Yokota Air Base, Japan -- Members from the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron will repair a high voltage transformer starting April 8 at 9 a.m. and finishing April 9 at 4 a.m. at Yokota Air Base, Japan. This will create a power outage for certain parts of the base.
All facilities on the west side and main base will be effected. The airfield and east side of the base will still have power, sustaining the Wing's flying mission and a large population of base residents.
“It is very important to the base that CE repairs the leak to prevent further damage to one of the main substations because it will help avoid an unplanned, prolonged power outage,” said Master Sgt. Richard Tagalicud, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron facility superintendent. “Our goal in this outage is to get in front of this electrical repair to ensure Yokota can continue to successfully operate our mission capabilities.”
The west side substation’s main transformer has sustained structural damage causing gas to leak. Without the gas, the transformer is susceptible to an electrical discharge which could harm the technicians performing preventative maintenance and could potentially destroy the transformer.
During the power outage, CE members will de-energize the transformer, remove the remaining gas, deconstruct the transformer, and replace the damaged part.
“We ask for your patience throughout this power outage as we work to quickly and safely return power to all the facilities,” Tagalicud said. “We hope by giving advance notice, residents will be able to plan accordingly.”