For example, in early 2021, ALDOT and Baldwin EMC’s engineers worked with line crews to have power lines and poles moved to allow for the widening of County Road 8 in Gulf Shores, which will ease traffic strain in the area. Baldwin EMC’s engineering team makes sure the co-op stays one step ahead, ensuring reliable electricity is readily available for members.ĭue to swift growth in Baldwin County, the co-op’s engineering department has also frequently been called upon by local government agencies, like the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), to collaborate on projects to accommodate the population boom. As population grows, so does its demand for power, which can place strain on the existing electric distribution system. In just two years, the co-op has added almost 6,000 accounts, as Baldwin County’s population swells to more than 223,000. Lately, much of the engineering department’s team focus has been on ensuring Baldwin EMC’s ability to handle the high rate of growth our area has been experiencing. Each play a vital role in making sure that Baldwin EMC’s complex system of meters, lines, poles, transformers, and other equipment is maintaining the reliability that the co-op’s members depend on. Rounding out the department are Baldwin EMC’s engineering technician and assistants, construction coordinator, real estate easement agent and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data technician. Anything from designing lines, to drawing work orders for new services, to calculating loads and determining what equipment to use and when upgrades are needed can be all in a day’s work. Working closely with them are the cooperative’s team of electrical engineers, who are integral to the ongoing development of Baldwin EMC’s distribution infrastructure. Currently, seven staking technicians serve Baldwin EMC’s 1500-square mile service area. They specialize in determining locations or “staking” poles, lines and transformers in ways that are cost-conscious and efficient for the co-op and its members. If you’ve ever purchased land or built a home in an area without existing electrical service, chances are one of the engineering department’s staking technicians guided you through that process. Everything from analyzing system load, to determining locations for new electrical services, to evaluating and justifying new substations falls into their hands. There aren’t many areas of Baldwin EMC’s operations that this team of 19 doesn’t touch. While line crews handle the physical aspect, this team oversees the development and design. Their job, in a very tight nutshell, is to design, oversee implementation, and help maintain Baldwin EMC’s power grid. The people responsible for those plans make up the co-op’s Engineering department. So do substations, transformers and just about every essential piece of the infrastructure Baldwin EMC relies on to deliver power to its members.
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