Inspection of Primary Underground Facilities

Stanton County Public Power District (SCPPD) will be conducting a
comprehensive inspection of its
primary underground facilities to ensure the continued reliability and safety of its electrical grid. These inspections are part of the district’s proactive maintenance program and are conducted annually, aimed at identifying potential issues before they affect service to our customers.

Underground power lines are a
crucial component of modern
electrical infrastructure. They offer protection from weather-related damage and improve the aesthetic quality of neighborhoods. However, these lines are also susceptible to various issues, such as corrosion,
cable wear, and rodent damage, which can cause outages or safety hazards if left unchecked. One of the most common hazards identified during the inspection process is the customers’ landscaping around the underground facilities.

Often, the landscaping buries the pad mount transformer or plants, and shrubbery prevents our linemen from being able to access the transformer or meter pedestal. A minimum of 10’ of clearance is required in front of all pad mount transformers and meter pedestals. A minimum of 5’ of
clearance is required around the
remaining sides.

To address these challenges,
SCPPD deploys linemen equipped with a thermal imaging camera that can detect problems that may not be visible to the naked eye. This
technology helps identify
overheating cables, faulty
connections, or deteriorating
insulation, which could potentially lead to power disruptions.

Inspections are scheduled to begin late winter/early spring.

The fuel tank is too close to the meter pedestal.

The customer added too much dirt, which buried underground equipment, and there is not enough clearance from the fencing to the equipment.

This is the warning sticker that is on the front of the pad mount transformers, which illustrates clearance requirements.

A shrub was planted directly in front of the transformer. A minimum of 10’ of clearance is required.

A mower hit and broke the fiberglass pad that the transformer sits on. This allows rodents to enter and potentially cause damage.