Up for a Challenge

Working on different project assignments brings joy to me, because each project brings more opportunities and challenges that go with it.  Looking back to one of the challenging work experiences that I had is when I was assigned to work on a project that entailed a comprehensive drawing update, relay coordination, short circuit analysis, arc flash analysis and load study of the electrical system for the Naval Support Facility at Indian Head, MD.

With the scope of work in mind, and with proper coordination by the supervisor, we were able to get started on the first step – SURVEY! Yes, survey.  As I remember, during our first survey, it was winter and snow was all around the ground.  I was lucky enough to have Cameron Parks survey with me because this guy is well trained to enter forests or wooded areas.  He can tell where the deer were, and where other wild animals were hiding, as well as the dangerous snakes.  Moving forward, we surveyed transmission lines using the survey drawings that we had.

The following days seemed more challenging, because the weather was often below the freezing point.  Fortunately, I was advised by Cameron to have the same suit that he has, just like you are about to go to a winter ski game. I thought the picture was a little more horror movie rather than the Winter Games, but I did buy it, just in a different style, and it helped with protection in the cold weather.

Winter passed, and summer season came with more challenging experiences – times that you have to survey by yourself so that the project will not be delayed.  This is particularly challenging for me due to the fact that my eyes are not that sharp as the young people I work with. However with consistency and trying, I was able to do the work with flying colors.

Survey of the transmission lines, pads and pole transformers was challenging because we looked at miles of transmission lines and hundreds transformers, literally.  But those challenges gave way to other engineering opportunities. From the information gathered, we had to carefully coordinate, study and use our engineering knowledge to create detailed drawings of the entire system. From those drawings, we were able to draft and do the short circuit analysis.

It just goes to show, “Challenges give more opportunities; opportunities have lot of challenges”.