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City staff to issue RFP after transformer search stalls; Smart911 opt-in urged
Summary
Staff reported a delayed transformer refurbishment timeline and said they will issue an RFP/RFQ to find an available unit sooner; officials also urged residents to sign up for Smart911 (Rave) for emergency notifications.
City municipal-services staff told the Public Utilities Advisory Board that a planned additional transformer for the water plant will not be immediately available from a nearby vendor because the vendor intends to refurbish an existing unit, a process staff said will take about 60 weeks.
Because that timeline defeats the city’s need for a quicker backup, staff said they will issue a nationwide RFP or RFQ to find a transformer that could be installed sooner. Staff described a preferred approach of installing a third transformer into service (rather than storing a spare) so the system can be switched to a live unit when another transformer is taken down for maintenance.
Staff also discussed generator options and said they will issue a feasibility RFP as soon as the end of next week to determine generator sizing, wiring needs and what functions would require power in an emergency. The goal is to assess whether a multimillion-dollar generator installation would be justified.
In an after-action review of a recent event, staff said the biggest gap identified was timely public notification. They asked residents to opt in to Smart911 (also marketed as Rave) and said signup will be posted on the city’s emergency-preparedness web page so the city can send texts to affected customers during outages or other emergencies.
Board members had no further questions; staff indicated the RFP/RFQ and feasibility study will proceed.
