Onward upward and - Crop duster kerfuffle - WAPA
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Crop duster Carr Fire Writing Safety
kerfuffle rebuild tips resources
W E S T E R N A R E A P O W E R A D M I N I S T R AT I O N J U LY 2 0 2 1
Onward
and
upward
Contents
WAPA’s sUAS pilot program lifts off
This I2T-Award-winning program saves time and money while reducing risk.
1
Crop duster strikes Arizona T-line
Repair work requires swift response and Tribal collaboration.
4
4 Civil engineer wins Emerging Leader Award
Civil Engineer Rebecca Afsar is recognized by her peers at RMEL.
6
Graduates reflect on DOE leadership program
Five employees discuss their experiences with and value of the program.
8
Firenado restoration and rebuild
WAPA installs permanent replacement structures after the Carr Fire.
10
Rewire your writing: tips to craft impactful pieces
Regardless of your role at WAPA, you frequently communicate in writing.
12
Explore Safety’s electronic toolbox
Safety and Occupational Health offers helpful resources at your fingertips.
14
10 Host video conferences safely
With teleconferencing becoming routine, it’s easy to overlook concerns.
16
Rapid Recaps
• Pilot receives Award of Merit
17
• Mira Loma High School reaches top eight in National Science Bowl
• Employees learn about Pride history
VOL. 43 NO. 7, July 2021
Brief Transmissions
• WAPA selects UGP regional manager
18
• Updated state and regional fact sheets available
Editor: PHILIP REED • Occupational Safety and Health training due July 30
Graphic Designer: DANIELLE ORR • Complete Standards of Conduct training
Do you have an idea for a story?
Contact reed@wapa.gov
On the cover
WAPA’s Small Unmanned Aircraft
System pilot program learned how
these units can be used when surveying
and inspecting transmission lines,
Western Area increasing both safety and efficiency.
Power Administration Read the full story on Page 1.
(Photo by David Katich.)
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
P.O. Box 281213
Lakewood, CO 80228-8213
720.962.7050
www.wapa.gov | publicaffairs@wapa.gov
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS ISSUE PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
WAPA’s sUAS
pilot program
lifts off
By Aidan Wiese
Photos by David Katich
I
n March, WAPA’s Small
Unmanned Aircraft
System, or sUAS, pilot
program reached its
conclusion. These units
can be used when
surveying and
inspecting miles
of transmission line,
saving both time and
money, as well as
preserving one
of WAPA’s most
valuable assets: the
safety of its workers
and linemen.
continued on Page 2
Small Unmanned Aircraft System units can
reduce the time spent on many maintenance
tasks from hours to minutes, all while
keeping transmission lines energized.
July 2021
1
Small Unmanned Aircraft
System units save time and
money and could potentially
benefit many other WAPA
programs.
The biggest benefit of the pilot program comes from integrating
Small Unmanned Aircraft System units into WAPA’s maintenance
operations, reducing the risk in climbing for craft employees.
The program, which won an Electrician David Katich, who regu- required up to three different outages
Inclusion, Innovation and Technology larly works with this equipment. in addition to the use of aerial lifts
Award last year, initially began in As reported in the program’s and, of course, the use of proper fall
April 2018. At the time, three linemen March 21 conclusions document, the protection.
volunteered to study and pass the single biggest benefit of the sUAS Work on this scale also requires
Federal Aviation Administration pilot program involves integrating the numerous employee hours to schedule
Remote Pilot License requirements, unmanned aircraft into WAPA’s mainte- the outages, perform the switching,
which would allow WAPA to legally fly nance operations, reducing the risk in testing and installation of grounds and
unmanned aircraft within line-of-sight climbing for craft employees. inspect the transformers themselves.
operations. “Instead of having to climb the Ordinarily, this task could take up
structure to look down on it, we’re able to 90 employee hours. Using a small
For more information, see to use the sUAS,” said Katich. “The unmanned aircraft, the inspection was
“Taking to the skies saves device is able to look down on the completed in 15 minutes, all while the
maintenance dollars” in the structure rather than look up from the line remained energized.
December 2019 issue of ground. That’s beneficial because you “It eliminates the linemen hav-
Closed Circuit. get a more thorough inspection. From ing to climb any structure if there’s
the ground during an asset inspection, something to just be inspected,” said
The sUAS program was specifically we see 80-90% of a structure, but the Aviation Manager Richard Westra.
intended to explore potential ways to top 10-20% is where the sUAS comes “If there’s any required maintenance,
use unmanned aircraft in the organiza- in, because that can only be inspected obviously it doesn’t. But if there’s a
tion, develop use cases and test their looking down. We’re looking at the top question about any structure, a perim-
practical applications in the field. of crossarms and insulators.” eter, a fence, anything you can’t see
The pilot program successfully The use of sUAS units drastically from the ground, that’s what this piece
determined a number of potential reduces the time required for a job, of equipment is used for.”
applications for the devices, such as as well as the number of outages It can also be used to examine
inspection-related tasks for transmis- required when performing routine suspected damage from gunshots or
sion lines and substation equipment. maintenance. lightning strikes on a structure.
