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August 1, 2012
A downed 100-megawatt transformer continues to cause power headaches in Morgan City.
Rolling blackouts caused by the transformer, which was destroyed last month in a blaze, and the spate of bad weather the area has experienced over the last month has Morgan City Mayor Tim Matte asking residents and merchants to be patient.
The city’s ongoing electrical problems were the center of attention at last Tuesday’s council meeting.
“I know that you, the citizens of Morgan City and our local businesses, have been greatly inconvenienced. I sincerely apologize for that inconvenience,” Matte said. “We must ask for some additional patience until we can gain a little more confidence in the reserve transformer, as we have the system operating in a productive mode.
“We will seek solutions to fix the problem on a short-term basis as well as longer term permanent improvements.”
Although the fire remains under investigation, preliminary reports indicate Morgan City’s 100-megawatt transformer apparently overheated June 26 and burst into flames. The entire city was without power for the next 24 hours. Exacerbating the problem, the Tri-parish region – like much of the nation – has experienced record-setting temperatures this summer.
Just as power was restored in the city, a second blackout occurred July 3 shortly after 4 p.m., and again ignited tempers. Morgan City was in the black until approximately 1 a.m. the following day.
Weather-related outages followed on July 17 and July 22.
Residents were without power for 30 minutes on July 17. “The length of the outage was due in part to the need to re-establish service one circuit at a time to prevent overloading,” Matte said. “Additionally, certain breakers that were set to automatically re-close have been set to manual to avoid additional damage to the equipment.”
The mayor said relay levels have also been raised to accommodate demand.
Matte said lightening was to blame for the July 22 outage. The blackout was shorter, lasting 90 minutes in some areas and an hour in others.
“I recognize how important it is that our businesses and residents have confidence in our utility system,” he said. “I recognize that I have lost that confidence.
“It is the responsibility of this mayor and council to provide the staff with the resources needed to meet our basic needs. I accept that responsibility. We’ve dealt with a variety of challenges over the years with hurricanes and floods and other challenges and together we’ve overcome those.”
Matte said the transformer is insured and a claim has been filed. “We fully expect to be covered by [the property, boiler or machinery carrier] and expect to receive replacement cost of the transformer,” he said.
Matte said administrators are reviewing options to replace the damaged transformer and to build redundancy into the city’s electricity system “even if it means borrowing some money to do so.”
The City of Morgan City has been a member of the Louisiana Energy and Power Authority, LEPA, since the early 1980s.
LEPA is an association that boats 17 other municipalities as members, whose sole intention is to allow local governments to provide electricity at the lowest possible cost.
Also, the Central Louisiana Electric Company (CLECO) supplies LEPA with electricity.
Prior to the June 26 fire, the city was providing power to 6,300 utility customers – via LEPA – using the 100-megawatt transformer.
Two natural gas steam generators and a 45-megawatt transformer – all of which are more than 25 years old – are being utilized to replace the 100-megawatt transformer.
In the meantime, a number of Morgan City residents are facing challenges of their own while mustering patience.
Morgan City resident Lenora Jones called the electrical problem “a big inconvenience.”
“This is draining the pockets of many households because lots of folks have to throw food out,” she said of the rolling blackouts.
Jones said a transformer blowout caused her home’s electrical box to go out. It controlled the central air-conditioner. “We had to make a weekend call for a part and an electrician and you know how much that was.”
Jones is caretaker for her 80-year-old mother, who was hospitalized after she was unable to have one of her medications refilled because power outages had closed her physician’s office.
“Thank God for my in-laws, who live in Patterson,” she said. “They always open their doors to me and my family.”
Across town, Frame Shop owner Jackie Price said the ongoing blackouts led her family to buy a generator to keep her business open.
“If we have a job that needs to get out, we’re prepared, no matter how long the blackout lasts,” she said. “Of course, we won’t be able to run the air-conditioner in Louisiana heat.”
Price said she purchased a generator for her home after Hurricane Andrew hit Morgan City in 1992.
Morgan City firefighters douse water on the city’s burned 100-megawatt transformer in this June 26 photograph. The fire destroyed the transformer. Since then, the city has experienced power blackouts and other electrical issues.
