On February 13, 2023, we were asked to work on the Augusta Canal for Georgia Power. The federal government and the City of Augusta allowed thirty days to complete tasks in the area. At the time, other companies were also working jobs in the area within the same timeframe. Cory Sharp, a project manager for Georgia Power, was facing time and resource constraints and was going to miss the deadline, so he asked Service Electric for help. One of the things that we learned from Operation Manager, Johnny Southern, was that we were to have a can-do attitude. If somebody needed help, we would do it.

“I just wanted to say thank you… Dewey Southern’ s team professionally gave us their opinion on how to build the duct banks, pour the concrete, and protect the conduit… This helped us so much and allowed us to meet some time constraints on installing these duct banks… The product they produced was top notch and they really saved us here.”

– Cory Sharp, Georgia Power

They needed help installing two four-inch pipes up the side of the dam to connect the circuit to the pole. The canal is not only a tourist attraction but also powers the pumps that supply water to the entire city. Completing the job required draining the canal per federal regulation. Because we were removing dirt from the dam’s side, the government gave us 24 hours to complete the task. So, I called in Mike Nicholson’s and Nick Delagarza’s crews to complete the job in the 24-hour time frame. The crews were very professional. They planned their work and worked the plan. Our first task was to dig down to an existing duct bank and tie it into a casing that went underneath the canal.

“They are an amazing group of guys and a resource we can’t imagine doing without.”

– Michael Worthan, Georgia Power

First, we had to dig down about 17’ deep and properly install shoring to keep us safe. Then, once the shoring was in place, we had to remove the concrete from the duct bank while the cable remained energized in the conduit. The next task was to install the energized cables into a new conduit system. After we had conduit around all the energized cables, we formed the duct bank and poured concrete. The crews had to work with federal inspectors to ensure there would not be a rupture in the dam, and they did a great job. Here at Service Electric, we firmly believe in the saying, “You’re only as good as your teammates.” So I need to recognize Jimmy Adams, Nick Delagarza, and Mike Nicholson. I could not have done it without these guys and their crews. The Augusta Canal is full of water again, and the job is complete.

Written by: Dewey Southern, General Foreman