Copper-wire thieves struck the Bonneville Power Administration substation in Covington for the second time in five months.
BPA crews discovered the theft Tuesday, Aug. 23 at the substation at 28401 Covington Way S.E., according to a BPA media release. The metal is valued at about $1,500.
BPA and law enforcement officials are investigating, and BPA is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Thieves also broke into the substation in March.
The thieves gained access by cutting a hole in the northwest side of the perimeter fence.
“Not only are the thieves risking their lives to steal metal from our substations, they are damaging the electrical infrastructure that keeps our lights on,” said Mike Hansen, BPA spokesman. “Also, the costs associated with these thefts are ultimately paid by electricity consumers.”
Through its Crime Witness Program, BPA offers up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of individuals committing crimes against BPA facilities and infrastructure. Anyone having information is asked to call BPA’s confidential and toll-free Crime Witness Hotline at 800-437-2744. Tips can also be provided to the Covington Police at 206-296-3311.
“We’re hoping that this information will help jog the memory of someone who may know about the break in and theft or may have seen something suspicious at the substation,” said Hansen. “Sometimes even small details can help law enforcement officials make significant investigative progress.”
Thieves earlier in August struck the Tacoma substation for the third time in the last two months.
BPA is a nonprofit federal electric utility that operates a high-voltage transmission grid comprising more than 15,000 miles of lines and associated substations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. It also markets more than a third of the electricity consumed in the Pacific Northwest. The power is produced at 31 federal dams operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation and one nuclear plant in the Northwest and is sold to more than 140 Northwest utilities. BPA purchases power from seven wind projects and has more than 3,500 megawatts of wind interconnected to its transmission system.
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