They may also prove to be useful when In one instance, at Glen Canyon Additionally, the devices are useful
it comes to vegetation management. Substation in Page, Arizona, an sUAS for verifying the sizes of conductor
“Those were all the use cases we was used to inspect and evaluate wires. The North American Electric
explored when we were doing the the top of the 345-kilovolt power Reliability Corporation requires that
sUAS program and found that all those transformers using visual imagery. utilities verify the actual conductor
were beneficial,” said High Voltage Without the sUAS, the job could have wire sizes in the field and compare
Closed Circuit
2
them to those listed in regulations for “Drones are not there to replace; For 25 towers, that would require 75
accurate thermal ratings. they’re there to enhance,” Westra ex- hours of employee time and cost about
Using sUAS units, crews were able plained. “They are not going to change $11,250. That alone is nearly the entire
to physically verify all of the wire sizes the need for helicopter inspection or cost of the pilot program.
on crimps at Flagstaff Substation in for the linemen climbing the tower. It’s Aviation has already procured 10
Arizona in around 10 minutes, without just enhancing the process. In the past, IT-approved, American-manufactured
outages or the need for climbing. we might think we have a problem and sUAS units in addition to the three
According to Katich, the devices need to verify it, but now the lineman used in the pilot, with plans to expand
were additionally put to great use can verify what he’s looking at from further from there.
during the Desert Southwest facilities the ground.” “The end goal for the program,
ratings verification process, when they Aside from the decreased risk to what we envision, is for there to be an
were used to verify switch nameplates craft employees and the time savings, sUAS on every line crew and at every
and conductor jumper sizes. the devices also offer a large monetary manned substation for craft personnel
“We verify the conductor jumper benefit. The total cost for the pilot pro- to use,” says Katich.
sizes by reading the nomenclature on gram, not including the labor, came “I want to thank the many contribu-
the dead-end paddles,” he said. “The out to $12,253. This includes the cost tors from Aviation, Maintenance and
benefit is that we didn’t have to take of the units themselves, the software IT, who have worked very hard to
bus outages at a substation, where we subscription, the drone pilot license advance the program,” said Executive
basically have to turn half the substa- test preparation course, additional Vice President and Chief Operating
tion off or use aerial lifts and bucket batteries and FAA registration costs. Officer Kevin Howard, the program’s
trucks.” This compares favorably to the sponsor. “We have also received
Another benefit comes from stream- traditional costs of field work. In one great advice and guidance from our
lining the process when there are instance, inspections were performed Office of General Counsel. The team
needs for proof or documentation of for spacer replacements on 25 towers has continuously adapted to chal-
damage before making repairs. on a 345-kV transmission line in Craig, lenges and the program has expanded
The devices were also used to Colorado, using conductor carts. significantly over the past year or two,
investigate customer complaints With an estimated rate of approxi- reaching all of WAPA’s regions and
regarding loud popping noises near mately $150 per hour for a lineman, providing a very cost-effective tool
Granby Substation in Colorado. The an sUAS would take about half an hour that helps us maintain system reliabil-
sUAS was able to fly within inches of to perform the inspection, including ity while minimizing safety risks.”
the energized conductor and discover travel to each tower. For 25 towers, Westra invites any programs or
that it was damaged as it was being taking up about 12.5 hours, that would departments to contact him if they feel
pulled over a malfunctioning traveler. cost about $1,875. they could benefit from an sUAS.
This gave WAPA the documentation However, if the inspections were “I think almost every department
required for warranty work to replace done via climbing, the same task within WAPA could use it,” he said. n
the malfunctioning conductor. would require three linemen, each Note: Wiese is a secretary who works
spending about an hour at each tower. under the MIRACORP contract.
Aviation has procured 10 Information Technology-approved, American-
manufactured Small Unmanned Aircraft System units in addition to the
three used in the pilot, with plans to expand further from there.
July 2021
3
WAPA crews mobilized quickly when a crop duster struck a
transmission line in Yuma, Arizona, damaging it before flying off.
Crop duster strikes
Arizona T-line
C
Photos by Mike Simonton
rop dusters do more than apply insecticide
and torment Cary Grant. They also, on
occasion, find themselves in unfortunate
altercations with transmission lines. Such
was the case March 31, when a crop-dusting
helicopter struck the Gila-to-Knob 161-kilovolt
transmission line in Yuma, Arizona, at around 6
p.m., causing a service interruption.
Closed Circuit
4
By 6:30, Foreman II Lineman Justin
Swires was on site to assess the situa-
tion and the damage. He reported his
findings back to Dispatch, including
the fact that the helicopter had neither
crashed nor landed; the pilot who
struck the line continued flying. While
it was obviously good that the incident
did not result in any injuries, it was
up to WAPA to get power restored as
quickly and safely as possible.
One complication was that repairs
and service restoration would require
access to the nearby Fort Yuma-
Quechan Reservation, which would
require approval from the Tribe.
Transmission Lines and Substations
Maintenance Manager Mike Simonton
worked to get in touch with a represen-
tative of the Tribe who could authorize
access. By 9 p.m., he was able to do so,
and was informed that the Tribe was
both aware of the incident and happy
to allow WAPA to make any necessary
repairs on the reservation.
Within 15 minutes of this approval,
WAPA crews were gathering the
necessary equipment and mobilizing
to address the outage.
Restoration efforts continued
through the following morning, April 1,
as the impacted transmission line was
located on irrigated agricultural lands.
In addition to needing to tow in
the equipment required to make the
necessary repairs on soggy land, the
crews had to be careful to avoid caus-
ing another kind of disruption.
Repair efforts required coordination with the Quechan Tribe, as
well as careful planning to avoid disrupting agricultural lands.
Get to know the
Quechan Tribe “We wanted to mitigate the impact a neighboring utility. WAPA’s crew
to agricultural activities,” explained partnered with them to lift the conduc-
Quechan – pronounced “Kwatsáan” –
Simonton. tor above the distribution line and
means “those who descended.” Their
This required not only careful plan- perform repair work over the road
language is also called Quechan. The ning on WAPA’s end, but additional as opposed to on land, limiting the
Fort Yuma-Quechan Reservation, which coordination with the Quechan Tribe. amount of heavy equipment needed
is considered the home of the Quechan Supervisory Environmental in the agricultural fields and thereby
Indians, is situated on both sides of the Protection Specialist Sean Berry minimizing disruption.
Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona, and worked with the Quechan historic The repairs were successful and the
is around 45,000 acres in size. Interstate preservation officer regarding any line was placed back into service at
8 runs through the reservation, bringing environmental matters, and Realty around 4:30 p.m.
several million travelers per year who Specialist Angela Murphy initiated “This was yet another great effort
drive through it on their way to Phoenix, discussions with adjacent landowners by line crews, Dispatch, Environment
regarding efforts that could prove to and Lands,” Simonton said afterward.
Arizona, or San Diego, California.
be necessary post-repair. “Thank you all for contributing to this
For more information, visit The project involved the grounding team success!” n
quechantribe.com and removal of the affected conduc-
tor, which required coordination with
July 2021
5
Civil
engineer
wins
Emerging
Leader
Award
“The Emerging Leader Award is RMEL’s
I
opportunity to recognize new talent in the
industry from RMEL’s member companies,”
said RMEL Executive Director Richard J.
Putnicki in his announcement. “The award
n May, Civil Engineer honors RMEL members with five to 10 years
Rebecca Afsar of industry experience who are making an
impact through significant contributions
received the Emerging within their organization and the electric
Leader Award from energy industry.”
“In just a few short years, Ms. Rebecca
RMEL – formerly Afsar has become a ‘student of the business’
the Rocky Mountain here at WAPA and embodies what it means
to provide excellent customer service to
Electrical League – in our internal and external stakeholders,”
Denver, Colorado. said Vice President of Asset Planning and
Management Chris Lyles, who nominated
her for the award. “Her excellent customer
service is derived from her leadership skills
and the ability to see an organizational
opportunity for improvement and to actively
develop solutions using a collaborative
approach.”
His praise did not end there.
“She is a true leader, as she is emotion-
ally intelligent and leads with empathy and
compassion,” Lyles continued. “Her passion
for WAPA and our industry can be witnessed
in any project or initiative she is leading.”
Closed Circuit sat down with Afsar to
discuss the award.
Closed Circuit
6
What is your definition of a good
leader?
A good leader’s I believe there are so many quali-
ties that make a good leader, so here
actions are
are just a few of my top ones. First, I
think they need to have the ability to
recognize and understand the feel-
motivated by a ings and emotions experienced by
their team. A good leader’s actions
genuine desire to are motivated by a genuine desire to
help others.
Second, a good leader must
help others. imagine the future and reconcile it
with current realities. A good leader
will know how to bridge the gap
between where the team is and where
they want to be.
Finally, I believe that a good
leader can bring others together for
a common purpose. They help create
Tell us a little bit about your How does it feel to be recognized a sense of belonging on a team and
background. this way by RMEL? help others feel like they are a part of
Before WAPA, I worked as a I want to thank RMEL for the award something bigger than themselves.
hydraulic design engineer with the and Chris Lyles for nominating me. In essence, they develop a sense of
Army Corps of Engineers and the I feel honored to receive the RMEL community for their team.
Bureau of Reclamation. I performed Emerging Leader Award, and I hope
hydrologic hazards analysis for dam to continue to grow in my leadership What is one piece of advice you
and canal overtopping scenarios, skills at WAPA. have for WAPA employees wishing
designed instream salmonid habitat It has been a pleasure working to grow and develop as leaders?
for cold water refuge, studied the im- within Asset Management, whose
My advice is to find a volunteer
pacts of climate change on irrigation leadership team has allowed me to
organization where you can begin
cycles and helped develop their asset take on many challenging initiatives.
your leadership journey in a low-
management’s Major Rehabilitation I also want to thank my teammates
stress, low-stakes environment.
and Replacement Database. who have helped me be successful in
I was elected president of my
I also participated in the Federal many of our projects.
Toastmasters club. Our goal was
Asset Management Working
to maintain and improve the club
Group, where I met WAPA’s Asset What has been your experience environment for individuals to prac-
Management program managers. with RMEL? tice and grow in their public speaking
Before WAPA, my experience was and leadership skills. I had a team of
Can you explain your role at in the water industry; therefore, RMEL six volunteer officers to help achieve
WAPA? has been an excellent organization to these goals. During this experience,
I am a civil engineer in Asset learn more about power utilities. I learned how to communicate my
Management who specialties in I have participated in the Fall vision, develop a strategy and col-
transmission line risk assessments Conference, learning more about as- laborate with six individuals to set
and asset criticality analysis. My work set management. In March 2019, I pre- goals and achieve success. I learned
focuses on engineering analysis to sented at the Transmission Planning how to lead meetings, assign tasks to
evaluate transmission infrastructure and Operations Conference. In April leverage others’ strengths and how
performance and provide tools to 2019, I presented at the Electric Grid to motivate others to accomplish a
prioritize capital investment and Security Conference on Developing common goal.
improve maintenance practices. Graduated Physical Security It was a critical environment
I make sure that decision makers Protection Levels at Substations and because it was low stress and low
have the information and tools they Communication Sites. stakes, but it taught me so many valu-
need to measure and assess equip- At these conferences, I have been able lessons. It helped me understand
ment performance, improve mainte- able to interface with many col- that I like being a leader and that it
nance practices and develop capital leagues within the industry and have might be something I pursue in my
budgets. learned a lot. career. n
July 2021
7
Graduates
reflect on DOE
leadership The eight-month program was
designed as a career-development
opportunity for new and current lead-
program
ers. It focused on strategic alignment
across all leadership levels, with the
intention of driving transparency and
I
accountability throughout the DOE.
