How Transformer Failures Affect You

Outages. Injuries. Environmental harm. Loss of property and lives.

Wherever you live, whether you can see it or not, there’s an electric transformer nearby. Chances are that transformer is filled with petroleum-based mineral oil, which is cause for concern. Here’s why:

Transformer fires, due in many cases to problems with the petroleum-based mineral oil used inside for insulation, are a risk to public and worker safety, the environment, and utilities’ balance sheets. These fires can cause extensive power brownouts and outages; increased emergency dispatches; injuries to bystanders, workers, and emergency responders; and harm to the environment—all potentially resulting in millions of dollars paid by utilities in settlements to customers and governments.

Catastrophic failures due to transformer fires or faults can make the headlines and appear as popular subjects of action cameras on the evening news. Outages erode customer loyalty and incur the wrath of regulators. Such failures can expose the utility to liability costs, which can ultimately lead to rate increases being passed on to customers. These costs include property damage, injuries, reduced revenue stream due to outages, consequential damages, environmental remediation, and even large fines from regulatory agencies.

Environmental harm, such as petroleum-based mineral oil transformer spills, doesn’t just damage trees, soil, water, and other living things. It, too, can escalate costs and break customer trust.

These consequences could be avoided with the use of the safer, fire-resistant, and biodegradable alternative—bio-based transformer fluid.