Construction delays are happening in every industry nationwide, as well as ours. Currently, WCEC members that want new overhead services built are experiencing long wait times. After receipt of payment, all easements are secured and line locates are completed, there is about a 3 week wait for construction to begin. Underground services are taking much longer, and we are having a challenging time predicting completion dates for those, but most will exceed 8 weeks from time of payment.
This is not the norm, and it is frustrating for us and upsetting to members.
This situation is being caused by several factors, but primarily supply chain issues and labor shortages. Workers across a broad spectrum and network of industries that interact and supply us with materials and parts are contributing to the backlog. Adding to this is a vastly increased and unprecedented uptick in regional construction. Too, there are occasional weather disruptions.
To help with this backlog, we have added additional contractor crews. We are also leaning on our strong supply chain alliances to get us the required transformers and other equipment that we need to complete jobs.
We don’t ever want to disappoint members and want all to know that we are doing everything within our power to mitigate the delays. Our suppliers, crews, contract crews and management team are working extremely hard for you.
If you know you will need new service, we recommend you take the following steps early so that your project will be ready when you need it.
Steps to New Construction
- Call in and make a new connection order.
- Site visit by WCEC field service representative.
- Engineering relays options and fee information to member.
- Members pays fees and easements are complete. (Required before next steps).
- Engineering Department secures permits.
- Dig Tess line locates are completed.
- Job is released for construction.
- Jobs go into a que in the order they were released, and this is where the wait begins, averaging 5 weeks for overhead and 11 weeks for underground.