Tag: electric utility

Public Power Week — A Message from Larry Weis, Seattle City Light GM & CEO

City Light General Manager and CEO Larry Weis

Public Power Week is an opportunity to celebrate the publicly-owned utilities across the country.

Since 1905, Seattle City Light has provided safe, reliable and affordable power to its customers. City Light has a powerful history and prides itself on its Northwest values – this includes social responsibility, energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

As we celebrate our past, we must also look toward and prepare for the future.

The good news is that City Light is adapting and working to stay ahead. We’re actively and creatively becoming the “Utility of the Future,” an agile organization able to adjust to a changing industry and a changing environment.

Rest assured – one thing that will not change is our unwavering commitment to our customers and providing safe, reliable and affordable power.

71 ton transformer delivered to Seattle City Light

Large tractor-trailer delivers 71 ton transformer

Goal is to move transformer to this concrete pad

 

Omega Morgan crew assembles rail system to move the transformer from the trailer to the pad.

Moving a 71-ton transformer from the Port of Seattle to

Shoreline required some specialized skills and equipment.

Seattle City Light ordered the new substation transformer, which is used to step down transmission voltages of 115 kilovolts to the distribution voltages of 26 kilovolts, to enhance reliability by replacing an older model that has reached the end of its useful life. The $1.5 million transformer was specially built for City Light by Hyundai Industries.

Omega Morgan-Seattle used a special articulated tractor trailer rig to move the transformer into the Shoreline Substation on Monday, June 30, 2014. There, a special rail system was assembled to move the 143 ,000-pound transformer from the trailer to a concrete pad. The pad was constructed with special earthquake dampers to minimize any damage, should an earthquake occur.

The new transformer will be completed with equipment required to tie it in to the transmission/distribution system by mid-September.