Central Moloney working to replace damaged transformers from hurricanes
BAY COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – Central Moloney's Panama City facility manufactures pole-mounted electric transformers.
A pole transformer converts high-power electricity on a power pole into a lower voltage for homes and businesses. As you might imagine, this year's hurricane season has destroyed a lot of transformers.
It is only adding to a shortage of transformers across the nation. Without transformers, there is no power.
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"Not every person may have electricity because if they've had damage to their house or, you know, other areas, but the power companies do an amazing job and then they will, you know, obviously need to rebuild their stockpiles as well as the normal inventory that they carry and that's where we help them," Central Moloney Community Relations Manager Alexandra Murphy said.
Power companies like to have additional inventory before a natural disaster hits to replace damaged parts.
And employees have a rapid response time to bring power back as quickly as possible.
"It's definitely an adjustment to learn how to work quickly with parts and how to work safely," Central Moloney Quality Department Finisher Mason Owens said.
Transformers don't last forever. They need maintenance and repair to continue functioning. But eventually, they need to be replaced.
An average transformer can last 20 to 30 years before it needs to be replaced.
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Some transformers have a pole guard on them to prevent animals from getting into the power line. Central Moloney opened its Bay County plant around 16 months ago.
All 130 of their employees take pride in helping to restore power after a storm.
"I feel good that we're giving people power again. This is our low voltage. This is our high voltage. And we put the wires on according to what size we need," Central Moloney Assembly Operator Kasheen Bolden said.
Central Moloney is home-based in Arkansas and operates 11 facilities across North America.
