Asherville-Idalia 161kV Transmission Line Rebuild

“Barnard performed well beyond the expectations of the government…I will highly recommend this company for future work with Government agencies.” Sean Long, Contracting Officer, Southwestern Power Administration

The potential for hostile weather and the local communities’ dependence on power transferred through this line set the incredibly aggressive 90-day schedule for this 22-mile 161kV rebuild project. Barnard’s Electric Transmission Group also knew that the owner had to be able to restore the line with just a few days’ notice. We found that building a strong Team quickly made meeting these demands possible. We began with key individuals from previous projects familiar with our fast-track approach and then drew in local union employees to create a well integrated team with shared goals. With only three months to complete the project, our team also found that bringing in specialized tracked equipment from throughout the U.S. and Canada worked to offset the very real threat of bad weather in storm-prone Southeastern Missouri.

One facet of critical importance to us and SWPA was our relationship with the string of landowners along the project right-of-way. Sending Barnard’s Superintendent and General Foreman out to discuss with local farmers and landowners the project’s goals, the schedule and the best way to approach the work from their standpoint contributed to the project’s success. All told, the plan worked. Our Team completed the work nearly a month ahead of schedule.

Asherville-Idalia 161kV Transmission Line Rebuild