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 Several months ago we reviewed, in the monthly board report, the
work functions and ongoing service provided by our skilled line crews and field
staff.
This month I would like to review the technical and
support functions of our engineering department.
This work unit, as expected, is smaller in number
than the field/line unit. Working under the overall supervision of the
Engineering and Operations Manager, there are two electrical engineers, one
Engineering Technician, and one Engineering Assistant (for clerical and record
keeping). Also, within the unit is the Operations & Purchasing Coordinator
for all supplies, e.g. lines, transformers, etc., a building/site custodian,
and a utility staff responsible for vehicles and grounds maintenance at both
our central office and our four substations.
The overall responsibilities fall within four basic
categories:
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Response to customer requests including both residential and
general service.
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Design and ongoing operation of our electrical system throughout
our 17.48 sq. mi. service area.
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Ensuring cost-effective operations within budgetary limitations.
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Participation in community, regional and national
professional/trade organizations relating to the electrical industry.
Customer service is a high priority for this work
unit within Salem Electric. It is usually this technical staff that is called
upon initially to promptly deal with customer calls regarding technical issues,
whether it be a residential customer with concerns about power surges and their
home computers or Mitsubishi Silicon of America (our largest industrial
customer) requesting consultation on a major addition/modification to their
operations.
Once the question/problem has been
identified/diagnosed clearly by the engineering department, perhaps the answer
can be provided over the phone, but often requires one of our service crews,
along with engineering, to go out on site to further verify a problem, if any,
and provide the necessary corrective action.
Ongoing planning, design and adjustment to our
present and future electrical operations is this unit's responsibility. Working
on ways to enhance and improve our service delivery system is a high priority.
This includes working with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as we
administer our power sales contract with them. New construction requires close
coordination with other utilities, primarily, but not limited to TCI
(local cable television) and the telephone company. Our computerized SCADA
(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) helps to provide control of our
entire electrical delivery system.
Technical obsolescence of our present SCADA
equipment requires replacement in 1998. The ever advancing technology in our
industry is an ongoing foot race for our engineering staff to keep pace with
technological changes, thus assuring our customers with the most cost effective
delivery of power.
This department works closely with governmental
agencies, e.g. EPA, Oregon DEQ, PUC, OSHA, to insure safety and service
reliability, as well as compliance with and awareness of environmental issues.
Like our line/field crews, the engineering staff is
on call 24 hours per day 365 days per year. In anticipated emergency weather
forecasts, the entire crew is on call and focused upon close coordination with
our field staff who are out tackling specific power outages as they occur.
In looking at Salem Electric as an electric utility
cooperative, we must recognize a close working relationship between all facets
of our organization...our general manager's office, the engineering/operations
staff, our member services unit, and finally our administrative support unit
encompassing our accounting and customer service office staff.
Engineering is a vital cog in that wheel, working
together to provide the most cost-effective, reliable electric service to our
customers.
-- Curt Culver, Director
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