LUB Assesses Tornado Damages

Sprint Tower, Substation in Background

The April 27 tornado depleted Lamar Light and Power’s inventory with needed replacements for the electrical distribution system.  Interim Light Plant Superintendent Houssin Hourieh said power was finally restored to the entire service area after 16 hours. 

The tornados knocked down or damaged 16 steel poles, 29 wooden poles, 11 pole mount transformers, 40 cross arms, two circuit closers and a two-way radio repeater.   There were sufficient materials in stock to cover most of the repairs, and the inventory needs to be re-stocked.  The utility board members will be presented several bids for replacement items in the next several weeks. 

Clean up on the damage started almost immediately, with crews from Las Animas, La Junta and Springfield responding that Friday morning to help rebuild lines.  By Friday, May 4, all of the damaged lines were rebuilt and the distribution system was operating on normal feed status.   The City of Lamar’s insurance representative, CIRSA, started conducting a damage assessment on the 27^th, and a claim will be made on the losses.  The Light Plant issued thanks to all the crews from Las Animas, La Junta and Springfield for their assistance during the rebuilding process.  Hourieh said an cost assessment of damaged or destroyed equipment is being conducted, but gave a rough estimate of around $150,000. 

The February 2012 financial report shows a net income of $53,344 factoring in non-operating revenues and expenses against operating revenue of $1,101,218 and costs of $824,657.  Year-to-date net income for the light plant is $311,493.   

The 2012 LUB/ARPA Scholarships have been awarded this year to Laci Pennington from Lamar and Brittney Kemp from McClave.  Pennington’s activities include: FBLA, NHS, 4-H and editor for the Lamar High Chieftain.  Her GPA for high school and college courses is 4.204.  She intends to study Early Childhood Education at UNC Greeley this fall.  Kemp is graduating high school with an Associates of Science from LCC.  She will attend CSU to pursue a career in medicine.  Her class activities included NHS, art and design classes, cheerleading and peer tutoring.  She was also employed at Little People’s Preschool.  The LUB/ARPA scholarship program began in 1999, with each contributing $500.  Three scholarships are usually awarded to students from Lamar, McClave and Wiley. 

Utility board members went into executive session to discuss two matters; legal advice on questions pertaining to Colorado Beef and the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool, and to discuss personnel matters.

By Russ Baldwin