You may have heard that transformers – essential parts of the grid used to “transform” high electrical voltages down to lower voltages for homes and businesses – are in very short supply and hard to come by. That’s true, due to global supply chain issues impacting electrical steel, shipping, and a general slowing of production. Unfortunately, this global transformer shortage may impact your project.
The transformer shortage is a global supply chain issue impacting all electric utilities worldwide – not just Flathead Electric Cooperative. Our Operations department has worked incredibly hard to prevent this shortage, and through careful planning and preparation, was able to keep FEC members from being impacted by the shortage for the first couple of years of this global situation.
Your Co-op’s Continued Efforts
Every reasonable resource to source equipment and get jobs completed as quickly as possible is being utilized. Equipment has been repurposed where possible, and even moved around the system to benefit the maximum number of members possible.
FEC is not a manufacturer of transformers, and we share the frustrations of every member waiting for transformers. The dedicated folks in Operations are doing everything in their power to obtain more transformers and to rebuild the Co-op’s pre-pandemic stockpile, but the situation is largely out of their control.
Your Co-op understands the serious challenges the transformer shortage presents for our members waiting to electrify projects. As much as we would like to tell you when you’re going to get your transformer, we can’t. However, we can keep you informed on the challenges we are facing, the current landscape, and any progress we are seeing so that you can plan accordingly. That’s the purpose of this page. We will post relevant information here as it becomes available. Our goal is always to provide our members with accurate, timely, and transparent information.
We will continue to do everything we can to resolve this situation. For now, this page is meant to serve as a resource to you.
Industry Advocacy
Your Co-op’s leadership team is working with our regional and national associations on solutions to improve the transformer supply chain issues.
One of the most pressing issues today is proposed legislation by the Department of Energy to change the conservation standards for distribution transformers. The timing of these changes is very concerning as we expect that this would worsen the current backlog of transformers on order by the global industry.
Click the date below to read the latest update from your Co-op.
Transformer Updates
We continue to receive small shipments of transformers and continue to make progress on our waitlist. Here are the latest numbers:
Current Snapshot: Single Phase Padmount Transformers
The numbers below provide a current snapshot of our waitlist and associated wait times for non-subdivision jobs. These numbers are a moving target with jobs constantly being completed, new jobs being added to the list, and shifting inventory levels.
- Jobs (requiring transformers) built since January 2023:
- Total jobs built: 88
- Average wait time: 74 days*
- Total jobs ready to be built, waiting for transformers: 82
- Longest wait on current list: 162 days*
- **Transformers on order (not yet received) since December 2021: 1,438
Transformers received since December 2021: 553
- **Transformers on order (not yet received) since December 2021: 1,438
*Wait times vary depending on the job type, size of transformer needed, and current inventory. Some jobs are further delayed due to weather and not inventory issues.
Last week was one of our most encouraging weeks this year in terms of inventory levels. FEC received shipments with 114 padmount transformers. One shipment represented partial delivery of an order we have been waiting for since December 2021. This will allow us to make some significant progress on the jobs currently waiting for transformers.
Current Snapshot: 7200 Single Phase Padmount Transformers:
The numbers below provide a current snapshot of our wait list and associated wait times for non-subdivision jobs. These numbers are a moving target with jobs constantly being completed, new jobs being added to the list, and shifting inventory levels.
- Jobs (requiring transformers) built since January 2023:
- Total jobs built: 57 (20 so far in February)
- Average wait time: 79 days*
- Longest wait time for built job: 112 days*
- Total jobs waiting for transformers: 85
- Longest wait on current list: 148 days*
- Transformers on order (not yet received) since December 2021: 1,342
- Transformers received since December 2021: 482
*Wait times vary depending on the job type, size of transformer needed, and current inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Even if you could find one, there are many different specifications for transformers, particularly regarding system voltages, and they’re not all compatible with our system. For the integrity of our system and the safety of our lineworkers and members, transformers must meet these specific requirements. Therefore, we must maintain control of the purchase, inspection, and installation of all transformers on our system.
Projects are only added to our construction queue once they have been through our design process, approved, and paid in full. At that point, workorders are ready to be built, and they are transferred to our operations team. Those “operations ready” workorders are generally prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis. Available inventory and operational considerations such as proximity to other projects or equipment may also impact timing of jobs built. The best way to expedite your workorder is to get your paperwork completed and your project paid in full.
It is true that we are experiencing extended wait times for jobs requiring new single phase padmount transformers. However, we are receiving small shipments of transformers periodically and continue to build as many jobs as we can as quickly as possible.
No. It is true that we are not setting transformers in subdivisions when services are not yet ready. Once services are ready, we are working with developers to get transformers in place as quickly as possible to all or portions of the development. Depending on the type of job and equipment needed, lead times have ranged from two to eight months for recent subdivision projects.
To ensure that your real estate transaction or loan process isn’t held up, FEC can send a letter stating that all requirements to receive electricity have been fulfilled, and that the holdup is due to supply chain issues. To request a letter, please call the Co-op at (406) 751-4483 and ask to speak to the distribution design department.
Your Co-op can help!
If you need information about a new project or if you have questions about your workorder in-progress that has not been approved and fully paid, call (406) 751-4483 and ask to speak with the Distribution Design department.
If your job has been through our design process, approved and fully paid, call (406) 751-4428 with questions.