Con Edison Engineer From Red Bank, N.J. Wins Con Edison’s Highest Honor

A Con Edison engineer from Red Bank, N.J. has won the company’s highest honor for her contributions to public safety programs, her integrity and her professionalism.

Colleen Murach, an operating supervisor in Brooklyn and Queens Electric Operations, is a winner of the Living Our Values Award, which is for high-achieving employees who demonstrate stellar character on and off the job.

“I come to work every day with smart, talented people who are dedicated to public safety and reliable service,” Murach said. “That makes it special and humbling to be honored for my work in this area. I’m proud of the way our company uses new technologies to keep people safe.”

“Colleen brings enthusiasm, intellectual curiosity and focus to every task,” said David DeSanti, Con Edison’s vice president for Brooklyn-Queens Electric Operations. “She quickly earns the respect of colleagues with her open communication, integrity and willingness to listen. Her passion for safety is obvious when she’s in the field offering input to crew members and hearing their ideas on protecting themselves and the public.”

It is the second major award this year for Murach, a Con Edison employee since 2014. In February, she received the Technology Transfer Award from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for her work on a manhole safety program.

She has left her imprint on several important Con Edison programs. She worked with the company’s Environmental Health and Safety group to put in place a pilot program that places bags of light fill material in manholes. The fill lowers the impact of manhole fires or explosions.

Murach worked with experts from EPRI and the City College of New York to determine the best type of fill to use. The company chose perlite, which is found in potting soil. Murach was also an advocate of having crew members who work on the underground system take infrared photos of the cables to identify “hot spots.” A hot spot can indicate that a section of cable needs to be repaired or replaced to avoid a manhole event. Crews found more than 200 hot spots in 2018.

Her EPRI award was for her research into latched manhole covers. Con Edison has installed more than 700 latched covers that are designed to stay in place if heat and gases build up in the hole.

Murach’s positive attitude and willingness to share her knowledge make her an ideal example for others; she has mentored young and aspiring engineers at Con Edison and Manhattan College.

She is a graduate of Manhattan College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

Outside of work, Murach is a member of the Manhattan College Pipes and Drums group, playing the bagpipe at parades and other events.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $54 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com.