Lorena and Mario Emergency Storm Response Emergency Services
| Client | Imperial Irrigation District |
| Completion Date | October 2025 |
| Location | Imperial Valley & Coachella Valley, CA |
| Completed by | Sturgeon Electric California, LLC |
Sturgeon Electric California (Sturgeon California) provided Imperial Irrigation District (IID) electrical transmission services following two consecutive severe weather events that caused widespread damage across IID’s transmission infrastructure. What was initially anticipated as a short-duration emergency storm response evolved into a nearly two-month project due to the extent of the damage. Because of the high quality of Sturgeon California’s restoration work, their crews were given additional work.
Beginning August 2025 and concluding in October, Sturgeon California crews mobilized rapidly and reconstructed 150 damaged transmission poles that had been snapped, displaced, or destroyed by extreme winds, heavy rain, and monsoonal conditions. Crews consistently averaged the installation of 25 poles per week while working seven days a week, often 16 hours per day. The work included single-pole wood structures and H-frame configurations supporting a 60kV transmission system with an under build.
In addition to structural replacements, Sturgeon California provided wire repair and reinstallation services by salvaging and restoring existing transmission conductor rather than procuring and installing new wire. This approach required additional labor and technical precision but resulted in significant cost savings for IID while maintaining system integrity.
A key component of the scope of work involved improving the overall integrity and longevity of the transmission line. All newly installed poles were set plumb and properly aligned to ensure balanced tensioning and even load distribution throughout the infrastructure. Sturgeon California left the infrastructure in better condition than it was prior to the storms, increasing its ability to withstand future extreme weather events.
The project was executed under demanding safety and environmental conditions, including high winds exceeding 70 miles per hour and heavy rain. Despite these challenging conditions, the project concluded with zero safety incidents or OSHA recordables and no equipment damage despite the long hours and hazardous environment.