REC Crews Respond to Outages Caused by Winter Storm

Cooperative Concludes Winter Storm Restoration Efforts

Feb. 12, 2010 - 2:40 p.m.

REC has restored electric service to all members who lost power as a result of last weekend’s historic winter storm. With a look at the outage and restoration statistics, it has become clear that this event was second only to 2003’s Hurricane Isabel for most damage caused to the Cooperative’s power distribution infrastructure.

The storm’s freezing rain, sleet and snow moved into the area early last Friday and had caused several thousand members to lose power before midnight. Those numbers quickly multiplied throughout the day Saturday as heavy snow continued and as trees began to strain under the force of the elements. The weather then dished out another round of snowfall and high winds while REC’s restoration efforts were underway.

The weekend snowfall set winter records along the I-95 corridor causing extensive damage to nearly every type of component in REC’s distribution network – from poles and transformers to spans of line and substations. The massive, round-the-clock restoration response mounted by the Cooperative doubled its normal field crew numbers and involved over 100 vehicles. Despite the difficulties presented by deep snow and fallen trees in reaching damaged poles and line, power had been restored to 72 percent of those without service by sundown Monday. Much of the extra manpower deployed during the restoration was supplied by contract right-of-way and overhead crews and by sister electric cooperatives. REC wishes to recognize those organizations:

Northern Neck Electric Cooperative (Va.)
Powell Valley Electric Cooperative (Va.)
Southside Electric Cooperative (Va.)
Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp. (N.C.)
Brunswick Electric Membership Corp. (N.C.)
Halifax Electric Membership Corp. (N.C.)
Pee Dee Electric Membership Corp. (N.C.)
Roanoke Electric Cooperative (N.C.)
Tideland Electric Membership Corp. (N.C.)
Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Inc. (S.C.)
Tri-County Electric Cooperative (S.C.)
Lewis Tree Service, Inc.
Wolf Tree Service
E & R, Inc.
H D Line Construction (N.C.)
Superior Power Construction (N.C.)

Last weekend’s extreme weather and resulting power outages caused hardships for over 55,000 REC members. REC President and CEO Kent D. Farmer said, “We recognize that losing power imposes difficulties under normal circumstances, but the treacherous conditions that the recent storm produced more than tested our members’ patience. I want to personally thank our members for their understanding and everyone who contributed to the restoration efforts.”

REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties. Browse this Web site for more information.

REC’S Restoration Nearly Complete

Feb. 11, 2010 - 9:00 a.m.

REC has restored electric service to more than 40,000 members following back-to-back snowstorms. Service to customers who remain without power should be restored by Friday. In most cases, outages were caused by large trees and tree limbs falling onto wires and other electric equipment. Any REC member still without electric service at their home or business should call the Cooperative at 1-800-552-3904.

Customers without power should switch off their circuit breakers so that appliances do not come on unexpectedly when power is restored. If there is damage to the wiring entering the meter or inside the house, homeowners should contact a licensed electrician and the local building inspector.

“More than 300 REC employees, contract workers and other cooperatives’ personnel have been working tirelessly to restore service to our members. They’ve done a remarkable job getting the lights back on as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Billy Carter, director of operational and construction services. “Specifically, field personnel faced challenges accessing equipment which may have been buried under record-breaking snowfalls and the associated tree debris. Our crews have managed hazardous driving conditions, including negotiating blocked roads and rights of way. They will continue to work around the clock until all homes are restored.”

The remaining outages involve repairs which must be made to equipment at individual homes and businesses and typically take longer than repairs on equipment that serves hundreds or thousands of customers. REC thanks its members for their patience as it works to restore service to these remaining customers. Safety is REC’s top priority.

Visit the Cooperative’s Outage Center for outage preparation tips and for up-to-date information about power outages. REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties.

REC Working to Restore Service as Back-to-Back Snowstorms Blanket the Area
Feb. 10, 2010 - 4:00 p.m.

REC today confirmed it is continuing to restore electric service to members after the second major snowstorm in less than a week hit portions of its 16-county service territory. The Cooperative expects additional outages to occur throughout the evening as a result of high winds. The current weather system, combined with last week’s heavy wet snow, increases the possibility of outages. Tree limbs and trees already weakened by the first storm are particularly vulnerable to being brought down onto power lines. Current weather conditions are also causing treacherous road conditions, making driving extremely hazardous for REC’s service restoration crews.

