WESCO's Quick Response Helps Put Power Back On in Seattle

A succession of lightning storms-some among the most powerful in Seattle's history-rained electricity down on the city. More than 1,000 lightning strikes were recorded in a four hour period, according to The Seattle Times.

The storms wreaked havoc on Seattle City Light, the nation's seventh-largest publicly owned electric utility company, serving over 380,000 customers. The utility experienced approximately 400 damaged pole-mounted transformers as a direct result of lightning strikes, leaving 10,000 customers without power. "In a normal year," states Jean Johnson, Seattle City Light's senior material controller, "at the worst we may have 20 to 30 overhead transformers damaged by lightning." The emergency depleted Seattle City Light's supply of the WESCO-furnished, ABB custom-designed transformers.

As a contract supplier for Seattle City Light, WESCO Distribution responded to its customer's emergency request to deliver 290 transformers and to expedite and double the company's normal quarterly replenishment order with ABB's Distribution Transformer Division.

Seattle City Light's transformers are built to a unique spec unlike any other in the country. This results in a normal production time of 21 weeks, including delivery. By leveraging its relationship with ABB, WESCO negotiated with the supplier to refocus its shop schedule and dedicate production lines to manufacture the critically needed transformers. As a result the first shipment of 60 transformers arrived in Seattle 10 days after Johnson's initial phone call to WESCO. The remainder of the order followed shortly thereafter. In addition, WESCO saved Seattle City Light $200,000 by developing a cost effective plan for rapid delivery of the transformers.

Seattle City Light formally expressed its gratitude in letters of appreciation to WESCO and ABB for going "above and beyond" expected levels of service, and for being "suppliers we can count on to get us through these difficult situations."