Madison utility featured in Tweet Along

Heartland partners with the city to celebrate Public Power Week

The city of Madison’s Electric Conversion project began nearly a decade ago. It’s goal: convert the entire city from overhead to underground electric lines.

Every year, the city works with around half a million dollars to accomplish each phase of the project.

But is the end in sight? Right now, Electric Foreman Jerry Seitz can’t say.

“Unplanned projects and emergency situations pop up, pushing the conversion project back,” Seitz said.

Emergency situations such as a water main break, like the one that occurred Thursday, October 6.

“The break was only a few feet below an electric line. Our crew had to be there to make sure everyone and everything stayed safe during cleanup and repair,” he said.

Seitz gave up his lunch break that day to monitor the activity, but he knows it’s just part of the job.

“It’s common that I might have to lose a break or work late hours–especially when the power is out,” Seitz said. “Some days aren’t as fun as others, but I still like my job.”

Day or night, the men and women at Madison’s electric utility work hard to make sure our power is safe and reliable. The same can be said for public power utilities across the nation.

To celebrate and call attention to hard-working public power employees, Heartland hosted a Tweet Along during Public Power Week with the city of Madison. For about two hours on October 6, we rode along with Seitz to learn more about the electric utility and the projects they’ve recently accomplished and are currently undertaking, including that interminable conversion project.

Missed the Tweet Along in real time? The tweets are still available on our @HeartlandPower feed.