Energy news from Omaha Public Power District
Energy news from Omaha Public Power District
Video: Rebuilding vaults keeps downtown reliability grounded
OPPD’s network of more than 200 underground vaults are built to high standards. They must be to face all kinds of pressures: overhead traffic and construction, seismic activity, water and salt seepage. And they are a common fixture of downtown Omaha.
The vaults last about 60 years, which means OPPD must rebuild one or two each year to maintain reliability. OPPD’s Asset Management and Maintenance Optimization Department inspects and assesses the vaults as they age.
After they choose a vault for a rebuild, a team of engineers must design reliable electrical systems, while also considering safety, the latest construction standards and environmental concerns.
The construction occurs throughout the year, from the dog days of summer to frozen stretches of January. The process can take over a year, from inspection to completion.
This video takes you through the whole process of this rarely seen part of OPPD.
Andrew Roger is a contributor to The Wire and digital media coordinator at Omaha Public Power District. With 10 years of video production and photography experience, Andrew helps shape the image of OPPD and its employees through The Wire. Andrew and his wife keep busy with their toddler and a baby on the way. When he’s not playing on the floor with his family, Andrew works on remodeling his Midtown home, goes to local music and art shows, watches movies at Film Streams, home brews, works on video projects with his friends, and dreams about running the Dundee Theatre.
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