2015 Vol. 9 Issue 2 March - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gem Lake News Page 2 of 6 primarily during the summer storm season, but random outages have occurred throughout the year. Wintertime power outages can be particularly dangerous. If furnaces cannot maintain interior temperatures water pipes could freeze, and cause significant damage. The process began about three years ago with a series of public hearings and open houses to inform residents about the project. This legal portion of the project actually took more time than the actual construction, which has been progressing for the past few months. According to Joe Samuel, transmission project manager for Xcel Energy, the greatest challenges for the work crews, besides the bitter cold temperatures, has been navigating the steep slopes along the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe railroad track corridor between the two substations, and crossing two major highways, Interstate 694 and US Highway 61. Once in the rail corridor, the progress is relatively easy, but all materials and equipment must first be brought into position. The steel poles have a rust-color appearance, and this is by design. Xcel’s Samuel stated that the use of “weathering steel” keeps the poles maintenance free and stable for years to come. In the past, Xcel used painted steel poles which eventually led to maintenance challenges. Xcel's approximate three mile long project is expected to be completed by this June. While improved transmission performance is something people cannot see, in this case, it is the kind of transparency Xcel is looking for. Keeping the Power On in Gem Lake from page 1) People generally do not think about electricity until it is not working, and keeping the lights on year-round is one of Xcel Energy's primary corporate goals. The photos here show the installation crew with their crane set up in the Heritage Hall parking lot, and one of the installed poles along with wood framing near Scheuneman Road. This story was written by Council Member Jim Lindner.