IBEW Local 2 - Mark Twain Transmission Line Construction in Northeast Missouri
Channel: ElectricTV
Date: 2020-06-25

Being a lineman allows one the freedom to work outside and even in various locations around the world. Though, at times, even though the wind might blow and the rain might fall, being a lineman is an extremely fulfilling career. According to NECA/IBEW journeyman lineman Sheldon Slater, being a lineman “was always in [his] calling.”

The Mark Twain Transmission Line runs through Hannibal, Missouri, where Mark Twain’s childhood home resides. It is a 96 mile, 345 KV transmission line which is made up of 2 segments of line consisting of roughly 60 and 30 miles each.

David Heidbreder, the business manager of IBEW Local 2 explained the project, which will relieve congestion on the power grid while also being able to transport energy from new renewable sources (like wind) back to the grid, allows for increased reliability and lower costs across northeast Missouri. A virtual win-win, for the utility (Ameren) and the customer (more than 71,000 in the various counties the line spans).

Furthermore, according to Quinton Fluss, a transmission operations manager for JF Electric (NECA-affiliated contractor), “It can power anything into the future for quite some time.”

At one point, the project had between 80 and 90 IBEW linemen working 12- or 14-hour shifts, 7 days a week in order to stay on schedule. But, despite the project demands, the Labor-management partnership has always been mutually beneficial for JF Electric and the IBEW, stating that it’s been a great place to work. 

The owner/customer of the Mark Twain Transmission Line project, Ameren Transmission, said it was a rigorous process, but that they made the right decision in going with JF Electric and their IBEW linemen and women.

According to Ameren Transmission Construction Manager Chuck Twellmann, JF Electric brought “not only their expertise but really their ability to prove that they can be a good partner.” They built the project safely and successfully and also went above and beyond by having positive interactions with landowners. 

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