6.1f ERMU 12-12-2023Elk River
Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
FROM:
ERMU Commission
Chris Sumstad — Electric Superintendent
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
December 12, 2023
6.1f
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
• Installed 17 new residential services, which involves the connection of a secondary line
once the customer requests service.
• The bore crew began replacing underground primary wire along 202nd Avenue in
northwest Elk River. This is part of the same wire replacement area they have been
working on along Rawlins Street, Pascal Drive, and 201St Avenue.
• Crews rerouted approximately 800 feet of three phase underground primary at the
landfill. The existing wire was in conflict with a building project planned there.
• We extended three phase underground primary 1500 feet east along 2251h Avenue and
north up Baldwin Street on the east side of Highway 169. This will serve the three phase
needs at the Martin Marietta gravel pit located on the north side of the wind turbine.
• Crews are currently working on installing the three phase service for the new Beaudry
storage facility located on the north side of our West substation along County Road 1.
• Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (MMUA) Safety Trainer Joe Schmidt was here
on November 29 and held training on chemical safety and scissor lift operations for field
staff.
• Jay Reading from MMUA was here for a Job Training & Safety session on November 21.
This training was for our line crews and covered personal protective grounding.
• Carr's Tree Service returned on November 20 to continue their tree trimming. They will
be working in our service area until the end of March.
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• Crews are currently working on installing five new streetlights along Dodge Street from
Elk Hills Drive to 192nd Avenue.
• Field Crew Foreperson Russ Stuhr completed the Stepping into Leadership course on
November 17. This course is offered through MMUA and lasts over 12 months including
a couple two day in -person sessions along with many three-hour virtual sessions totaling
approximately 50 hours.
• Crews added a three phase service on York Avenue. Customer needs required an
additional voltage to what was already existing. This is one of the last three phase
service installs of 2023. Lead times are still a year or more on new transformer orders.
• Crews found over 12 inches of frost in areas the Monday after Thanksgiving. The mild
weather since has helped some and we hope for a few more warm days in December!
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