Leading the Way in Transmission Work
By: Jeff Wachter

Always on the lookout for ways to distinguish itself from the competition, Midwest Electric will solidify its position as an industry leader with two upcoming projects for Lancaster, Ohio-based South Central Power this year.

The first project will involve the highly complex and specialized procedure of moving a live line as part of a road-widening project in Lancaster. In addition, Midwest Electric will be involved in one of the initial installations of new, high-tech, composite Fiberglas utility pole later this year.

In the road-widening project, Midwest Electric will showcase its expertise in the live line, bare-hand method, a capability the company plans to market nationwide. The project will involve moving a 69 Kv line that cannot be taken out of service because it is a designated line with no backup.

“It’s a fascinating piece of work that is highly complex and requires sophisticated expertise to complete,” said Jeff Wachter, vice president of operations for Midwest Electric. Few, if any other, electrical contractors have the capability to offer such services to their clients. “It requires a special breed of individuals,” he said.

Midwest Electric can offer the service because senior members of its utility division obtained expertise in this area when they worked with a large investor-owned utility, which was a pioneer in developing the technology, Wachter said. “This will be a huge competitive differentiator for us.”

In a separate project for South Central, Midwest Electric will replace existing wooden electric poles with new high-tech poles in Canal Winchester. The stackable poles have many advantages over their traditional wooden counterparts – they last at least twice as long and are so light in weight they can be carried onto a location by hand.

The South Central installation is the first in Ohio, Wachter said, and one of the first east of the Mississippi. The poles are attracting attention not only for routine maintenance and replacement, but also for the potential to assist in storm restoration. Their use could enable crews to reconnect electric lines and restore power faster.

“With both of these projects, Midwest Electric further enhances it image as a leader in its field,” Wachter said. “Watch for more excitement as we continue to set standards for the electric contracting industry.”

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