Master technician turns lights on in Gardez
April 5, 2006
KABUL, Afghanistan (Army News Service, April 5, 2006) – After 20 years
of darkness, the lights are finally back on in Gardez, thanks to the
Czech Republic’s donation of a generator and the talents of Yvan
Nobile, master technician.
Between years of conflict and a lack of maintenance, the city’s generator died years ago, plunging the small metropolis into a world of darkness and back into the nineteenth century. Enter the Czech Republic with its donation and Nobile, with more than 40 years of electrical expertise.
“The equipment was in poor shape,” said Nobile, a spry French-American master electrical engineer. The Governor of Gardez had tried to fix the problem and realized he needed help. That’s why they sent me. I know electrical systems. I’m what they call a troubleshooter.”
Since the city didn’t have a new electrical switchboard to transmit electricity to the power lines, Nobile rigged up its old switch as a temporary “fix” until the new one is ready for installation in April.
“The equipment was old and damaged,” reflected Nobile. “It was dangerous to work with it … I could have blown myself up.”
To avert any glitches when giving the city the go-ahead to turn the power back on, Nobile inspected the city’s power lines and meters to ensure they could still handle the electrical load.
“It was wonderful,” Nobile added. “Everyone was happy when the lights went on. Once the new switchboard is here and installed, this will help Gardez generate monies to sustain itself.“
Nobile said he will train city workers how to maintain the switchboard when he installs the new one, just as he had when setting up the generator.
(Editor’s note: Maureen Ramsey serves with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan Engineer District Public Affairs Office.)
