After heavy winds and rain swept through the Puget Sound on Tuesday, January 12, more than 17,800 customers in Kitsap County were without power on Wednesday morning. As our staff and field crews worked tirelessly to restore service in that area, they got an extra boost of energy from the ECO-PAC portable battery pack, which was used by crews at an outdoor storm response staging area in Kitsap.
The unique innovation was invented by PSE employee Adam Stecker. His idea was conceived while managing new electric connections for construction projects on Bainbridge Island. You may recall seeing the ECO-PAC in action at the 2019 Grand Ole Fourth event, or reading about it in a past newsletter.
Housed in a weatherproof trailer, the system uses recycled Tesla batteries to provide power in lieu of a generator. While Adam’s original project wasn’t specifically designed with a pandemic in mind, it’s the perfect tool for supplying back-up power at our socially-distanced, outdoor storm response staging areas.
By replacing a diesel generator, ECO-PAC also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to better local air quality. Way to go, Adam!