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Hudson staff seek emergency inspection for failed South Side substation transformer
Summary
City staff told the Hudson City Council an aging 12.47 kV transformer at the South Side substation failed and recommended emergency authorization to diagnose it; estimated diagnosis ~$34,000, rebuild ~$350,000, replacement over $1 million with long lead times.
Hudson city staff told the City Council at a workshop on Aug. 26 that an aging transformer at the South Side substation had failed and cannot be re‑energized, prompting a request for emergency legislation to authorize an inspection by Magna Tech Industrial Services Inc.
Dave Griffith of Hudson Public Power said the unit serves the city’s largest load circuit in the south industrial area and that crews are operating with a backup transformer while repairs are evaluated. “This is an important transformer for us though. It does feed that south industrial type load,” Griffith said.
City staff described the immediate next step as a diagnostic inspection the vendor would perform offsite. Staff estimated the diagnosis at about $34,000 and said a complete rebuild could cost roughly $350,000; procuring a new transformer would exceed $1 million and could take up to about a year given current lead times. Staff told council the contractor indicated they could begin work just after Labor Day if the emergency authorization is in place.
Officials said the electrical fund could absorb repair costs if necessary and that staff are filing a possible insurance claim to offset costs. Council members pressed staff on reliability while the unit is out of service; Griffith said crews have daily load monitoring and can switch feeds but acknowledged that without the backup transformer outages could last longer in the event of a second failure.
Because emergency work requires a formal ordinance, staff asked council to signal support so the resolution can be introduced for action at next week’s council meeting. Council members voiced general agreement and directed staff to place the emergency resolution on the Sept. 2 agenda for formal consideration.
Next steps: Council will consider emergency legislation next week authorizing the city manager to enter an agreement with Magna Tech Industrial Services Inc. for inspection and diagnosis; no contract will be signed until the legislation is passed.
