Newfoundland Power is owned and operated by Fortis and it is located on the Trans-Canada Highway in Grand Falls-Windsor. Newfoundland Power opened when electricity first came to Newfoundland about 50 or 55 years ago. Newfoundland Power has offices all across Newfoundland, with about 300 people working for them. They have about 80 linesmen. They are great supporters of community groups, especially through their Power of Life Project. The goal of this project is to support cancer care in the province. They do this through contributions from their partners, employees and their customers. Recently, they donated $35,000.00 to the new cancer clinic in Grand Falls-Windsor. They are also sponsors with VOCM in the Coats for Kids Campaign. They collect winter coats and give them to the Salvation Army, and they give them to children who need them.
When my three classmates and I visited Newfoundland Power we took all of the Flat Pen Pals from Tany's Dell School in Harlow, England with us. When we went for a ride in the bucket on the big truck we put our Flat Pen Pals in the bucket too. My flat pen pal, Flat Charlton O’Rourke wasn’t afraid of heights. When we were up high in the bucket we had a good view of Grand Falls-Windsor and we saw snow on the top of the mountains. After, we watched Steve Mason, my pop, climb the pole with his belt and spurs on.
We also went inside the building and we saw the warehouse where they store all of their equipment. We saw the streetlights and we sat on the quad. We visited the lunch room and then we went outside and we saw the transformers, not the ones we play with, but the ones that go up in some of the poles.
The reason I chose Newfoundland Power to write my report about was my grandfather, Steve Mason, is a linesman there. Before that my great-grandfather, Vernon Smith, worked with Newfoundland Light and Power, and before that, my great-great-grandfather, Andrew Smith, worked with United Towns. All the same company, they just changed names.
Brandon Mason (2005-2006)