by Raydar: A great deal of electrical and (especially) fiber optics is already there. They are not guaranteed safe there, either. (Ever heard the term "backhoe fade"? It's a thing. Helps to keep my life interesting.)
When a big straight line wind storm came thru about 3 counties in this region, electric poles were one of the casualties. One pole was being replaced in downtown Cleveland (it had snapped off about 3 ft from the top of the sidewalk) and Entergy just moved over about 4 ft. The power company forgot to "call before you dig" and drilled right thru a major telephone trunk line with hundreds of pairs.
When a big straight line wind storm came thru about 3 counties in this region, electric poles were one of the casualties. One pole was being replaced in downtown Cleveland (it had snapped off about 3 ft from the top of the sidewalk) and Entergy just moved over about 4 ft. The power company forgot to "call before you dig" and drilled right thru a major telephone trunk line with hundreds of pairs.
