MIKE LYNCH
MANAGER
Mike has been in the electric power industry for over 30 years. Mike’s career began with Sierra Pacific Power Company located in Reno, Nevada as a laborer. He progressed with Sierra Pacific as a helper on a line crew in North Lake Tahoe and then as an apprentice lineman. Mike received his Journeyman Lineman status in 1980 with IBEW Local 1245. He worked outside line construction for Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Sierra Pacific Power. His experience ranged from working on transmission, distribution and substation systems. Mike also served on the IBEW Local 1245 Outside Line Construction negotiating committee.
Mike rejoined Sierra Pacific in 1987 as a Journeyman Lineman and progressed to Troubleman for 7 years. He injured his knee and accepted a temporary position in the Distribution Standards Department which became a full time position. Mike accepted this position with the purpose of obtaining an Electrical Engineering Degree which he pursued for 7 years. Mike became a member in the IEEE as a student member and participated in the following working groups;
ANSI/IEEE 386; Separable Connectors 600 and 200 amp. He helped write the application guidelines for 600 and 200 amp separable connectors.
Numerous insulator committees; polymer and porcelain.
Recipient of the T.Burke Hayes IEEE Power Engineering Society Award in 1998 for writing: “Methods Utilized for the Prevention of Wood Structure Fires Caused by Leakage Current”
Initiated and formed the IEEE Working Group 1656 which he chaired for approximately 4 years. “Draft Guide for Testing the Electrical, Mechanical, and Durability Performance of Wildlife Protective Devices on Overhead Power Distribution Systems Rated up to 38 KV”
Upon leaving Sierra in 1999 Mike began collaboration with numerous utilities about wildlife related issues and began to design insulator conductor covers and cutout covers for wildlife outage protection. He formed Eco Electrical Systems in 2000 with member James “Buzz” Weldy.
His experience includes the following projects; 4,000 amp secondary service for large commercial and industrial customers, pole fire issues caused by leakage current, forensic failure analysis for insulators including testing to ANSI C-29.1 at a high voltage test facility, implementation of an underground loadbreak system for Sierra, underground secondary splice boxes, forensic failure analysis for overhead cutout failures, the development of a new pad mounted Junction Enclosure for loadbreak components (joint effort with PG&E), and numerous other projects related to overhead, underground, transmission and distribution systems.
