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Untitled Consumers are
responsible for damage
to the service installation
on the building and
should call a licensed
electrician for repairs.
T
HE
S
TEPS

TO
R
ESTORING
P
OWER
A F T E R A M A J O R P O W E R O U TA G E
Hurricanes, ice storms, tornadoes 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.
Electricity is used to provide many critical services including communications, emergency
response, healthcare, water and sanitation. Without electricity, other
service providers often cannot provide their services. We have an
obligation to our communities to do our
part in helping restore critical services
such as water service as soon as possible.
This is why restoring power to critical
infrastructures is the first goal after a major
storm or other catastrophe. It just so happens
that residential customers who live along the power
lines serving critical infrastructure are also often
restored at the same time.
After critical infrastructure is restored, the main goal
is to restore power safely to the greatest number of
members in the shortest time possible. How we go
about this is outlined in the steps below.
Step 1
Transmission towers and lines supply power to transmission
substations. These lines seldom fail, but they can be damaged by
severe weather. Tens of thousands of people could be served by
one high-voltage transmission line, so if there is damage here, it
gets attention first.
Step 2
Your electric power association has several local distribution
substations, each serving thousands of consumers. When a
major outage occurs, the local distribution substations are
checked first. If the problem can be corrected at the
substation level, power may be quickly restored to a large
number of people.
Step 3
Main distribution lines are checked next. These lines deliver power
from the substation to large groups of customers such as towns or
communities. These lines also service other critical infrastructure
such as hospitals, communication systems, water tanks and sewer
treatment plants. When power is restored at this stage, all
consumers served by this line could see lights come on. In large
storms with widespread damage, these main lines may be
segmented, so that service is restored one section at a time, from
the substation outward.
Step 4
Smaller branches from the main line, often called taps, serve at a
street or neighborhood level. These tap lines may serve a small
subdivision or they may stretch over several miles in rural areas.
After the main lines have been restored, line crews begin
repairing these tap lines based on restoring service to the
greatest number of customers in the least amount of time.
Step 5
Sometimes, damage will occur on the service line between your
house and the transformer on the nearby pole. This can explain
why you have no power when your neighbor does. Contact your
electric power association anytime you are without power.
During a major outage,
other cooperatives send
line crews to assist with
restoring power.
Report your
outage to your
electric power
association.
Employees use
every available
phone line to
receive your
outage reports.
A major outage
can affect
thousands of
other members.
Transmission Substation
Local Substation
Other Co-ops
Electric Company Office
DANGER!
Stay clear
of fallen
lines
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