Participants knew that the program
would help them to develop critical
leadership skills and improve their
n July 2020, five WAPA leadership competency proficiencies.
employees were selected What they were less certain about was
to participate in the the approach, which would neces-
sarily take a virtual format due to the
Department of Energy’s ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Leadership Development “I was expecting the Leadership
Development Program to be a ‘lecture’
Program, sponsored by series, where the instructor would lead
the University of Maryland. the attendees through the content,”
said Information Technology Specialist
With the recent conclusion Corinna Gonzalez. “I was pleasantly
of that program, Closed Circuit surprised to find that the coursework
encouraged a high amount of student
reached out to the participants to engagement, both with the instructor
discuss their experience. and the other attendees.”
Closed Circuit
8She continued by saying she was among team members. In addition, “I am so grateful to WAPA for
surprised by how well the program each of them found different aspects of encouraging my participation in the
still allowed for a feeling of fellowship. the training especially compelling. Leadership Development Program,”
“The format encouraged open and “We learned about effective com- said Gonzalez. “My confidence as a
honest conversations in relation to munication within teams, which I found leader has grown tremendously. I was
the course material,” she said. “I was particularly valuable,” said Gonzalez. able to connect with current senior
grateful to be able to connect with “One thing that I learned that I find leaders throughout the DOE, and as
each of my classmates.” to be valuable is that as a leader it is a result learned from their successes
Human Resources Specialist Allison acceptable to be vulnerable from time and how they bounced back from
Burnett agreed that, while the virtual to time,” said Valencia. failure.”
format complicated things somewhat, Demchuk agreed, adding, “An Overall, the participants felt their
there was still a strong feeling of environment where a leader is ‘com- time with the program was beneficial,
togetherness and camaraderie. fortable being uncomfortable’ allows and would encourage others to attend
“I feel as though we all came out of team members to admit weaknesses, this and similar trainings.
the program with strong relationships share ideas and develop trust.” “As we entered into the last week I
with other participants, who we will “I learned that to lead others, you felt despondent, as I wanted additional
be able to rely on for support going have to first learn about yourself and time with the cohort,” said Valencia.
forward,” she said. your styles of leading and communica- “I took so much away that I now have
In addition, the program took a tion, in order to understand where in my tool bag to apply in my position
unique approach to its subject. others may be different, so that you can here at WAPA. I encourage emerging
“This was not your typical adapt and meet them in the middle,” and existing leaders within the orga-
leadership program,” said Human said Burnett. “What works for one may nization to apply for the course, as you
Performance Program Manager not work for others.” unlock strengths and reflect on content
Krystall Valencia. “The course For Hively, the biggest takeaway in a different perspective.”
covered how we, as leaders, go from was the Lencioni Trust Pyramid, which “It was a great program,” agreed
‘self to symphony.’ Within that, we she said resonated with her the most. Burnett. “I hope that I can take what I
learned about emotional intelligence “The five biggest pitfalls of a team have learned and use it to be a great
for leaders, building a cohesive team are clearly mapped out in the model, leader.”
and resilient leadership.” so that people can work toward a “I learned many valuable skills
“I really expected this to be a successful and effective team,” she which I can use to make a positive
very structured program focused explained. “Number two is Fear of impact on the organization,” said
on spreadsheets and change man- Conflict, which reminded me that there Gonzalez. “I would absolutely recom-
agement,” said Human Resources should be no hesitation to disagree mend this training for those who are
Specialist Courtni Hively. “I was with, challenge and question one motivated to take an honest evaluation
pleasantly surprised to see the empha- another. It is all in the spirit of finding of themselves as leaders, and are open
sis on ‘self to symphony’ which took us the right solutions, finding the truth to change and self-improvement.”
on a journey of better understanding and making great decisions! Usually “Many people forget the impor-
who we are and how to effectively I would get kind of frustrated with tance of understanding oneself and
work with others, understanding our conflict. Now I have changed my the impact it has on working with
personalities, understanding that they perspective, or remind myself to do others,” added Hively. “I especially
may not also align with others, and so, and I think, ‘What can I learn from recommend this to supervisors and
how to use the strengths and weak- this?’” managers because their supervisory
nesses that we have identified within The program left the participants responsibilities are crucial to building
ourselves to lead teams.” with much to consider as they de- and leading effective teams.”
“It was not what I expected,” agreed velop their leadership skills, and they For Demchuk, the program also
Burnett. “I was thinking more along believe that they’ve been given useful provided an opportunity to reflect
the lines of what it takes to be a leader, tools with which to do so. on broader ideas, and to express his
such as budgets and performance and “The program put me in a position gratitude.
so on, whereas this program taught us to carefully evaluate myself and my “Organizations that value leader-
a lot about ourselves and how we can interactions with others, give more ship development are better at devel-
use our skills and traits to lead others.” grace and thought to situations that I oping their leaders and placing the
IT Web Architect Vitaliy Demchuk don’t always agree with and better un- right people in the right roles which,
said that he began the experience derstand my personality,” Hively said. in turn, drives greater innovation and
without any expectations at all. “I can capitalize on the strengths and stronger financial performance,” he
“I went through the program with an be aware of the possible blindsides.” said. “I am glad WAPA is one of those
open mind, willing to learn anything “It helped me discover some lead- organizations.” n
and everything,” he explained. “And I ership skills I didn’t know I possess,”
wasn’t disappointed.” said Demchuk. “It revealed different
Some of the specific topics the processes, tools and techniques that
participants studied included active assist with developing new or enhanc-
listening, empathy and building trust ing existing leadership qualities.”
