SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
For the second time in five years, a Pacific Gas and Electric Company
(PG&E) journeyman lineman team took first place in the world at the
International Lineman’s Rodeo.
The team of Dustin Curry of Stockton, Jordan Chene of Bakersfield and
Jacob Hunt of Fresno beat out 218 teams to take home top honors at the 35th
annual rodeo, held on Oct. 13 in Bonner Springs, Kansas.
Another PG&E journeyman team — Anthony Albright and JP Richard of Grass
Valley and Adam Beene of Merced — took fourth place overall for the
journeyman lineman teams. They had won the top prize in 2014. Apprentice
line worker Brandon Branch of Chico earned fourth place overall for his
performance during the day.
“PG&E line workers dedicate themselves every day to providing our
customers—their family, friends and neighbors in the communities where
they live and work—with electric service that is safe and reliable. This
is a victory we can all be proud of and we are thrilled to see them get
the recognition they so richly deserve,” said Pat Hogan, senior vice
president of Electric Operations at PG&E.
Lineman teams and apprentices from around the world participated in this
elite competition that tests safety training and technical skills. In
all, PG&E linemen visited the podium 19 times during the awards
ceremony, the best performance since the company began participating in
the rodeo in 2012. PG&E line workers earned one of the top spots in
every event they competed in.
Five journeyman lineman teams and 10 apprentices represented PG&E and
the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers (IBEW) Local 1245 in
the competition held at the National Agriculture Center and Hall of Fame.
The International Lineman’s Rodeo is the most prestigious competition to
test linemen on their safety skills and technical training in an array
of contests. These contests include a simulation that tests their
ability to safely rescue an injured colleague, and their ability to
safely and rapidly climb to the top of a utility pole, as well as
several “Mystery Events” that test critical skills related to their
jobs. Linemen undergo years of extensive safety and technical training
to become qualified to perform these critical jobs. PG&E linemen perform
their work in a wide variety of challenging conditions, such as rain
storms, intense heat, blizzards and wildfires.
PG&E’s teams competed in a rigorous intra-company competition in May
against linemen from Northern and Central California to determine which
linemen would win the honor of representing PG&E and IBEW Local 1245 at
the International Rodeo. Teams from Bakersfield, Fresno, Grass Valley,
Merced and Stockton, as well as apprentice linemen from Chico, Fresno,
Grass Valley, Lemoore, Merced, Stockton and Templeton won the right to
compete in the International Lineman’s Rodeo.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San
Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of
the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Brandi Merlo, 415-973-5930
Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company