Trees and utility poles toppled over. Stranded cars left completely submerged. Impassable roads covered in a once-in-a-thousand-year torrent of water — with some portions even completely washed away.
Those are just some of the numerous challenges We Energies crews faced as they began a tireless effort to get the lights back on for tens of thousands of people.
In the wake of historic storms that swept through southeastern Wisconsin from Aug. 9-12, We Energies restored power to over 150,000 customers and completed many vital repairs to stabilize its natural gas system. The combination of damaging winds and overwhelming rains led to extreme flooding and damage that presented unique challenges for We Energies’ dedicated electric, forestry and natural gas crews.
The aftermath of the storms left roads flooded and washed away, trees uprooted, and electrical and natural gas equipment damaged, making it difficult for crews to access some essential equipment until the water receded.
To help repair the significant damage, We Energies received help from hundreds of mutual assistance lineworkers from nearby states to tackle the unique work. Crews worked around the clock in 16-hour shifts to fix broken utility poles, repair downed power lines and replace damaged equipment.
In some cases, crews had to climb power poles and trees by hand to clear debris on equipment, as bucket trucks couldn’t drive through the floodwaters. Unlike winter storms, where tire chains help vehicles travel safely on icy roads, there is no special equipment for company trucks to navigate floodwaters. This caused crews to wait for safe conditions and the water to recede to proceed with some repairs.
We Energies crews also responded to several homes where flooding had destroyed foundation walls and damaged electric and natural gas equipment. These situations were particularly challenging for We Energies natural gas crews. Many homes that flooded have indoor natural gas meters, requiring crews to complete extensive repairs. As areas and homes are deemed safe, natural gas crews have been checking meters that were submerged or broken, disassembling and inspecting equipment, and rebuilding necessary systems. In some cases, natural gas crews have used innovative solutions to complete repairs, such as using a bucket truck to repair a gas line exposed by a washed-away road.
In an interview with WDJT-TV, Scott Seager, operations supervisor — We Energies, emphasized the ongoing challenges of flooding and downed trees. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Seager said. “Access and safety are our primary concerns.”
Seager also highlighted the personal sacrifices field workers made to help the company’s customers. “Many had to leave their own flooded homes to help restore power,” Seager said.
We Energies is grateful to its customers for their patience and understanding as crews worked nonstop in difficult conditions to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.