When an early-summer storm swept across the North Dakota prairie in late June, it caused damage to utility equipment and structures belonging to several electric cooperatives. In response, Basin Electric’s Transmission Systems Maintenance (TSM) team from several locations spent the week of June 21 helping Minnkota Power Cooperative restore storm-damaged equipment. Vince Smith, Basin Electric’s transmission line superintendent, said work consisted of replacing two 345-kilovolt H-frame structures, one pole of a three-pole dead-end structure, and completing small repairs to two other structures.
The repair work started with a few lineworkers but more came to help as the week progressed. “By the end of the week,” he said, “we probably had 12 lineworkers and two or three mechanic operators.” Work was completed on June 27.
Smith said Basin Electric was very fortunate that it did not experience any damage during the storms, and as such the TSM team was able to step forward to help another co-op that wasn’t so fortunate. The work wasn’t easy. Schedules had to be adjusted and some of the team’s own projects were put on hold, but Smith said it was worth the hassle to be able to help another cooperative.
In 2009, Basin Electric joined the Midwest Transmission Assistance Group. Comprised of several Midwest utilities, the group assists fellow members when in need. “We share a lot of resources when it comes to things like this—crew availability, needed materials, and a lot of institutional knowledge that is passed around,” Smith said.
He said this was the first time since joining the group Basin Electric participated in such a large assistance project. “We’ve helped other co-ops with small jobs, but nothing to this scale.”
Smith said he was pleased with the response from the Basin Electric TSM team after the call went out for volunteers to help Minnkota Power. TSM members from Stegall, Nebraska; Gillette, Wyoming; Gettysburg, South Dakota; and Menoken, North Dakota, all came to help.
“I think it’s a win-win for everybody when you can rely on people to come help at moments like that,” Smith said. “It makes you feel good, knowing that in times of need the assistance is there.”
