What It Takes

They help keep OPPD connected

Every day, OPPD delivers reliable electricity to customers through an elaborate network of power plants, substations, and transmission and distribution lines.

How this happens – and how it all connects – can seem nothing short of miraculous. Every second, OPPD uses radio waves and fiber-optic cables to transmit encrypted messages and information at the speed of light. Turning on equipment. Monitoring and minimizing outages. Helping line crews communicate.

Behind it all are communications technicians, a small, specialized group of field workers who help connect, protect and expand OPPD’s vast communications network.

“The biggest reward is being able to support other members of OPPD,” said Robert Childs, an OPPD senior communications technician. “It’s a huge variance of work. Communications affects everyone, and we get to support all different kinds of groups and their work.”

Secure, reliable communications are crucial as OPPD’s grid grows to meet tremendous new demand for electricity.

Communications technicians have already helped widen OPPD’s fiber-optic network throughout its service territory, from north of Blair all the way south to the Kansas border. They’re also playing a major part in the rollout of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), technology that will give customers valuable information during outages and help OPPD respond with greater precision and efficiency.

In the field

One afternoon, Childs found himself in the rolling countryside south of Gretna, working with an OPPD vendor to pick the best spots to install transmitting devices on power poles. Each location they choose will become part of a larger field area network (FAN) that sends information to OPPD to support AMI.

The job is trickier than it seems, with a lot to consider.

Is the location high enough to allow good radio transmissions, without hills to block the signal? Is the pole “clean,” with little other equipment in the way? Is it easy for OPPD to access but out of the public’s way?

“There’s a ton of data that goes into picking the best location for each device,” Childs said.

Communications technicians come from varied backgrounds. Some are former active-duty military members. Others worked for phone companies.

Childs discovered communications work in the U.S. Army, then earned an electronic engineering and computer communications degree from a college in his native Kansas. He spent 13 years working for the State of Kansas before joining OPPD in 2019.

Childs said he enjoys installing, fixing and optimizing technology. His job takes him to every OPPD facility, from generation plants to service centers to substations.

“I hate sitting behind a desk,” he said. “This position is nice because we’re all over the place. We’re always doing something different. It never gets monotonous.”

Communication with many different groups is a must.

“Your job is to connect people and devices, and to troubleshoot,” Childs said. “If you don’t know how to troubleshoot, you’re going to have a really hard time.”

Working together, always learning

Communications technicians must be self-motivated to learn and keep pace with fast-changing technology. Teamwork is crucial as well, as they often work together as well on bigger projects.

OPPD Senior Communications Technician Todd Leonard found his way to OPPD through the Navy, where he tested radios and radar equipment.

“I always liked tinkering with things and trying to figure out how to get them working again,” Leonard said. “That’s a lot of what this job entails. I like the complexity it brings. You always have to think on your feet and outside of the box.”

The team meshes well, he said.

“Everybody’s got their own style,” he said. “We might come up with six different ways to troubleshoot the same problem, and they’re all right. We have a great group.”­

The job requires flexibility and speed. Sometimes, urgent matters can derail routine work.

“You’ve got to be able to pivot and change at a moment’s notice and not get flustered,” Leonard said.

Helping the community

Communications technicians also work directly with customers who suspect that OPPD equipment is interfering with personal radios, landline telephones or other home appliances. Such occurrences are rare, but possible, because power lines naturally produce electromagnetic waves. OPPD is required to verify whether utility equipment is the cause.

“That’s part of the thinking outside the box,” Leonard said. “I’m not a lineman, but I have to be able to troubleshoot and figure out what might be causing an issue.”

Some calls come from amateur (ham) radio operators who notice static noise on their transmitters or receivers.

A few weeks ago, Leonard responded to a customer claim that nearby power lines were making a whistling sound, even on windless days.

He drove to the customer’s house, ran some tests and discovered that the noise was coming from a neighbor who had placed high-pitched mole stakes in the ground next to OPPD’s power lines to drive moles away.

“That was one I hadn’t seen before,” Leonard said. “I’m glad we figured it out. I was kind of curious myself.”

Usually, another cause is to blame. Under certain circumstances, for instance, a large number of LED lights can interfere with a garage door opener. Communications technicians help customers pinpoint the exact cause when possible. If OPPD is responsible for the interference, they can take steps to alleviate the problem.

“It’s a lot of investigating and troubleshooting, but that’s what makes the job fun,” Leonard said. “You never know what you’re going to run into.”

Technical minds

OPPD has two teams of communications technicians, focused on different areas.

One group handles OPPD’s radio systems, ethernet cables and microwave towers, and is laying the groundwork for advanced metering infrastructure. The other works with .:fiber optics throughout the district to connect substations, power plants, service centers and other facilities.

Senior Communications Technician Greg Riley became interested in electronics and radio as a teenager, when he installed car stereo systems “loud enough make the windows rattle.”

He found a job as a contractor for Motorola, then moved to General Electric and earned an electronics degree before joining OPPD.

“I’ve always liked electronics, and I was fascinated with the way radios work,” Riley said.

Senior Communications Technician Dan Beck started his career as an aircraft mechanic for a contractor working at Offutt Air Force Base. His experience in aircraft radios and communications proved valuable in the utility industry and eventually led to a job at OPPD.

An inquisitive mind is key for communications technicians, Riley said. The team routinely works with line technicians, substation employees and power plant personnel, among many others. Everyone has valuable experience to share that can help communications technicians with their work.

“The best part for me is being able to interact with different people in different departments,” Riley said. “You learn a lot about what people are doing and how things work.”

The work is challenging at times and sometimes takes place in rough Nebraska weather, but it’s well worth it, Beck said.

“The rewarding part is putting in a line or equipment on a circuit you haven’t done before,” Beck said. “You’re able to say that you helped build something.”