Ready to Respond
Summer is here. Schools have let out and families are gearing up for a few months of fun and relaxation. While this time of the year brings fun in the sun, it can also bring the occasional severe storm. In the event of a power outage, you can trust that your cooperative is ready to respond.
The primary cause of most power outages is damage to power lines due to falling trees and branches. JOEMC’s Vegetation Management Department works year-round through the co-op’s right-of-way clearing program to ensure power lines in our service territory stand little risk of being damaged by trees, branches, or other vegetation types. However, damage can occur to transmission equipment, substations, and power lines during storms, despite our best efforts.
When this happens, our priority is to safely restore power to as many members as possible in the shortest amount of time. We start by mobilizing our line crews and other critical staff. The most extensive outages affecting the most members are handled first, like damage to transmission lines, which serve thousands of people. These problems must be corrected before we can focus on other areas where more localized damage may have occurred.
First, our line crews inspect substations to determine if the problem starts there or if there could be an issue down the line. If the root of the problem is at the substation, power can be restored to thousands of members.
Next, line crews check the service lines delivering power to neighborhoods and communities. Line crews repair the damaged equipment, restoring power to hundreds of people. If you continue to experience an outage, there may be damage to a tap line outside of your home or business.
The beauty of our advanced metering infrastructure is
that we are aware of power outages before reports from members. However, it is always a good idea to report an outage by calling our office, going to our website, or utilizing our outage text alert program. That way, you can ensure JOEMC is fully aware of your outage. And remember, if you use the outage text alert program, you’ll also receive outage updates by texting “STATUS.”
When thunderstorms inevitably illuminate our warm summer nights, we are here for you. Our dedicated crews are ready and prepared to respond to whatever Mother Nature sends. We will continue to do our best to avoid power disruptions, but as you know, the weather sometimes presents challenges beyond our control. If there is a power outage, visit the “Outage Hub” at joemc.com to track outages in our area and receive the latest restoration updates.