July 2021
9Firenado restoration
and rebuild
By Amy Fischbach This steel lattice tower on the Shasta-to-Cottonwood #2 transmission line near
Keswick Dam in Redding, California, was destroyed during the Carr Fire that raged
O
through Shasta and Trinity Counties in July and August 2018. (Photo by Matt Monroe)
ftentimes, large forest fires are known
to create their own wind and weather
patterns. Whirlwinds of air and fire,
called firenados, form near the edge
of wildfires. Because they can quickly
change direction, their movements are
unpredictable, and their embers can
rapidly spread wildfire to new areas.
Editor’s note: This story originally ran May 3 in Transmission and Distribution World. It is reprinted here with
permission. To see this story in its original context or to read other industry-related articles, visit tdworld.com
For example, high winds associated was near Keswick Dam to the north- in tangled heaps of steel transmission
with the Carr Fire firenado completely west of Redding, California. towers, cars, trees and other debris.”
destroyed three Western Area Power “Extreme heat mixed with After the firenado subsided, WAPA’s
Administration 230-kV transmission high winds and cold air from the SN line crews worked around the
towers on two different lines between Sacramento River caused a firenado clock to complete the repair job. Due
Shasta Dam and the Cottonwood that resulted in catastrophic failure to to high costs and long lead times from
Substation. The firenado also took everything in its path,” says Foreman II manufacturers, steel lattice towers had
down the conductor on the Shasta-to- Lineman Ryan Yeager. a limited availability. Using temporary
Flannigan line taking the circuit out of wooden H-frame structures immedi-
service. It knocked out WAPA’s north Installing temporary structures ately available in SN yards, however,
area infrastructure artery, directly or linemen worked to restore power as
The Department of Energy de-
indirectly impacting operations across quickly as possible.
scribed the firenado’s impact on one
the northern system in the Sierra In emergency situations, WAPA
damaged line as “ripping the steel
Nevada region. The hardest hit area usually responds with in-house mainte-
structures from the ground, resulting
Closed Circuit
10nance crews. WAPA can also reach out because of its ease of construction and Looking ahead
to mutual assistance partners for help the availability of materials.
SN’s approach to wildfire mitigation
to restore power. At the time of the “This approach to temporary
is to manage the electric system in a
Carr Fire, however, contractors and construction can be used on both
safe and reliable manner that mini-
mutual aid were not available due to transmission and distribution systems,
mizes the risk of wildfire posed by its
the devastation to the Pacific Gas and making it the go-to in the industry,”
electrical lines, substations, communi-
Electric Company, the City of Redding Yeager said.
cation sites, compensation station and
and Shasta Lake City. As such, WAPA
related equipment. Over the years, SN
responded to the outages with its own Lessons learned has developed and operated a robust
maintenance crews.
Throughout the restoration and and effective maintenance program,
“Within 24 hours, WAPA line crews
rebuilding process, the dedication says SN’s Vegetation Management
had the Shasta-to-Flannigan line
and professionalism of WAPA’s staff and Access Roads Specialist Ricardo
energized, restoring power to Keswick
members at all levels ensured the Velarde.
Substation,” Yeager says. “Within
success of its response to the wildfire “Wildfire impacts continue to grow
five days crews had cleaned up old
and firenado. from year to year in California,” he
towers, set new poles, strung wire and
“The Emergency Operations Center says. “In response, SN has identified
re-energized Shasta-to-Cottonwood 1
model worked well, and the ability potential wildfire risks and conse-
and 2.”
to track and communicate real-time quences within its service area and
events was instrumental in our swift developed response strategies, which
Preparing for permanent and strategic actions, which ensured we have implemented region-wide
construction our customers’ interests were protect- while prioritizing activities within
Wood poles catch fire easily during ed,” says Field Maintenance Manager elevated fire risk areas identified by
intense forest fires and fall due to high Steve Tuggle. the state.”
winds dropping the conductor. This In addition, the operational support SN supplemented its maintenance
can cause a domino effect, toppling for the field crews, which ranged from personnel to conduct focused trans-
over poles and damaging lines. Steel addressing travel needs and purchas- mission line and right-of-way inspec-
lattice tower structures, which are ing equipment to arranging restoration tions and document fuel-load con-
predominantly used across WAPA’s SN schedules, was instrumental and cerns. In addition, WAPA developed
transmission system, are for the most resourceful. special inspection plans for equipment
part fire-resistant due to their all-steel “After the Carr Fire, SN had sev- in elevated fire risk-areas where crews
construction. In the case of the Carr eral meetings to acknowledge what climb and inspect every tower for
Fire firenado, however, the combina- worked well but also to discuss and structural and equipment issues. The
tion of extreme heat and high winds, develop areas for improvement,” team performs a close visual inspec-
comparable to an EF3 tornado, caused Tuggle says. “As a result, we have a tion of the tower looking for any loose
the steel lattice structures to suffer summary and debriefing document steel, bolts on the ground or any other
catastrophic failure. that describes and tracks the actions aberrant condition.
