NATIA High Voltage training pays off and opens doors!
Good afternoon:
I was in your last class in Commerce, CA. When I got back here with this new knowledge, I was told by co-workers that power companies will NOT allow me to do work on their lines. The first power company I spoke with (an electric co-op) told me, in a roundabout way, that I could work on their lines.
I know you have heard of Dominion Power (featured from the training video in the class). I was told during a site survey to NOT touch their lines. They will lose their minds. I called a supervisor to discuss a location we needed to hang an LPR (License Plate Reader). During the time, I asked many questions and got a lot of information. I told him I would install a camera below comms. He said as long as I stay below comms, I would be fine. I then asked him what I needed to work “below the can”. He said I needed insulated gloves, FR clothes, safety harness with lanyard and a hard hat. I took him to the back of my work truck and showed him everything I had and explained that I just went through training in CA that involved several live installations on the secondaries. As soon as I told him that, he got excited and said I could do whatever I wanted as long as I stayed away from the primaries. He even went so far as telling me that if I needed ANYTHING, including connectors, to call him and he will get it to me. Even told me to just strip the hot line and used specific connectors so I didn’t need the insulation piercing connectors! When I took the cameras down, just leave it. No tape or anything.
I did my first installation today. 2 LPRs connected directly to 120 secondaries. Was even showed by the Co-Op guy to hook directly. Pigtail will just be a connection that can fail. I connected 2 like that today (that’s how Dominion does it as well). All 3 LPRs are firing back data great.
I’m hoping after this virus stuff passes, I will get out and try to work with a few of the other localities about being able to assist in this way. I spoke with a Major with my department and explained what my capabilities were. After that, I told him that when we get the big case that comes in, we’d be able to deploy resources more quickly and not have to be held up by power companies when time is critical.
I appreciate the knowledge. I am VERY happy to have been able to actually use it, even though I was told I would not. I just wanted to let you know that I’m not one to just take that training and sit on it. Thank you again…VERY much!!