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 Benton
Utilities Electric Department
 Since 1918, the Benton Utilities Electric Department has been proud to
serve the residential, business, governmental and industrial customers in
the City of Benton by supplying them with the most reliable and affordable
electrical power supply.
This department is focused on our excellent customer services. We have
implemented progressive maintenance programs to focus on maintaining a
properly functioning electric distribution system. These programs, which
satisfy the requirements of the National Electric Safety Code, consist of
regular inspections and appropriate replacements of key equipment, such as
poles, capacitors, regulators, reclosers, underground cables, etc.
We have also improved our vegetation management process in order to move
away from reactive trimming and establish a system to trim each electrical
distribution feeder proactively based on its own unique trim cycle. This
has improved our system and reduced the number of outages do to trees or
other vegetation in the lines.
The Benton Utilities Electric Dept. has recently had a Supervisory Control
and Data Acquisition System (SCADA system) installed and implemented, this
is a computer based automated control system that monitors and controls
the current of electricity through lines. The SCADA system aids the
linemen when out on an outage to locate the problem which can help to get
the power back on faster.
 Like other utilities across the nation, the electric department’s
reliability is adversely affected by vegetation, lightning and animal
contacts. Despite these adverse conditions affecting reliability, we have
made steady progress in recent years. And will continue to strive to
improve its reliability record. The best method to sustain reliability
improvement is to approach it from the long-term perspective, maintaining
reliability programs at a stable level, year after year.
The manager of the Benton Utilities Electric Department is Will LaSage; he
has been with this department for several years. He is responsible for
executing the daily activities in the electric department and coordinating
these with the Benton Utilities General Manager.
Besides Mr. LaSage, the electric department is staffed by a line foreman,
warehouse manager, six journeyman lineman, relay manager/SCADA Technician,
Journeyman Electrician, six apprentice lineman, lead tree trimmer, three
tree trimmers and a secretary. This crew works hard to carry out the
duties they are assigned to do.
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