Utilities & Energy

Substations, generating facilities, and utility infrastructure carry a specific set of environmental risks — transformer oil releases, aging storage tanks, and, at some sites, landfill or ash management obligations. ERC provides the emergency response and remediation utility and energy clients need to manage that risk without unplanned downtime.

Our self-performing, HAZWOPER-trained crews respond to active releases, remediate contaminated soil and groundwater, and manage longer-term obligations like landfill corrective action — all from one contractor rather than a different specialist for each piece.

Environmental Risk at Utility & Energy Facilities

Transformer oil releases are among the most common incidents at utility sites, and when PCBs are present, additional regulatory requirements apply on top of the standard containment and cleanup work. A response team unfamiliar with utility equipment and PCB handling requirements can slow down what should be a fast containment.

Aging infrastructure adds ongoing risk: storage tanks, containment systems, and site infrastructure that have been in place for decades don’t always fail in ways that are immediately obvious, and confirmed contamination often means both soil and groundwater are affected by the time it’s discovered.

Some utility and energy sites also carry landfill, ash pond, or legacy waste management obligations that require ongoing corrective action — a different, longer-term category of environmental work than a single emergency response.

How ERC Supports Utility & Energy Clients

ERC’s 24/7 emergency response team handles transformer oil and other utility-related releases, including the additional handling and disposal requirements that apply when PCBs are confirmed.

Confirmed soil and groundwater contamination is addressed through soil remediation and contaminated groundwater treatment, scoped to the site’s specific contamination profile.

For sites with landfill, ash, or legacy waste obligations, our landfill corrective action services manage capping, leachate collection, and gas management infrastructure.

Where a site includes a reservoir, dam, or water infrastructure component, our reservoirs, dams, canals, and shoreline service supports both remediation and infrastructure restoration needs.

Remedial Systems for Long-Term Treatment

Some utility sites need an ongoing treatment system rather than a one-time excavation — a sub-slab depressurization system, soil vapor extraction, or a similar remedial system installed and monitored over time. ERC installs these systems directly, working around live facility operations wherever possible.

This approach matters most at generating or substation facilities where taking equipment offline for extended excavation isn’t a realistic option.

Coordinating With Facility Operations

Utility and energy sites are rarely fully vacant during remediation work. ERC coordinates directly with facility operations staff to confirm which systems are safe to work around, keeping remediation moving without creating additional operational risk. This same coordination applies to landfill and ash management sites, where ongoing operations and remediation work frequently overlap for months or years at a time.

From an active transformer release to a long-term landfill obligation, ERC supports utility and energy clients with emergency response and environmental remediation under one contractor, backed by field crews trained to work safely around live electrical and generating infrastructure. Contact us to discuss your facility.

We can help with your environmental remediation, ecological restoration, and emergency response needs in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.