Substation explosion

Damage could have been worse

Posted 7/5/19

New details have emerged over the cause of the fire at the Vining Substation on North Ingalls Street that resulted in prolonged power outages throughout the city on June 29.

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Substation explosion

Damage could have been worse

Posted

New details have emerged over the cause of the fire at the Vining Substation on North Ingalls Street that resulted in prolonged power outages throughout the city on June 29.

The initial power outage actually preceded the fire. The power went out sometime around 5 a.m. On-call city personnel arrived at the substation shortly after.

“It was eerily quiet, meaning nothing was running or working,” said City Administrator Zack Thorington.

The electricians followed procedures to restore power. When they flipped a circuit breaker back on, there was an explosion. The breaker was next to some regulators that are filled with oil, which acts as a coolant. The explosion ignited the oil, which caused flames to leap out of the equipment. The workers called 911 immediately.

Thorington has stated many times in announcements throughout the outage how fortunate it was no one was hurt. The circuit breakers are turned on from a building on the property, which keeps workers a safe distance from the equipment when it’s energized. If they had been in front of the breaker when it exploded, it could have resulted in serious injuries. 

“Can you imagine how horrible that would have been for our employees?” Thorington said.

It’s still uncertain what caused the initial power outage or the explosion. Thorington points out the substation is running on 30-year-old equipment, and the aging equipment is likely to malfunction. They’re continuing to investigate.

At the Powell City Council meeting Monday, Steve Franck, electrical superintendent, told the council that technicians examined data from the power flow at the moment the explosion occurred, and the scopes show a fault across all three phases. They were unable to pinpoint a cause, however.

“We had a breaker blow up, and we don’t know why,” Franck said.

Power has been restored throughout the city, but the repairs are temporary. The substation is still not ready to handle a heavy draw.

“We’re definitely running restricted,” Franck said.

Thorington said Powell residents need to go easy on how much power they’re using. For example, if you’re running your air conditioner at the peak heat of afternoon, it’s not the best time to run the microwave.

It’s going to take time before the substation is back to full capacity. Some of the parts needed for permanent repairs, Franck said, have lead times of up to 46 weeks. For now, the city is just trying to keep the lights on.

“We’re in a temporary, cobbled together situation,” Mayor John Wetzel said. 

The repairs have led to some expenses that would normally require the city to put the contract work and parts out to bid, a process that would take weeks. Wyoming law allows municipalities to make expenditures during emergencies without a standard bid procedure.

“By statute we have to go to bid, unless the governing body decides it’s an emergency,” Thorington explained at the meeting.

The council approved Thorington’s request to declare the substation repairs such an emergency and to buy specific parts and contract work without the normal bid process. Altogether, the initial repairs will cost the city about $150,000.

The council also approved Thorington’s request to draw up a contract for a mobile substation that can be deployed, if needed. Thorington said the equipment is costly, so it’s an option they’ll pursue only if it becomes necessary. The contract will still require the mayor’s signature, but the council’s approval allows the process to move quickly.

The city is also in the process of filing insurance claims for the accident, which will pay for a lot of the repairs. But that process will take some time.

“We just can’t wait around for insurance to get the city back to normality,” Thorington said.

Thorington again praised the volunteers in the Powell Fire Department, the Powell Police Department, and city crews who worked through the night to get power restored.

The Western Area Power Administration and Garland Light and Power also assisted.

The City of Cody lent Powell regulators, as well as some assistance from their employees.

Franck told the council the equipment at the substation is designed to last 30 years. He said it can function longer than that, but it’s all at the end of its design life.

The council discussed the need for another substation, probably on the west end of town. It will be an expensive project that will take some time. The project has been discussed before. Considering recent events, it’s likely to move up the city’s wish list.

“There’s nothing better than redundancy,” Franck said.

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