“REC’s top priority is the safety of our employees and our members, and, as such, we continue to remind members to call us at 800-552-3904 to report a downed wire or power outage,” said Maxie Rozell, director of safety and security for REC. “While employees are working around the clock to restore electric service to our members as safely and as quickly as possible, they are working under extremely challenging and hazardous conditions that will extend the restoration process. We thank our members for their patience and understanding.”

Crews Continue Work as Cooperative Prepares for Next Storm

Feb. 9, 2010 - 5:40 p.m.

With weather forecasters talking snow once again, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) is marshalling all its resources to accomplish the power restoration tasks at hand and to confront what could be another major winter storm. Those resources include assistance from other electric co-ops – crews that have been on the front lines here for several days and those who set out just this morning in response to REC’s request for additional help.

When North Carolina’s Pee Dee Electric Cooperative announced today that it was dispatching a team to assist REC, leaders of that utility cited the mutual aid agreement between cooperatives. That agreement provides assurances that reinforcements can be called upon whenever extreme restoration challenges – like the ones REC is currently addressing – present themselves.

"At the height of this past weekend’s snowstorm, 40 percent of REC’s 16-county service territory was affected by outages – nearly 42,000 homes and business. Those numbers alone are daunting, but when crews face the prospect of getting vehicles and repair equipment to remote rights of way, through two feet of snow, the difficulty is magnified,” said Ron Harris, REC’s manager of engineering and technical services. But the massive response that REC mounted has, as of 5:30 p.m., restored service to approximately 37,000 members. While those without power still number 4,700. The Cooperative’s aim was to have the lights back on for those members by Friday, but the fast-approaching storm may jeopardize that plan.

With that next round of bad weather now on our doorstep, REC strongly urges members to follow these guidelines for existing outages and for outages that may occur in the next few days:

Ensure that you have made appropriate plans for the potential loss of power.
Stay away from downed lines and anything that may be touching a power line. (Immediately report downed lines to REC by calling your local REC office or 1-800-552-3904.)
Keep a safe distance from all utility work crews. Please allow them to focus on their restoration duties.

Restoration Work Progresses as Another Storm Looms

Feb. 9, 2010 - 12:40 p.m.

REC crews continue pushing into storm damaged rights of way today in an effort to repair damage from the weekend storm, while forecasters are predicting yet another round of heavy snow for tonight and tomorrow. Working around the clock with additional contract crews and with other electric cooperative employees, REC has restored service to 85 percent of its members who lost power. As of noon today 6,300 members are without service.

REC appreciates members’ patience during the aftermath of this historic weather event, and strongly encourages everyone to prepare now for the possibility of new outages that may be caused by today’s approaching storm. To the extent possible, REC members who lost power during this past weekend’s snowstorm will remain a restoration priority during, and after, the new storm forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. If the additional snowfall impacts areas with existing outages, it may be necessary to return crews to substations and then back to individual service lines.

As the massive restoration effort continues, REC strongly cautions the public to never touch a downed or damaged power line. Stay away from downed lines and report them immediately. It is also of critical importance to keep a safe distance from all utility work crews. Any questions about outage status or restoration procedures should be directed to customer service professionals by calling REC at 1-800-552-3904. Allowing crews to focus on their duties ensures that maximum effort is being applied to getting the power back on. REC’s manager of public relations and customer services, Rhonda F. Curtis, said, “Please understand REC is working nonstop to restore power to all homes and businesses as safely and quickly as conditions allow.”

Crews Working Around the Clock to Restore Power

Feb. 8, 2010 - 7:10 p.m.

At the onset of last Friday’s snowstorm, all REC employees stood ready to respond to members as outages occurred. Once conditions were considered safe, employees began the restoration process. The record-breaking snowfall, ice and high winds caused massive damage and outages that totaled 42,000 at the height of the storm. As of 7 p.m. 72 percent of outages have been restored. The Cooperative anticipates that most of the members still without power will have service by Friday.

As part of storm preparation, REC requested reinforcements from other cooperatives in the event they were needed. Once their systems were out of the storm’s paths, crews from Blue Ridge, Brunswick, Halifax, Powell Valley and Roanoke Electric Cooperatives were released to assist REC. They have joined REC crews working around the clock.

Crews are working diligently to remove the many damaged trees that have fallen on our lines. With more than 6,400 miles of overhead rights-of-way and the significant snow accumulation, this process will take time. Robbie Beard, Culpeper district manager, reported, “Our rights-of-way look like a war zone. Large limbs and entire trees must be cleared before we even reach the lines to begin repairs.”

