OT: Power substation

Tim in OR · Mar 7, 2015

We had a fire in a Voltage regulator in a power substation near us. They had to let it burn for hours before putting it out due to heavy black smoke. I guess that means we should ban electricity as well as Oil and gas. We'll all be living in caves eating grass and leaves (or maybe sushi).
Tim in OR

State of Jefferson · Mar 7, 2015

Must have been the oil in the transformers burning.

Car ran off the road late on night in my hometown(Bend,Or) a few years ago. Hit a transformer from and underground line, and a fire hydrant. Friend of mine, who owns the water district, showed up to triage things. Got their water main shut off and then preceded to "help" by pumping the water(which was threatening to flood nearby homes) into an irrigation canal. Weeeeeelllll, They nearly got a hefty fine from the EPA because of the oil(from the transformer) was a contaminant. Oh. Did I mention it was FOOD GRADE mineral oil in the transformer.
We live in a strange world...

Ben

Billy Shafer · Mar 8, 2015

Friend of mine was working for an AC company in Oklahoma city.Went to Moore to help after the storms went through.They had to cut an AC unit loose to get to a lady. A week later they got a letter from the EPA. Saying they were being fined for letting freon into the air.

ss55 · Mar 8, 2015

I can understand your friends need to minimize the problem and to limit his liability to down stream land owners, but his claim that his electrical transformer only contained food grade mineral oil and no PCBs sounds like a pretty big stretch. The EPA was likely protecting the people down stream by erring on the side of caution. He and the EPA could have easily contacted the transformer manufacturer to verify his claim.

State of Jefferson · Mar 8, 2015

MY understanding of the situation is that the EPA told him it was Food Grade oil.
Maybe it was the power company told him that??

Either way.

He didn't get a fine. And he shouldn't have. Perhaps the guy that caused the wreck shoulda.

Ben

Dick · Mar 8, 2015

Yes, I went by there while that transformer was burning and saw the black smoke for miles before I got there. The news said it burned for hours before they finally put it out. Sounds like the EPA finally woke up, had a couple of meetings and decided the smoke was bad and told BPA to put out the fire. The news said they brought trucks from the port of Portland to spray foam to put it out. I know years ago transformers used to be filled with PCB, but I heard that they've changed the fluid over to mineral oil now. Whatever was burning sure put out a lot of black smoke.

OT: Power substation

Tim in OR

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State of Jefferson

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Billy Shafer

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ss55

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State of Jefferson

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Dick

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