In September 2020, linemen to improve our response readiness SN has expanded the use of in-
installed three permanent 100-foot tu- moving forward.” frared and corona cameras for early
bular steel tower H-structures to match identification of potential structural,
the height of the original lattice struc- equipment and related failures. In
tures. But in the meantime, to keep addition, SN is increasingly relying
wire height within North American
By the numbers upon lidar, high-definition video,
Electric Reliability Corporation The Carr Fire was the seventh most orthophotography and still imagery
standards, WAPA used four temporary to develop a baseline for in-ROW and
destructive wildfire in California’s history.
wooden spar-arm H-structures in off-ROW conditions and to identify
Here are some other statistics, according to
place of three steel lattice towers potential vegetation encroachments
WAPA’s Closed Circuit and the Department near powerline conductors. Through
destroyed in the blaze. Poles ranged
of Energy. these proactive strategies and best
from 70 feet to 90 feet tall. Engineers
determined the proper wire heights, 38,000 evacuations. practices from previous events, WAPA
which dictated the temporary wooden is ready to respond to future wildfires
H-structure height. Four H-structures 229,651 acres were affected. in its service territory. n
were used in place of three towers to 1,604 buildings were destroyed. Note: Fischbach is the contributing editor
keep wire height up. for the Electric Utility Operations section
“The biggest challenge, besides 11 injuries and eight deaths. of Transmission and Distribution World.
the time crunch, was that we needed
to keep the wire height up because of 10 WAPA structures were down and 15
115-kV and 230-kV lines, six substa-
homes and driveways in the immedi-
tions and 13 hydroelectric generators
ate area,” Yeager said. were out of service as a result of the
This style of construction is standard Carr Fire, according to the DOE.
practice for temporary restoration
July 2021
11Rewire your writing:
tips to craft
impactful pieces
By Eric Barendsen
L
ike it or not, you probably practice writing every
day. Whether it’s an email to a coworker, a text
to a family member or an article about your work
at WAPA, you frequently communicate through
writing. Regardless of your role at WAPA, you
should keep your writing tools sharp as a student of the
business and lifelong learner. These 14 tips may help you
do that more easily.
Note: Barendsen is a public affairs specialist.
The approach Get folks into your stories.
You don’t have to be a
Readers connect with the people in
Creativity cuts through the noise. famous writer to have fun
a story. Find a human-interest angle
Write something unexpected to capture for your business story and show the writing; just plug in some
people’s attention. If you entertain or experiences of those most involved in the
enrich your audience, they will be more work. If you can, go do the activity with
of these tips, unwind your
likely to keep reading and share with their someone, write down your observations bad habits and rewire your
friends or coworkers. and recreate your adventure for your
audience.
everyday writing.
“Rope’s end, shoulders, song, all moved
together, and life flowed in one stream.” –
Oliver La Farge, Laughing Boy
Detail oriented? Minds latch on to Put it simply.
specifics.
Choose shorter words and craft simpler
Weave a compelling tale. Concrete details boost understanding sentences and paragraphs. You don’t need
and help readers remember what you technical jargon to explain complicated
Narrative stories stand out in a competitive said. People recall things that elicit topics.
universe of information. Snag your readers’ sensations or emotions. The more they
attention from the opening sentences and can see and feel what you describe,
reward them steadily throughout. the more they take away from the
experience. Limit self-editing in early drafts.
“124 was spiteful. Full of a baby’s venom.
“It was inevitable: the scent of bitter Write your first draft quickly, then cut
The women in the house knew it and
almonds always reminded him of the larger pieces before fine tuning, as you
so did the children.” – Toni Morrison,
fate of unrequited love.” – Gabriel Garcia approach a final draft. Listen to and learn
Beloved
Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera from the feedback you receive.
Closed Circuit
12The structure Use a narrative story structure.
Topple the inverted pyramid! The body of your piece should include an
introduction, a body and a conclusion.
Don’t start with background or boilerplate – or, even worse, “acronym soup” –
about the organization. Avoid cramming the who, what, where, when, why and Build the body of your story around a key inquiry.
how into the first paragraph. Instead, use a feature story introduction: lead, nut Explore this theme throughout the piece using
graph and background. techniques such as real-life events or anecdotes
to explain the need for the project or initiative,
Write your lead sentences with immediate, human-oriented specifics to catch
hypothetical situations in which the new innovation
attention. Don’t shy away from using sentence fragments and swift, lucid images.
would be helpful or case studies that illustrate the
“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” – Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle problem, solution and results.
Then write your nut graph, which is a sentence or two that summarizes the theme Start with the dilemma of someone you interviewed.
of your piece in a nutshell. This is akin to the thesis statement you learned about Engage your audience early with a moment of
in high school. uncertainty or pivotal reaction to a challenge faced.
Spend more time showing the obstacles and less
The intro can then include two or three sentences of the most important time telling about the solution.
background information: context, definitions, history or trends to help the reader
to understand the story. Expose the “why it matters” meaning of the project,
profession, partnership or industry. What is uplifting
or exhilarating about it?
The style In the conclusion, restate the thesis or call the reader
to take action, and close with a surprising, concise
Active voices carry. or concrete kicker sentence or quote that swings the
Minimize the “to be” verbs in your writing. Look for ways to inject powerful, active story full circle.
verbs into your piece instead of using is, are, was and were.
“She read my palm and predicted that I would live to a hundred and five,
marry three times, and die in a traffic accident.” – Haruki Murakami,
Modulate your modifiers.
Norwegian Wood
Avoid adjectives or adverbs; rather, use your active
“Lightning streaks like gunfire through the clouds, volleys of thunder shake
voice and describe specific things in detail with
the air.” – Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire
strong verbs.
“And then – the glory – so that a cricket song
Dabble in wordplay. sweetens his ears, the smell of the earth rises
Vary your sentence
and paragraph chanting to his nose, and dappling light under a
Creative turns of phrase work well in headlines, tree blesses his eyes.” – John Steinbeck,
length.
subheads and leads. Pick a phrase, buzzword East of Eden
Short sentences can or song lyric and apply or change it in an
be more effective than unexpected way that will surprise and amuse
long, complex sentences your reader. Use subheads to transition
in getting your point between scenes. Compared to what?
across and keeping the
audience’s attention. Similes, analogies and metaphors express complex
concepts with fewer words. They give people a
“He did not know where clearer understanding by illuminating something
it came from, the pain, Know when to hold ‘em.
novel using familiar terms.
nor why. It had nothing Downplay or soften your language when
to do with his thoughts. “The West has had a way of warping well-
describing serious emotional content, but go
Almost it had nothing carpentered habits and raising the grain on
over the top – Embellish! Elaborate! – when
to do with him.” – D.H. exposed dreams.” – Wallace Stegner, The American
your topic treads on the lighter side.
