dropping a circuit

[reppy007]

Anyone here been in a situation where you had to get the dispatchers/controlers to drop a circuit in a hurry? Details please....what was the outcome?

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Twice in CA.

Me-hello, this is (me) I'm with (contractor) working on your property in Florence. Driving to my job I came upon primary down still energized and burning on the ground. I have men and equipment at the scene and I'm requesting permission to deenergize and repair the downed conductor. It should take us about 15-20 minutes.

Dispatcher-what did you say your name is? Who do you work for? I can't give you permission to deenergize, we haven't received any outage complaints. Give me your exact address and I'll send a trouble man to that location.

Me-about how long till he gets here?

Dispatch-not sure, they're all out on calls right now. When one comes available I'll send him that way.

Me-well, I'm here now and I can fix this now and eliminate a possible accident.

Dispatch-no sir, your complaint is recorded and no further action is required from you.

Me-so you want me to just leave it? There are kids running around all over here!

Dispatch-we have your complaint, have a nice day sir.

[lewy]

If we request a circuit dropped because some one could get seriously hurt it will happen, then they would review it after everything was back to normal and as long as your request was justified there will be know problems.

[Lineman North Florida]

Needed circuits dropped a couple of times through the years, once on a 600 amp underslung switch on a set of crossarms that came apart on me, the other was a private contractor digging next to a new concrete pole that had been set in line in the feeder but had not been tied in yet and it laid over into the feeder about the same time I was going by to another job, didn't have a problem getting the feeder dropped either time in a hurry. On trouble calls have needed feeder dropped quite a few times, but those were ones that we could co-ordinate because everything was still holding but may not last for long, vehicle accident, tree top broke out over feeder etc,etc.

[Hebrew]

Pole was on fire.Firemen were waiting to put the fire out.Another 10 minutes and the top of the pole would have toppled over,double circuit pole.Fire was on bottom circuit between crossarms.It would have taken more than 10 minutes to get to the switch.Asked the operator to drop the ciccuit,he did without asking too many questions,firemen put out fire,pole was changed 2 weeks later.Answered a few questions about it,case closed.

[thrasher]

We are kinda like Lewy says. You call for a circuit to be dropped the dispatcher asks for close pole number to verify the circuit then he drops it. Afterwards we review. So far, have never had a case that we didn't determine dropping the circuit was justified.