The Gallatin Department of Electricity, a Tennessee public power utility, recently opened a new facility that expands crew quarters and creates additional space for utility trucks.
GDE’s facility has been the same since 1967 with minimal upgrades. The original facility only had 6 truck bays. At the time the facility was built, trucks were able to fit into those bays.
Now, GDE has grown in customer count and employee count. This means that the utility’s crew has grown with the need of new bucket and digger trucks -- the new ones being bigger. Oftentimes, the trucks would be parked in the bays with the doors open as the trucks would stick out.
GDE needed to protect its assets. With the increase in employees, it was running out of space in crew quarters. The expansion for the building created space that added offices, crew quarters, and new bathrooms.
Details on the new facility:
• The crew quarters was expanded -- it added bathrooms, breakroom and office spaces.
• The back truck bay has 9 double bays with plenty of room for the trucks to fit in comfortably, a locker room and space for materials to be stored for jobs and the temperature will not get below 50 degrees which helps diesel trucks.
• The front truck bay allows for storage and if there is ever a need for a bigger truck.
• Also, the new facility offers more parking for the crew and staff.
Officials at the event celebrating the event included GDE General Manager Mark Kimbell and Mayor Paige Brown.
