KIUC Linemen All Geared Up - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

Photo by Maile Moriguchi
We all want to feel safe in our homes and in our
neighborhoods. It is also up to us as individuals,
and collectively as families, to help make our
neighborhoods safer.
Between KIUC’s generation plant and the
members who use the plant’s electricity are
substations. They transform voltage from high to
low to feed the correct voltage to the receiver.
Substations often are located near homes and
businesses. Safety precautions should be followed
when living near them.
All KIUC substations are surrounded by tall
fences marked with warning signs. The co­op also
has one indoor substation at Lydgate in Wailua.
Remember these rules regarding substations:
1. Access to substations is forbidden to
unauthorized personnel.
2. If an item is accidentally dropped into a
substation, do not try to retrieve it yourself.
Instead, call KIUC and ask for help retrieving
the item. Never attempt to retrieve an object
using a pole or net. If the pole is made of
metal or is even slightly damp, it can conduct
electricity.
3. Never touch or climb fences near substations.
4. To avoid encounters with substations
altogether, encourage children to play away
from substations.
While you may not live near an electric
substation, around our neighborhoods there often
are power lines that soar above our streets. These
lines are directly connected to the substations and
bring electricity to our homes. They also can be
dangerous. Follow these safety rules:
By Anne Barnes and Maile Moriguchi
Electrical Safety in
Your Neighborhood
Safe, reliable power is our business
1. No one should climb utility poles or trees
close to utility lines.
2. Kites and balloons should not be flown
around power lines.
3. If a power line has fallen, please use extreme
caution and stay clear of the line. Downed
power lines should never be touched or
approached.
4. If a power line lands on your vehicle, remain
in the car until help arrives. If the emergency
requires you to leave the vehicle, jump clear
so no part of your body is touching the car
when you land. Keep both feet together, and
shuffle or hop at least 30 feet away with your
feet close together. Stay away from any object
that may have touched the power line,
including fences and walls.
5. Treat every line as though it were energized.
6. If you play with high­power water squirters,
keep them away from power lines. If you shoot
water at a power line, electricity can travel
down the stream of water, right back to you!
Some neighborhoods have underground power
lines. The dangers in these areas are in the
padmount transformers known as “green boxes.”
These boxes contain transformers similar to those
on the line that change voltage to be used in
member homes. Padmount transformers usually
are located on cement slabs fronting homes.
While these transformers are locked, children
should not be allowed to play on or near them.
At KIUC, our business is providing you safe,
reliable power. If you have any questions, please
contact us at 246.4300.
OCTOBER 2011 29