Lawrence, Daughters of West as Living Space
the Vicar “This wallpaper will be the death of me. One
One question to ask yourself when writing about
of us will have to go.” – Oscar Wilde
On the flip side, long a complicated topic or large numbers: How would
sentences can take “I think I may boast myself to be, with all you explain it to your mother, who knows nothing
readers on an adventure possible vanity, the most unlearned and about the topic? Plain language and comparisons to
of linguistic and uninformed female who ever dared to be an common objects or known quantities can help.
expressive significance. authoress.” – Jane Austen
July 2021
13Explore Safety’s
electronic
toolbox
By Paul Robbins
T
he Safety and Occupational Health
website offers WAPA employees a variety
of online tools that are just a click away.
Think of it as an electronic toolbox full
of safety tools, resources and important
reference documents. Here is a brief
overview of what is available to WAPA
employees right now.
The welcome page has a list of announce- Incident Library and Tools
ments that keep employees up to date with what
At the top of the site’s main navigation bar is
is happening in the safety world. They include
the “Incident Library and Tools” section, which
summaries of safety incidents, near misses,
is home to WAPA’s Incident Reports, Learning
safety alerts and product recalls.
Summaries and Near-Miss Reports.
There are a number of informative links, such
When someone is seriously injured, an
as to the fall protection and regional safety sites,
internal review team investigates and prepares
providing information about events, contacts,
an Incident Report. The document presents a
training and more. There is also a link to the
scope of the investigation with a description
Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
of events, facts, analyses, conclusions, recom-
presenting OSHA standards, outreach and
mendations and other information. Employees
assistance.
can review reports that date back to the 1970s
The “Standards Expert” link connects to
and see how Safety has evolved over the years
a portal that accesses nationally recognized
at WAPA.
consensus standards, such as the National Fire
Safety prepares a Learning Summary when a
Protection Association.
safety incident takes place to help others learnUpcoming feature: Report a Safety Concern
Have you ever had a safety concern and not known what to do
about it? Safety is in the process of developing a new website
tool with IT.
The “Report a Safety Concern” feature will enable employees
to report concerns and get direct safety manager follow-up.
Employees will be able to fill out a simple electronic form
and quickly submit it to the Safety and Occupational
Health Council. The appropriate regional safety manager
will respond to the concern, follow up with the
employee and address corrective actions.
from what occurred. The summary Maintenance Manual, Power System and watching videos such as “The
includes a description of events, con- Operations Manual and other industry Employee Safety Orientation” and
tributing factors, lessons learned and standard handbooks. “Substation Orientation for Non-
questions for discussion. These topics The site also contains handy links Technical Visitors.” Other information,
help employees understand why the to a variety of other references. These such as the Substation Orientation for
event took place and how to prevent include orders that establish official Non-Technical Visitors brochure, is
similar incidents in the future. policies, such as WAPA Order 440.1B available as well.
A near miss is what the National Safety and Occupational Health Finally, for exhaustive writeups of
Safety Council defines as, “an un- Program, and other policies and safety-related topics or to reference
planned event that did not result in guides related to building safety, tire previous articles, you can access past
injury, illness, or damage – but had the maintenance, claim processing and issues of our newsletter, Safety Works.
potential to do so.” A Near-Miss Report more. If you enjoy Safety Corner in Closed
is filled out by an employee for other There are also standardized Circuit every month, Safety Works will
employees to learn from. It includes an procedures on specific topics, such provide you with even more informa-
account of what happened and lessons as hoisting and rigging, developed tion on a larger number of topics.
learned. and established by professional Discover our electronic tool-
Both Near-Miss Reports and organizations. box of safety; visit the Safety and
Learning Summaries are used as topics Occupational Health website today. n
during regional safety meetings and Forms, training and back issues
tailgate discussions. Visit the site at myWAPA,
Employees will also find links to
forms, training modules and even past Departments, Safety and
Manuals and policies publications on the site. Occupational Health
What if you have a safety question, For instance, what if you are injured
but you don’t have a safety manual on the job? There are forms and re- Note: Robbins is a technical writer
handy? Choose “Safety Manuals” on ports to help you, including the WAPA who works under the Cherokee Nation
the navigation bar and you will find F 5484.1 Individual Incident Report, Strategic Programs contract.
manuals and handbooks that offer workers’ compensation information
important direction to employees. and other safety documents.
Here you will find the Power System Employees always have the op-
Safety Manual, which details our safety portunity to learn more about safety
rules, as well as the Power System by clicking the “Safety Training” link
July 2021
15Host video
conferences safely
I
By Lodrina Cherne
f you will be hosting a Note from the editor: Information Technology
shared the following videoconferencing tips from the
virtual conference, here Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies, also known
are some additional as the SANS Institute, with WAPA employees via email.
The article is reproduced below.
steps you should take.
Require a password
To protect the privacy and security of your
conference and control who can join, protect your
meeting with a password. This way only people who
have the conference password
Inform if recording can join the event.
If you intend to record the event
(and have permission
to record), be sure
to inform everyone
on the conference
ahead of time.
