Underground School

Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, along with our partners at Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA), offers Underground School annually. 

The Underground School features a hands-on training where participants will rotate through six different sessions covering a variety of topics and activities to develop new skills and enrich proficiency.

The 2025 Underground School will be held May 6–9, 2025. To learn more about the 2024 program and what you can expect in 2025, click the image of the brochure.

Event details
Date: 

May 6–9, 2025

Location: 

MMUA Training Center
1004 Michigan Rd
Marshall, MN 56258

Who should attend?

Underground School features hands-on training with a variety of sessions. Whether you are a seasoned journeyman looking to stay current or an apprentice just starting out, this school offers something for everyone.

Training to be covered

The general sessions are held on the first and last day of the school. Participants must attend these sessions to receive full credit for course hours. This year's program included sessions on:

Worksite traffic control: Worksite traffic control involves the implementation of measures to manage and regulate the flow of traffic in any area where work activities may impact the normal flow of vehicles. The primary goals of worksite traffic control are to ensure the safety of both workers and the public, minimize traffic congestion, and maintain the efficient movement of vehicles. 

Distributed energy resources safety: The goal of this session is to provide attendees with information on how to identify distributed energy resources (DERs) and to work safely around them. With the rise of interconnected solar, wind, battery, and even electric vehicle chargers, it is important to understand the risks to our distribution systems. Because DERs can be connected directly to our systems, they can affect our utility from a safety and an operational standpoint.

Underground school also includes hands-on training sessions, including on the following topics:

  • Equipotential grounding
  • Cable pulling
  • Directional drill operation
  • Troubleshooting and fault-finding primary cable
  • Vehicle vs. junction accident scenario
  • 600-amp terminations