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SEC Apparatus Technicians Keep Electrical Substation "Hearts" Pumping
If electric distribution lines are the veins of the body for the electric system, then substations are the heart. Does that make SEC’s Apparatus Technicians heart surgeons? Well, not exactly. But they are a highly skilled and technical group of individuals who have specialized training and testing practices to “keep the heart pumping!” When it comes to maintaining and managing substations for reliable delivery of power, SEC members can rely on the Substation & Apparatus Team.
Just as the heart pumps blood to different parts of the body, the substation distributes electrical power to various locations. Similarly, just as arteries carry blood to different organs, electrical lines and transformers transport power to different sections of the grid. Just as a healthy heart is essential for the body to function properly, a well-maintained substation is crucial for the efficient and safe distribution of electrical power.
“Substation & Apparatus Technicians provide a variety of equipment installations, testing, maintenance and troubleshooting of substation devices, as well as maintaining the Cooperative’s metering system,” says Substation & Apparatus Engineer Ryan Edwards. “Through these tasks, this group essentially maintains all the Cooperative’s intelligent devices. This work is of the utmost importance to the integrity of the power system and ultimately the member experience as these devices directly impact reliability, as well as system automation and restoration.”
One Substation & Apparatus practice consists of taking oil samples annually to test the oil properties and ensure the equipment is healthy within the substation. These samples have allowed SEC to act and prevent a potential catastrophic failure inside the substation.
Photographed at the story's top (left to right) are SEC’s Substation & Apparatus Technicians Wayne Paulett (Central District), Ryan Edwards, Blake Poindexter (Western District), Andy Haynes (Central District) and Bryan Mills (Central District). Photographed below is the Apparatus Team at work.
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