Sharing your screen
If you will be sharing your
computer screen at any
point, be sure to first close
Review attendees all other applications and
remove any sensitive
Review the people attending your event. If there is files from your computer’s desktop. Also disable
someone you do not know or cannot identify, have any pop-up notifications. This helps ensure you
that person confirm their identity. If you have any don’t accidently share sensitive or
concerns, or if someone is being rude or disruptive, embarrassing information while sharing
remove them from the conference. Many solutions your computer screen. Another option
offer the option to lock the conference once it has is to consider sharing just the program
begun, so no one else can join unless you let them in. you want to show instead of sharing your
Another option may be to initially place entire computer screen.
people in a virtual waiting room, so you
can approve who joins the call.
These technologies are a fantastic tool and, in
many ways, represent the future of how we will
work, collaborate, and communicate with others.
These simple steps will go a long way to ensure
you safely and securely make the most of them. n
Note: Cherne teaches Windows forensics at the SANS
Institute. She is also the principal security advocate at
Cybereason.
Closed Circuit
16Rapid Recaps
Pilot receives Award of Merit
O n March 30, Aviation Manager Rich Westra pre-
sented Helicopter Pilot Todd Slade with an Award of
Merit for Five Years of Accident-Free Flying for the U.S.
Department of Energy.
Slade is one of several WAPA pilots. He supports Rocky
Mountain Maintenance, Construction, Communication
and Lands employees and also serves as Aviation’s
instructor pilot. He has more than 25 years of experience
as a commercial pilot, law enforcement officer and first-
responder pilot with Flight for Life.
Mira Loma High School reaches
top eight in National Science Bowl
O n May 22, the winners of this year’s regional Science
Bowl competitions met virtually to compete in the National
Science Bowl, testing their knowledge of biology, chemistry,
Earth science, physics, energy and math.
Due to the ongoing concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
format was different this year, with teams competing in an elimi-
nation tournament format. Each round saw the lowest-scoring
teams eliminated with the others advancing to another round.
Mira Loma High School, winner of the WAPA-sponsored
Sacramento Regional High School Science Bowl, made it to the
final eight teams of the competition before being eliminated.
Closed Circuit congratulates them on their strong showing and
thanks all of the students, coaches and volunteers who made this
year’s competition possible.
Employees learn about Pride history
O n June 15, in celebration of Pride Month, the Office of
Economic Impact and Diversity hosted a virtual presen-
tation by LGBTQ Historian David Duffield of The Center on
Colfax.
He spoke about the history of the LGBTQ community in the
U.S., focusing on the years between 1945 and 1975. He used
video, photographs and other historical documentation to
illustrate both the discrimination faced by the community and
the successes through which it achieved political, social and
cultural change.
Duffield manages the Colorado LGBTQ History Project,
which was established to collect and preserve oral histories,
archive them and educate and make them available to the
public.
The Center on Colfax is the largest LGBTQ community
center in the Rocky Mountain region. It opened in 1976,
providing a voice to Colorado’s LGBTQ community and
playing a role in statewide initiatives to reduce harass-
ment and discrimination.
July 2021
17Brief Transmissions
WAPA selects UGP regional manager Occupational Safety and Health
O n June 9, WAPA announced its selection of Lloyd training due July 30
A
Linke as senior vice president and Upper Great ll Department of Energy federal employees
Plains regional manager, pending approval from the must complete the HQ-101DE Federal Employee
Office of Personnel Management. Occupational Safety and Health training in Learning
Linke began his federal career with WAPA and has also Nucleus by July 30.
served as the administrator of the former Alaska Power Contractors are required to complete this training
Administration. Most recently he was vice president of only if their employer has elected to comply with title 10
operations for UGP. Code of Federal Regulations, part 851 by adopting the
“Lloyd has over 30 years of experience working in DOE’s Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health
the electrical power industry and brings a wealth of program.
knowledge regarding the operation of the Upper Great Please note that after completing the course, employ-
Plains Region,” said Interim Administrator and CEO Tracey ees must complete a brief survey. Failure to complete
A. LeBeau. “His extensive experience with customers, the survey will result in the course not being marked as
customer groups and regulatory agencies mirrors his complete.
active involvement in industry nationwide.”
Linke has experience with a number of industry
Complete this mandatory training by visiting
groups, including various committees under the North Learning Nucleus at learningnucleus.energy.gov
American Electric Reliability Corporation and the
Southwest Power Pool. He also served as director of the
Midwest Reliability Organization’s board.
“I’m looking forward to Complete Standards of Conduct
my new role within WAPA,” training
Linke said. “WAPA’s mission
brings significant value to
our customers and I’m A ll WAPA federal employees are required to complete
the annual Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Standards of Conduct training. Log in to Learning Nucleus
excited to work with the
dedicated and hardwork- to check your due date.
ing UGP staff to ensure This training covers various SOC requirements as they
that our customers apply to WAPA’s organizational structure. It covers the
continue to receive three primary SOC rules established by FERC Order No.
these benefits and value 717, most notable of which for all employees is the No
our partnership.” Conduit Rule prohibiting the communication of non-
public Transmission Function Information to Marketing
Updated state and regional fact Function Employees.
The training also provides overviews of permissible
sheets available and impermissible
W APA has published its updated state and regional
fact sheets, reflecting the most recent data from its
Fiscal Year 2020 Statistical Appendix.
communications
between WAPA’s
Transmission
These fact sheets, as part of the organization’s com- and Marketing
mitment to transparency, provide a clear and simplified Functions and of
understanding of WAPA’s presence in each of the 15 the guidelines that
states that define its service territory. should be followed
for meetings
between the two.
To view and download the updated fact sheets, visit
wapa.gov, Newsroom, Fact Sheets
Complete this mandatory training by visiting
Learning Nucleus at learningnucleus.energy.gov
Closed Circuit
18You can also read
