Young Talent and a New Substation for Mayo

Yukon Energy is fortunate to have a highly skilled and dedicated staff. However we also have some pretty cracker jack contractors working for us. Today we'd like to tip our hat to F & M Installations, the company that is doing a large portion of the work on the new substation that is being constructed in Mayo.

Substations transform voltage from high to low, or from low to high in an effort to properly route generated power to where it is needed. Think of them as traffic circles for electricity. In this case, all the power coming from our existing and new Mayo hydro facilities will be routed so that it can be transmitted to any and all communities connected to the Yukon grid.

Our existing substation in Mayo is at the end of its life and needs upgrading. That's particularly important with our new Mayo B hydro facility coming into service at the end of this year.

F & M Installations is in the first stage of construction, carrying out the civil and foundation work for this project. That involves building and pouring forms that will hold some 500 cubic meters of concrete, establishing the new grounding structure (a mat of 88 underground rods that serves as a protective measure) and installing fencing. Essentially they are constructing the foundations to which the steel lattice work, control building and major pieces of electrical apparatus can be placed in the spring of 2012.

The job is going very smoothly and is on time and on budget. What's interesting to note is that the man who's supervising the crew is only 24 years old! Trevor Styan started working at the age of 12 as a ‘shop rat’ at his uncle’s business, Graf Excavating. Now with F & M Installations (a business that works closely with Graf), Trevor has a working relationship with some of his key staff that dates back a dozen years.

"I have been, and still am, very fortunate to work with such talented tradespeople so young in my career," said Trevor. "Working together, we become a team that is efficient and effective."

In spite of his young age, it's clear by watching the F & M employees that they look up to and respect Trevor. He has the confidence and demeanor of someone twice has age.

"I can see that there might have been some trepidation at the beginning of this project with me being so young," said Trevor. "Thankfully the job has gone well and so now I think people can see that I do have the skill and knowledge necessary to ensure the successful completion of projects like this. It's gratifying to have our team put their trust in me."

Trevor is modest when talking about himself, preferring to put the spotlight on his staff instead. "Ultimately it is a team of innovative people that lead our projects forward on time and on budget. The owners, project managers, office staff , truck drivers, warehouse mangers, site supervisors, trades, labourers all know what their job entails and every member of our team excels at their tasks."

The civil work started July 22 and is expected to be finished in mid-September. FMI’s electrical and structural crew will take over in the spring, and the substation should be in operation by next fall, serving the new Mayo B hydro facility and existing infrastructure for many years to come.