What has 92 feet and is red all over? Dawson PPD’s newest digger derrick.
The latest addition to the District’s fleet boasts a reach of up to 92 feet, helping our lineworkers reach 70-foot-tall transmission poles with ease. Dawson PPD’s electrical grid upgrade plans include work on several transmission projects in the coming years.
Before acquiring this digger derrick, Dawson PPD rented cranes or hired contractors to complete some of these jobs. The digger derrick eliminates expensive crane rentals and provides long-term cost savings for customers. Dawson PPD anticipates savings to be realized within a year or two.
Dawson PPD’s fleet consists of 123 pieces of equipment, including 12 bucket trucks, 5 digger derricks, 16 maintenance trucks, 3 foreman trucks and a partridge in a pear tree. Okay, maybe not that last part.
The District typically keeps vehicles in its fleet for 10 years, depending on the number of hours the equipment has been used. By monitoring the usage hours and considering feedback from Dawson PPD’s mechanics, the District is able to plan and budget for new vehicles on a schedule.
This planned rotation of vehicles ensures Dawson PPD has the latest, most efficient equipment while keeping costs down for our ratepayers.
OTHER NEWS
Central and Dawson PPD to vote second time on consolidation documents at July 17 meetings
The boards of The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District and Dawson Public Power District plan to vote again on the documents required for their consolidation next month. The boards will each hold a special Board Meeting on July 17 at each districts’ respective headquarters.
Three youth selected to attend Youth Energy Leadership Camp
Dawson PPD is sponsoring three local students to attend the Nebraska Rural Electric Association Youth Energy Leadership Camp. The camp will be held at Camp Comeca near Cozad July 9-13, 2023.
Between the lines: Technology, the grid and Dawson PPD. (Part 1)
Dawson PPD’s electric distribution utility system is a complex network of wires, transformers and other equipment that delivers electricity from power plants to substations to homes and businesses. In recent years, there have been several new technologies that have been developed to improve the efficiency, reliability and security of the electric distribution system.