String Of Copper Thefts From West Penn Power Substations
A burglar likely risked death or serious injury during a copper theft from a West Penn Power electric substation and a C&D Coal building in Derry Township, a utility company spokesman said Monday.
Stealing electrical grounding wire from the energized substation “could have badly injured the perpetrators or killed them,” said Todd Meyers, a spokesman for the Greensburg-based West Penn Power Co. It severely compromises Substation Safety.
An electric surge could have caused serious injury to someone cutting wires with a tool, Meyers said. State police are investigating the copper theft. An initial burglary occurred 12:15 a.m. Jan. 12, when someone broke locks to the substation, disconnected the power and removed copper grounding wire. The substation is adjacent to the C&D Coal building at 200 Chestnut Ridge.
A second burglary occurred sometime before Jan. 19, when more wires were cut along with conduit from utility poles containing large copper wire. A large hole was cut in a 16-foot-by-16-foot C&D Coal building, formerly owned by Kennametal Inc. Panels from the back of the metal-clad switch gears that power the business were removed and wires were cut.
A third burglary occurred between Jan. 19 and 11:35 a.m. Jan. 20, when cables from behind the gears were removed by pulling them through the underground conduit to where the conduit was cut at the utility poles.
West Penn Power estimated damage to its substation at between $500 and $600, Meyers said. No residential customers were affected by the lines being cut, he said.
In addition to the burglar risking death, Meyers said the safety of West Penn Power crews could have been compromised. “Our guys should not have to be endangered,” because of the theft of the grounding wire, Meyers said.
Source: Derry Township
Solutions
Technologies
Contact Us
CRESATECH Limited
Unit 2
Franklins House
Wesley Lane
Bicester
Oxon OX26 6JU
CRESATECH (USA)
155 E Boardwalk Dr, Suite 422,
Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
Registration
CRESATECH Inc. is a corporation registered in Delaware, USA
(No. 5421150).
Registered in England
(No. 7753223).
VAT Number: GB130795808