Nation's electric grid under strain
Five years ago, the U.S. electrical generation industry was straining to keep up with ever-increasing demand.

Today, after a four-year-long boom in power plant construction, keeping up with demand isn't a problem any longer - the difficulty lies in moving the electricity through an overworked transmission system.

"Unless transmission reinforcements are built, new generating capacity is likely to be trapped in several regions," said Doug Logan of Platts Research & Consulting/RDI, as reported in the Engineering News Record.

By the end of 2001, the ENR reported, the powerplant construction boom had added more than 70,000 megawatts to the nation's generation capacity, and 210,000 megawatts more were in development or under construction, according to a new report from Energy Ventures Analysis Inc.

Most of the additional power production capacity has come from the construction of natural gas-fired power plants. Federal energy officials now worry that the West's gas pipeline system may not be able to meet growing demand. In addition, an energy consulting firm is warning that the electric-transmission grid must be reinforced in several areas. If a better grid is not built, electric power could be trapped in some regions, such as New England, the South-Central U.S. and the Pacific Northwest.

According to the Michigan Public Service Commission, ongoing power plant construction of baseload and peaker plants in our state will result in the additional production capacity of 3,650 megawatt of electricity in the next two years. Another 6,100 megawatts of power could be brought on line if plans go through.

Cell tower erection is dangerous work
Construction work is always high on the lists of the most hazardous jobs in the U.S. But the dangers of cell phone tower construction is off the charts.

The Great Lakes Fabricators and Erectors reports that figures compiled by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries record the deaths of 163 workers out of a total labor force estimated at approximately 6,000 from 1992 through 2001. That rate is some 30-times greater than the average rate of fatalities for all injuries.

Of the 163 killed, 129 died from falls, 19 from collapses, and 15 from other causes.

While some cell phone tower construction crews are union, they are predominately open shop operations that travel from job to job across the country.

Junior Leaguers appreciate support
To the Greater Detroit Building Trades, 
On behalf of the Junior League World Series and youth players from around the world, I wish to sincerely express our utmost appreciation to the locals of the building trades. Your generosity to the annual Junior League World Series is typical of the high values you place on community involvement, especially towards kids.

Thank you very much for helping your brother help this worthy cause.

Tom Wiedling (Plumbers Local 98) Junior League World Series, Chairman Program Book and Banners