Mission Statement

Flooding causes major problems and damage to the environment, society, and especially electrical equipment; although Orlando lies deep inland, the region is still susceptible to extreme weather events. In 2022, hurricane Ian swept through Central Florida, bringing heavy rain and major flooding throughout the community. When the flood waters rose, there were still areas where electrical equipment remained energized, posing a serious risk of electrocution for first responders and maintenance teams. Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) proposed a proof-of-concept project to the University of Central Florida (UCF) for engineering undergraduates of multiple disciplines to design a system that can detect flooding inside of a pad-mounted transformer and transmit a signal to an external switch emulating Orlando Utilities Commission’s Electric Management System (EMS); which will then disconnect the supply power feeding the primary windings and de-energize the transformer.