September 9, 2026 Sturgeon California’s commitment to safety and project excellence brings electricity back to the Imperial and Coachella Valleys
Restoring power in the wake of a weather crisis with rapid mobilization and a strong teamwork mentality
Sturgeon Electric California is not just a company, it’s a village. And the company’s response to storms Lorena and Mario was a true testament to this mindset.
The combination of torrential rain and 75-mile-per-hour winds that hit California’s Imperial and Coachella Valleys in August of 2025 was quite literally the perfect storm, causing widespread damage and leaving 8,000 Imperial Irrigation District (IID) customers without power. For the community, it was not only damage to infrastructure, but daily life for an entire region of Southern California put on pause.
Commitment and Trust from the Start
It took only a few hours for electrical contractor Sturgeon Electric California (Sturgeon California) to have boots on the ground after receiving the call from IID to help restore power after a monsoon tore through their region. IID serves a unique region of Southern California spanning the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, including communities along the U.S.—Mexico border. As a locally governed, publicly owned utility, IID is responsible for maintaining its extensive infrastructure and responding directly when severe weather impacts the communities it serves.
Although this was Sturgeon California’s first time engaging with the utility, the teams’ strong, family-oriented, and transparent cultures immediately meshed and enabled the seamless contractor-utility partnership that developed over the course of the work.
Sturgeon California and IID maintained consistent and open communication throughout the entirety of the project. This fortified trust between the companies enabled necessary changes to be made swiftly.
The extensive damage from rain and windstorms Lorena and Mario, coupled with the continued inclement weather that followed, resulted in work that lasted nearly two months. As Sturgeon California repaired damaged electrical poles and lines, their partnership with IID strengthened. They began receiving additional project work; something Operations Manager Paul Willenborg regards as “the biggest compliment a contractor can receive.” The team worked tirelessly, clocking 16-hour days, seven days a week, for six weeks straight. During that time, the crews reconstructed 150 transmission poles.
Not only did Sturgeon California’s approach help manage IID’s overall restoration costs, the work also strengthened the repaired infrastructure. Great care was taken to ensure poles were erected in proper alignment to minimize strain on the structures and support long-term reliability. Sturgeon California’s expertise contributed to a durable and resilient restoration of the affected infrastructure.
“The integrity of that line was left in a manner that is second to none,” Willenborg said, “It should be able to withstand great amounts of pressure in the future.”
A Team-Wide Commitment to Safety
Sturgeon California’s performance on such a strenuous and highly technical project can be largely attributed to the team’s strong culture. When faced with such a challenge, the company is all-hands on deck. From district manager to back-office management, the crews in the field felt the company’s support during their long hours and tireless work.
“It really does take a village,” Willenborg reflects, “It’s not just the people rebuilding the poles. There is so much that goes into it, including our culture.”
With an operations manager, superintendent, general foreman, and five crews on site, the restoration efforts required diligent coordination and dedication to keep team members safe and work running smoothly. In addition to the project’s 24/7 safety manager, crews prioritized safe work habits in the face of long hours and tumultuous conditions.
“My immediate focus was assessing hazards and ensuring the safety of the crew before beginning any restoration work,” Jaime Rosales, a foreman on the project said.
Intense wind and rainfall posed hazards in the field, but the team exercised Stop Work Authority when necessary, while remaining productive.
“As opposed to climbing or doing something dangerous from an aerial perspective, we would shift priorities, framing poles on the ground, staging the next areas, and prepping the wire to restring,” Willenborg said, “The productivity was never interrupted.”
Meanwhile, back-office personnel worked diligently to support field crews, ensuring they had proper accommodation, quality meals, and enough rest to maintain peak physical and mental performance and reduce the risk of injury.
The decentralized command practiced by Sturgeon California meant employees felt empowered to watch out for one another and hold themselves accountable.
“We’re here to watch your back and give you the trust you need to do your job,” Willenborg said. “And because of that, it’s truly created and cultivated a culture of ownership, accountability, and the biggest thing: trust.”
This company-wide effort resulted in a perfect safety record on the project. While the work was not easy, it was done safely thanks to each and every crew member’s dedication to doing things the right way.
A Work Ethic Built on Pride and Support
For Sturgeon California, the response was about more than numbers or timelines. It was about answering the call to support a neighboring community and standing shoulder to shoulder with IID during one of its most challenging periods.
“Being able to help the community of Imperial meant a lot to me,” Rosales said, “Knowing families were without power and that their lives were disrupted reinforced the importance of our work. I take pride in helping restore power and supporting communities when they need it most.”
The dedication, endurance, and professionalism shown throughout the response reflect the commitment Sturgeon California brings to storm restoration work — showing up when others are in need and staying until the job is done safely.
Sturgeon California is a subsidiary of MYR Group Inc., a holding company of 13 electrical contractors performing electrical infrastructure work across the U.S. and Canada.