Our crews have made tremendous progress today and we are down to 173 members out. That is remarkable considering the wind has blown fiercely all day long. Crews continue to work to restore all power as soon as is safely possible.
Our rough terrain and cross country lines present challenges that urban utilities do not face. There are many heavily wooded areas and roadways that our power lines go through. We are allowed to cut and maintain a 30′ right of way, typically 15′ to either side of the wire itself. On a day like today, with heavy winds bringing trees down, there are bound to be power outages. All it takes is a tree that is outside of the right of way area we are allowed to clear, that is tall enough that when it falls it strikes the lines and brings them down, and leaves many members out of power. Or it breaks the pole when it takes the lines down.
We appreciate your patience. No one likes the inconvenience of a power outage, but in rural areas like we live in, it does happen. Thank you for the support you give our employees. Please remember to stay away from any downed power lines and always assume they are still energized. All power will be restored just as soon as is safely possible.