Mobile substations might sound and look like science fiction, but they are ingenious machines that serve as priceless assets to electric utilities. While we hope to never use them, they can really save the day in an emergency.
A fixed substation manages and directs the flow of electricity in the electric grid. Damage to a substation can cause significant outages lasting days if there are no nearby resources to take on the extra electrical load. When a substation needs maintenance or suffers damage, a mobile substation acts as a life-support machine, maintaining the grid and ensuring a smooth flow of electricity during upgrades and repairs. “We have all the equipment we need to back up an entire substation in an emergency in about 12 hours, all on one gigantic trailer,” SIEA System Engineering Manager Clinton Smith said.
This powerhouse on wheels can electrify between 8,000 to 10,000 meters, covering all of Pueblo West and more. Imagine it like the machines in the “Transformers” movies. Our mobile substation is an Autobot of the electrical network. When folded up, it’s a compact 8.5 feet wide, transported by a convoy stretching several feet long. Once on site, it expands into a formidable structure, 22 feet wide and 102 feet long, ready to take over the heavy lifting of a fixed substation. You can almost hear the famous transformer Optimus Prime’s rallying cry, “Autobots, transform and roll out!” as it unfolds and gears up for action.
While we haven’t yet deployed our mobile substation for an emergency within our network, it has helped neighboring electric co-ops. Mountain View Electric Association reached out to SIEA about 15 years ago, requesting to use SIEA’s mobile substation due to a failed transformer.
“After switching as much as we could to get the lights on to as many members as possible, there were still 1,700 members out of power. With the use of San Isabel Electric’s mobile substation, we were able to restore power much more quickly to all members and complete the repairs at our substation,” said David Waldner, MVEA’s vice president of engineering.
SIEA Assistant Line Superintendent Logan Reese has driven and set up the mobile substation several times to assist with substation maintenance projects. “The whole thing is really cool. It’s a multi-million dollar piece of equipment that weighs about 80 tons. But it’s not fun to drive around, especially through towns, navigating corners, starting, and stopping,” Reese said.
Smith and System Technician Roger Lemons activated the mobile substation for the first time just after Memorial Day. The sub was rolled out to SIEA’s Huerfano River Wind substation, which distributes the power generated by the four wind turbines just north of Walsenburg. “It was good to get familiar with it, get it out, learn it when we have the time to learn, rather than going through the growing pains in an emergency,” Smith said.
SIEA’s mobile substation isn’t just a piece of equipment; it’s a testament to our dedication to innovation and reliability. We hope that knowing we have such a robust contingency plan provides peace of mind and reinforces the trust you place in us to keep your homes and businesses powered — no matter what.
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