Power Loss
If
your electricity goes off, check your main electrical panel to see if
a fuse has blown or a breaker has tripped. Fuses must be replaced while
breakers need only to be reset. If the problem is not in your main panel,
call a neighbor to determine if other homes in the area have been affected.
If the problem is not within your home’s wiring, or if several homes are
involved, call Northeastern at (260) 625-3700 or (260) 244-6111. Our personnel
are here to serve you, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, including holidays.
When you report an
outage, give us your name and address as it is listed on the bill. If
you know the cause of the outage, please describe it (a limb is on the
line, a pole has been hit by a car, etc.). Informing us of the nature
of the outage saves a great deal of our time and your inconvenience. When
you report the outage to us, be assured that repairs will be made as quickly
as possible.
If someone in your
home is dependent of life-support equipment (respirator, infant heart
monitor, etc.) call us immediately. We will file this information so you
will be given priority when services are reconnected.
Restoration priority
list:
In the event of an outage affecting numerous locations, we attempt to use the following as a guideline to base restoration priorities:
1) Individuals
on life support
2) Northeastern’s substations
3) Three phase lines
4) Single phase lines
5) Individual locations
Electrical system working properly when "Blinks" occur
"What causes my lights and electronics to blink"? is a question we occassionally hear from our members.
The utility network is subject to certain short-term losses of power, and Northeastern REMC takes all possible measures to prevent these occurrences and minimize the effects to our members. Blinking lights are a result of momentary outages that occur when some type of disturbance exists on the line. This could be a lightning strike, an automobile hitting a pole, or when an animal or tree branch comes into contact with an energized power line.
When lights blink, it is an indication that the cooperative's equipment is operating properly. If a fault or short circuit happens on a power line, a device called an "oil circuit recloser" (OCR) opens to stop it, then quickly closes back in. Although the process is quick - it may cause your lights to blink, making it necessary to reset digital clocks and appliances with digital displays.
The OCR is essentially a breaker, functioning much like a circuit breaker in the electrical panel in your home. It permits power to continue flowing through the line with only a brief interruption of service - rather than causing an extended power outage. If the short circuit continues, the OCR will operate or "trip" three times before eventually stopping the flow of electricity and causing a power outage. This process protects the lines from damage, cutting off power to the affected section of the line and isolating the problem until it can be repaired.
Although weather and animals are beyond our control, cooperative members can lessen the effects and inconvenience of "blinks" when they occur. When purchasing small appliances and digital clocks, consider a model with battery backup.
Northeastern also offers whole house surge protection for major appliances, your computer or other electronic devices whose "memory" would be lost with a power interruption.
The Steps to Restoring Power
Thunder and ice storms, tornados and blizzards. Electric cooperative members have seen them all. And with such severe weather comes power outages. Restoring power after a major outage is a big job that involves much more than simply throwing a switch or removing a tree from a line.
The main goal is to restore power safely to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible.
The major cause of outages is damage caused by fallen trees. That's why electric cooperatives have ongoing right-of-way maintenance programs.
Steps to Restoring Power Illustration:
To learn more about how power is restored after a major disaster, download our illustration in one of the following formats:
We also offer an enlarged portion of the illustration which explains who has responsibility for repairing electric equipment (such as the meter box attached to your house).
Files courtesy of North Carolina's Touchstone Energy cooperatives. |
