Animal contact with transformer reported to have sparked fire at Celina solar farm substation

What happened

At about 6:30am on 9 May 2019, an animal is reported to have entered a substation at a solar field west of Celina, Ohio, on Meyer Road near State Route 29, and come into contact with a transformer. A local news report says this caused a fire and a very short city-wide power outage, with a momentary disturbance also registered on the DP&L system that supplies Celina's electricity feed. Video of the fire was shared locally.

The Celina Fire Department and Celina Utilities were on the scene for about an hour and a half. No injuries were reported. The damage was described by the report as quite substantial, and no cost estimate was available at the time. No official investigation findings have been published.

Contributing factors

The single local report attributes the fault and fire to an animal gaining access to the substation and contacting a transformer. It does not say how the animal entered or whether animal deterrents were in place, and no official cause determination has been reported.

Lessons learned

1. Animal exclusion at solar substation transformer enclosures must be effective, as contact can cause fire and grid disturbance.
2. Substation barriers and enclosures at solar sites need regular checks to prevent wildlife entry and faults.
3. Coordination between solar site operators, local utility and fire service aids quick response to equipment faults affecting the grid.

More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• How the animal entered the substation
• Cost of the damage
• Official investigation findings
• Transformer model and age

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

mercercountyoutlook.net