004: Manager on Call: The Day the Line Exploded

Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators

In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, hosts Pablo Fuentes (CEO of Bloom Spatial) and James Tanneberger (CEO of South Central Indiana REMC) explore real-world utility emergency response through personal experience.

James recounts his early days as an electrical engineer when he was assigned to the "manager on call" rotation. During a severe storm, a 69kV transmission line took a lightning strike and, instead of safely tripping as designed, the line exploded—destroying 30 spans of critical transmission infrastructure and leaving scattered aluminum fragments across the landscape.

What you'll learn:

• How utility crews responded to an unprecedented transmission line failure
• The decision-making process during emergency restoration efforts
• Working through challenging conditions to restore critical infrastructure
• The importance of resource allocation during major outages
• How extreme weather creates unexpected operational challenges

Key Lesson: James shares an important leadership principle he learned that night: "Call too many people too soon, rather than too few, too late"—a philosophy that has shaped his approach to emergency response throughout his career.

This episode offers insights into the challenges and decision-making that utility operators face during emergency situations. Whether you work in the utility industry or are interested in infrastructure and emergency response, this story provides a practical look at how electric cooperatives maintain reliable service for their communities.