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Apr 17, 2024
power lines
Meet the Invenergy field services operations team
by Invenergy
For some people, there’s nothing better than working with cranes and solving interesting mechanical challenges. And if you’re able to see different parts of the country while you’re at it, even better. Just ask the technicians on Invenergy Services’ Field Services Operations team.
“I like to work, I like to stay busy, and I like trying to figure things out,” says technician Tucker Looney, who is based at the 148.6 MW Goldthwaite Wind Energy Center in Texas. “Taking something huge apart and putting it back together is the greatest job in the world.”
Invenergy Services’ Field Services Operations team is the traveling arm of Invenergy Services, going from site to site to assist site technicians with specialized repairs and operations. Looney, like his fellow techs on the Field Services Operations team, says the goal is to get the most out of the sites we service by making sure to provide expert maintenance and repair work, no matter how large the job or how complex the equipment.
“We do major component repair like pitch-bearing replacements and work with cranes to take down and repair rotors,” Looney says. “We not only get to be the first eyes on new technology, but we get to learn a whole new scope of work as well.”
Invenergy Services’ Field Services Operations began in 2015, and currently boasts over 75 technicians today. Technicians are typically sent out in groups of two to six people depending on the nature of the work – some jobs only take a day, while others can take up to a week or more.
“I knew right away I wanted to do it and cornered my manager to learn as much as I could about how to start on the team,” says Kody Hobbs, a Field Services technician based in Vermilion County, IL.
Part of their enthusiasm comes from the opportunity to work with new equipment and technology as the industry continues to grow. In June 2021, the team swapped out a failed High-Speed Intermediate Shaft (HSIS) without the use of an external crane – deploying a new innovative method for the job while bringing savings to the project.
After several long road trips spent brainstorming ideas of how to remove the nacelle lid and allow for proper clearance to swap the HSIS, Field Services team members took a trip to visit a technical college that had a grounded nacelle. After taking detailed measurements, the team put their plans in motion and began designing the necessary equipment and ordering the necessary parts and tools to execute the swap.
The team successfully completed the procedure without using an external crane or taking off the lid of the nacelle and have since utilized the same equipment and processes for several other scopes of work that would have normally utilized heavy equipment. The team has added the procedure to their repertoire, a technique that will provide huge cost savings for our customers.
Although spending 75 percent of your time on the road is not for everyone, the unique challenges of the job make being a Field Services tech ideal for those who love adventure.
“That’s the great thing about us – we all connect, we work well with each other, and we have a great network to share answers and get the information we need to get as much as we can out of our equipment,” Looney says.
Field Services’ enthusiasm for their craft makes the team among the best in the business, and our techs are ready to help your power project be as productive as it can be. For more information and to stay updated on all things Invenergy Services, follow us on LinkedIn or reach out to InvenergyServices@invenergy.com.
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