Utilities across the country are being challenged to acquire necessary electrical equipment in a timely fashion, including KCEC. System upgrades may be delayed amid the ongoing problems associated with the global supply chain issues.
With the long lead time and shortage of materials that are used for new construction, new customer connections may be affected and possibly placed on hold. Materials such as transformers, conductors and meters have lead times of 40-52 weeks. General Electric is not taking orders for pad-mount transformers which will put stress on the other manufacturers which will result in longer delivery times for transformers. Material that is currently in inventory is being used for outages and emergency situations for existing customers as needed. New construction is being prioritized on a case-by-case basis.
Like the United States, KCEC is also dealing with a qualified labor shortage. KCEC is focusing on the operation and maintenance of our infrastructure. KCEC is canvasing the existing system looking for transformers that are idle and using them for new construction. KCEC is also looking at other supply houses for refurbished transformers.
The global supply chain disruption is causing our ability to guarantee a fiber-optic connection to all of our members. During the pandemic, access to broadband internet services increased due to people working from home and students learning remotely. The issue we continue to see is that prices for materials is starting to increase significantly which will impact the number of drops that can be completed. KCEC will continue to update members on the supply chain issue.