Electrical Upgrades Mean New Boxes

“Ground-mounted transformers may seem like something else kids can play on in the yard, but they are necessary infrastructure for buried power lines and shouldn’t be played on or tampered with.”

                -Steuben County REMC’s Indiana Connection July 2022 Edition

Happy Acres Campground and REMC are working together to upgrade the in-coming power at the campground. For you, this means more consistent and better power. It also means a few green boxes have been added around the campground. We have all seen those green boxes, and although they can be a tempting spot for kids to gather around or use for games, it is no place for play. These pad-mount transformers house 7,200 volts of electricity and are part of the electrical system for the buried power lines that provide electricity to the campsites. They are no different from utility poles, they are just mounted to the ground instead. Jon Elkins, vice president of safety, training and compliance at Indiana Electric Cooperatives said, “They’re designed to be safer, with a locked metal case around the transformer and conduit around the wires, but they’re still an electrical transformer.”

 While ground transformers do have a safety casing around them, they can still be extremely dangerous and the warning stickers should be taken seriously. When near these utility boxes, you should always use caution and keep a safe distance. Children should especially be correctly and thoroughly informed about the dangers that could be presented. “The electrical equipment inside is designed to be safe, and people don’t have to be scared of it, but it’s better to avoid the boxes altogether.” Elkins said.

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