I hate it when the power goes out just as much as you do. When there is an outage, employees at your local electric cooperative work hard to resume service as quickly and safely as possible. Most of the time, the reasons for outages cannot be controlled.
In the U.S., we are fortunate to have an advanced power grid in place. Power transmission and distribution are reliable in our country. Excluding outage times attributed to major weather or other catastrophic events, electricity consumers in our country typically experience only about two hours of total power interruptions per year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). When outages due to major events are taken into consideration, the EIA reports the total outage time at six hours a year.
Reasons for outages
Storms — Conditions brought on by storms, such as high winds, ice and lightning, can interrupt service. Lightning itself does not impact outages as much as people think, but it can strike trees and cause branches or even whole trees to fall on distribution lines. Lightning can also cause a problem if it strikes substation equipment, such as a large transformer. Strong high winds and ice that accumulates on lines can also impact distribution.
Trees and vegetation — Branches, limbs or trunks can fall on lines, and vegetation (such as vines) can grow around poles, lines or other equipment. Ice and wind can make matters worse. This is why your co-op works so hard to keep power lines and equipment clear.
Animals — It is estimated that 11% of all outages are caused by our furry friend, the squirrel. Other critters like birds and snakes can interfere with service, too.
Accidents — Cars, trucks and farm equipment that have a run-in with a utility pole can cause an outage.
Public damage — Unsafe digging, equipment or line damage, vandalism or theft can all cause interruptions in the energy chain.
Overload — This happens where demand spikes, such as when too many air conditioners run on a hot summer day. This can cause blackouts or brownouts.
Equipment issues — Your co-op maintains and inspects all of its lines and equipment regularly; however, sometimes equipment malfunctions. Rest assured, your co-op strives to address any problem as soon as it happens.
Behind the scenes
When your power goes out, your co-op swings into action in a safe and efficient manner to ensure your power is restored. How long that takes depends on several factors: the extent of the storm’s destruction, the number of outages, and how long it takes for work crews to safely access the storm-damaged areas. Here is a list of standard restoration procedures used to ensure safety and to get the job done right.
- Assess the damage to utility equipment.
- Address immediate safety risks, including downed power lines.
- Ensure that essential public health and safety facilities are operational.
- Prioritize repairs that will restore power to the greatest number of people first.
- Assess and repair (in this order) substations, distribution lines and service lines to properties.
As always, thank you for your patience during power outages. Know that in the event of an outage, your co-op works hard to restore power as safely and efficiently as possible, day and night. For more information about preparing for outages or about electrical safety, go to SafeElectricity.org.
