Electric Co-op Today

Most people wouldn’t trade their life for $58, but that’s exactly what a man in Oklahoma did when he attempted to steal some copper wire from an energized power line.

Wayne Price

It’s hard to understand why anyone would put their life at risk just for a few dollars. Law enforcement officials believe that methamphetamine users are primarily responsible for much of the problem.

In 2010, metal theft-related deaths also occurred in North Carolina, West Virginia, Illinois and Ohio.

The damage done to the electrical system packs a big punch, since equipment can be ruined without the protection copper wires provide. Last year in Oklahoma, thieves took off with about $100 worth of copper wire from a substation, but left a $1 million repair bill after a fire destroyed regulators, switches and a $600,000 transformer. More than 3,500 consumers were left in the dark after the incident, although the utility was able to restore power quickly.

The cost of scrap copper goes up and down, but recently it’s been on the rise—and so have robbery attempts. In January 2011, scrap copper sold for five times the amount it went for in 2001. At the beginning of April, copper was selling for $3.17 a pound in Nebraska.

In March, law enforcement officials charged a couple in Virginia with grand larceny after they discovered a stolen utility transformer in the trunk of their car. Investigators reported the incident as the first theft of its kind in western Virginia, but said it could point to a new trend in metal and copper thefts.

Officials estimated a value of $2,000 for the transformer. They said that three other transformers had also been reported missing recently. The transformers contain copper and other metal components that would likely bring no more than $160 in scrap.

Electric cooperatives and public power districts use copper to ground their equipment, protecting it from electrical surges and lightning by giving electricity a safe path to ground.

They use a lot of copper wire in substations, where they step down high-voltage electricity arriving from distant power plants. The electricity is then sent to other transformers, which lower the voltage again so the power can be used in the home.

Copper is an essential component at every step of the way.

Linemen in Nebraska are highly trained professionals who understand the dangers of working with electricity and take proper safety precautions. To protect the public, substations are surrounded with secure fencing and warning signs. But some thieves will not be deterred.

The Nebraska statewide association urges consumers to follow several guidelines to guard against electrical dangers and prevent copper theft. They include, but are not limited to:

• Never enter a substation, or touch equipment inside, and stay away from power lines or anything touching them;

• Contact the electric co-op or public power district immediately upon noticing anything unusual with electric facilities, such as an open substation gate or hanging wires; and

• Help spread the word about the deadly consequences that can result from trying to steal copper or aluminum.

Finally, we are encouraging consumers to call the police or sheriff’s department if they see anyone other than utility personnel around substations or other electric facilities.

Wayne Price is editor of the Nebraska Rural Electric Association’s Rural Electric Nebraskan magazine.

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