Victory Powerline Services has completed a major inspection and repair auditing program requested by a Southeastern U.S. utility, targeting more than 500 pad-mount transformers and pedestals impacted by storm surge from hurricanes.
The months-long initiative took place throughout a populated section of Florida along the Gulf Coast. The utility anticipated that many of the pad-mount transformers would need replacement of secondary bars because of corrosion from the storm surge. The program also served as an opportunity to upgrade components with flood-sealed parts that meet new coastal utility specifications.
“The utility knew the effect of storm surge on transformers meant potential outages; they took a coordinated, proactive approach to prioritize this work,” said David Koczan, job site manager at Victory. “We helped this utility streamline, track and audit the inspection and repairs while keeping project managers updated in real-time by documenting every step digitally, photographically.”
This project followed Victory’s prior success with the utility during Hurricane Debby, where the Mount Dora-based firm was brought in as storm coordinators overseeing contractors issuing outages and clearing them when complete. That performance earned Victory a reputation for precision and reliability.
“When our team opened these transformers, we looked at secondary bars, primary elbows, bleeder wires, and noted any leaks, damage, or corrosion,” Koczan added. “After the initial inspections and repairs, we logged 153 go-backs to meet the utility’s exact specifications.”
Victory’s digital auditing tools confirmed the location of all transformers, captured before-and-after photographs of components, recorded go-backs and repair notes and ensured cost control for the utility. Utility project managers could go online to monitor any inspection as well as the project’s overall progress because Victory provided a dashboard with real-time updates. This transparency in reporting provided the additional benefit of streamlining the utility’s ability to submit for potential storm recovery costs.
“Our crews think and work like a utility; they’re impartial auditors who inspect projects with the eyes of a utility to protect the utility’s dollars,” added Adam Prosser, CEO of ATK Energy Group.
