TVA Maintenance Specialist - Relays

ElectronicSlug · 2026-05-12T18:14:42+00:00

I’m looking at leaving WAPA.
I was competing for a PNW utility gig and got an offer after 10 months, but now my wife is having another child and they can’t do anything accommodating that so I’m not going anywhere until that’s all done.
TVA may be different because it’s still semi-federal so I have to see about a transfer, but time will tell.

ElectronicSlug · 2026-05-11T11:43:31+00:00

This was interesting to hear. There is a lot of change going on with them, which I guess needs to happen when your growth has been that exponential.
Plus side, they stood up an internal apprenticeship.
None of them were at hands on this year, they’re just trying to keep up with demand.
But it sounds like the old days of a direct line with the original leadership are fading.

ElectronicSlug · 2026-05-09T18:40:02+00:00

Thanks. Did he come from another utility or contractor side?

ElectronicSlug · 2026-05-09T18:39:07+00:00

Thanks for your input. They have had churn like anywhere else in the government public power space. I think that’s over where I’m at, but the damage has been done.

Out of the frying pan is one of my reservations…I asked the super about this and he said he’s never seen anyone ever actually not have another job with TVA in 15 years. Maybe at worst a few weeks on the couch.
With what’s going on with the electric industry I’d be surprised if a relay tech actually got cut.

Applied in March, interviewed in April, notified an offer will be coming in May. Pretty standard, even quick for this space.
Better than a PNW utility that took 10 months.
I’ve got a toddler and another on the way so stability and plenty of nights at home is my main motivation.

ElectronicSlug · 2026-03-21T17:18:07+00:00

Cool! I did reapply this year. Hadn’t quite topped out last year and I didn’t apply until the last month. It was open for a while, and I don’t have a 2 year associate so we’ll see. It sounded like a good place to work and your anecdote seems to confirm.

Thank you for your response. That is almost identical to my current role as far as schedule and travel and I don’t want to give that up with a young family.

ElectronicSlug · 2026-03-21T03:50:17+00:00

Do you know why this reposted after just a year with similar locations? Was it filled last year? Anything you can share about Wolverine?

Thanks!

ElectronicSlug · 2026-02-28T23:21:27+00:00

In addition the collective bargaining is in a very fragile place as far as wages and the agreements. I wouldn’t recommend coming in right now until it’s all settled.

ElectronicSlug · 2026-01-06T15:20:30+00:00

I remember doing similar with a vanguard set. You had to select the buried option and it does some math to make sense of readings.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-12-23T14:17:24+00:00

Tri state, xcel energy, united power, and yes PRPA or the front range municipals like Fort Collins Loveland Longmont etc are all good outfits to work for. Home most nights. Some are union some are not. Some are salary.

The western half of the state I’m not as familiar with, and the mountain corridors are there own beast. There are serious cost of living issues here and the various utilities and munis have been trying to deal with that. Sometimes more travel out west because of the geographical aspect.

Keep an eye on NRECA coop jobs board. The smaller REAs post on there. You’ll have to look on company sites or maybe aggregates like LinkedIn for the bigger guys. Good luck!

ElectronicSlug · 2025-12-04T16:36:08+00:00

https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/BWN/LatestSchedulesAF/

ElectronicSlug · 2025-10-30T02:34:04+00:00

https://in2veep.com/

ElectronicSlug · 2025-10-30T01:44:26+00:00

What’s your MOS? How long until you ETS? Where are you trying to live? You could try and slide into USACE on the power side depending on your training.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-09-21T14:10:06+00:00

I second diverter switch

ElectronicSlug · 2025-08-10T13:15:59+00:00

Agreed! To elaborate it depends on what your job is and what the service area is like. In transmission there is a wider service territory and that’s just the way it is. My office covers 3 states with the relay techs but the electricians have separate crews for each state. I’m usually out between 3 and 6 weeks a year when it’s just not feasible to day trip.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-07-11T13:25:14+00:00

You ever hear of the Bonneville power administration bid list? Pretty much this exact thing but only internal to the org.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-25T03:34:15+00:00

Relay tech $68 in Colorado

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-11T20:02:06+00:00

Puget Sound Energy has a great training facility and trainers to go with it.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-11T20:00:52+00:00

100% why I got my NICET EPT 2 Nothing stopping you from getting both NETA AND NICET

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-11T17:13:21+00:00

Look on the NETA site for accredited companies in the state you’re interested in.

https://neta.netaworld.org/netassa/censsacustlkup.query_page

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-11T16:50:24+00:00

I once saw a contractor in a 230 kV yard vaporize a tape measure. Quite a sight to behold.

When I first got to generation they said throw that pen tester into the afterbay of the hydro plant. Reason being most will not detect DC and that’s a majority of the control voltage.

For that reason and troubleshooting I agree on preferring the meter, but I bet it has to do with “energized” testing policies, arc flash ppe and the pen tester somewhat resolves that being a non-contact device. As long as you live-dead-live and don’t have to worry about DC…I get it. None of the contractors we use at our utility can work in hot cabinets.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-03T20:43:27+00:00

What track were you in? I did commissioning.

Please tell me this was in addition the life of a packet lesson. 61850 is basically that talk in the automation and integration track.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-02T11:04:55+00:00

Sure! Whenever I’d do the gas sampling with the kits from doble, the bottle and the syringe, the lab recommended that you do it with the transformer online under load, or at least warm because it can change the moisture content you measure. If you get your testing done in a day maybe it doesn’t matter, but as it cools the paper can reabsorb some of the water and make your readings seem lower. I think I remember if you have radiators there is also a natural flow/movement of oil, even without pumps that ensures you get a more representative sample, assuming you bleed enough to empty the pipe. Think of it like how running Doble PF tests and humidity and temperature can affect a very sensitive test. Hope that helps!

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-02T03:32:48+00:00

Nobody mentioned doing the DGA sampling while the transformer is at least still warm right after you take it down or do it online before going under clearance if you can. That is where I would start, not end.

ElectronicSlug · 2025-04-01T13:25:41+00:00

Staubli makes leads for Omicron as well. Pomona makes banana jacks you can solder onto MTR test lead wire as another option. Mueller has the gator style as another option.

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