Our goal is always to restore power safely and quickly to everyone in the most efficient manner possible. This process is often complicated with severe weather. This storm’s high snowfall significantly impaired the travel of our crews trying to reach the facilities and lines in need of repair. Damage has occurred at several points along the distribution system. Repair must begin with major facilities such as substations and main circuits that supply power to distribution lines serving the largest number of customers. Critical public safety facilities are also a restoration priority. We then move to repairing smaller lines and restoring power to individual homes.

The Cooperative knows that power outages, no matter how brief or infrequent, can cause tremendous inconveniences. REC appreciates the patience of our members when outages occur, and we encourage them to plan ahead now to be better prepared when the unexpected happens.

Visit the Outage Center for up-to-date information about power outages. REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties.

Outages to Continue Through Another Night

Feb. 8, 2010 - 8:10 a.m.

restoration work Working around the clock since the first outages were reported late Friday evening, REC has made significant progress in its restoration effort. Nearly 50 percent of those who lost power have had their service restored. The Cooperative hopes to restore power to the majority of members still without service by Wednesday. At the height of the snowstorm, nearly 42,000 of the Cooperative’s members had lost service, with fallen trees being the primary cause. As of 8:00 a.m. 19,000 members are without power. The deep snow has greatly impeded travel for the crews and access into the substations for repair work.

“For times like these, the utilities have a strong, mutual aid agreement for helping one another. This storm has certainly caused us to call upon others for assistance,” said Rhonda F. Curtis, manager of customer services and public relations. “With the additional reinforcements we will continue working around the clock until we have restored power to our entire service territory.”

REC strongly cautions everyone to never touch a downed or damaged power line. Do not attempt to move downed or damaged power lines with branches, boards, etc. Again, stay away from downed lines and report them immediately.

"As this is an extended restoration effort, we encourage members to plan accordingly, but keep safety as their number one priority,” Curtis said.

For members without power, REC urges them to unplug or turn off all appliances that will come on when the power is restored since they overload circuits and cause an unnecessary outage. The Cooperative suggests members leave a lamp switched on so they will know when their power has been safely restored.

We thank our members for their patience during this restoration effort. The large amounts of snow and ice continue to make it difficult for crews to get to the outage locations, thus slowing down the restoration process and inhibiting our ability to completely assess the damage.

Visit the Cooperative’s Outage Center for up-to-date information about power outages. REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties.

Cooperative Continues Work to Restore Power

Feb. 7, 2010 - 7:10 p.m.

Crews from REC have continued to work in a massive effort to restore power to its service area. Although challenging, this effort has been successful in restoring service to a significant number of members. However, approximately 22,000 members remain without power as of 7:00 p.m. The majority of outages should be restored by late Wednesday, with some outages lasting into Thursday.

"Our crews are performing time-consuming, difficult and dangerous work,” said Ron Harris, REC’s manager of engineering and technical services. “Because of the rural areas we serve, many of our lines pass through forests and across fields and swamps, and that can be challenging even during good weather. These challenges become even more difficult when they are compounded by the extreme weather conditions we are now experiencing.”

At the height of the snowstorm, nearly 42,000 of the Cooperative’s members had lost service, with excessive fallen trees being the main cause of those outages.

With the assistance of crews from Blue Ridge, Brunswick, Halifax, Powell Valley and Roanoke Electric Cooperatives and the efforts of overhead and right-of-way contract crews, REC will continue to work around the clock to restore service. However, those without power should make plans to stay safe in case they remain without service through the night.

For those remaining without power this evening, emergency shelters are available in Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Louisa and Orange counties. Contact your emergency services coordinator for more information.

For those using portable generators to supply electricity during this time, REC asks that you isolate your generator from the Cooperative’s power lines. This means you should connect appliances or other devices directly to the generator to prevent back feeding onto REC’s lines and potentially injuring crews working on the lines. Also, please provide adequate ventilation for the generator to prevent overheating and the accumulation of toxic exhaust fumes.

Feb. 7, 2010 - 7:10 p.m.

Widespread Outages Remain Throughout the Service Area

Feb. 7, 2010 - 12:15 p.m.

Unionville damage Hundreds of REC employees, contractors and Cooperatives from other areas have been mobilized and are working to restore the 27,000 members without power as of noon today. Our goal is to restore power safely and quickly to everyone in the most efficient manner possible. The process of restoration is often complicated, especially during the severe conditions that we are currently experiencing. Most of the outages have been in the Spotsylvania, Culpeper, Louisa, Orange, Caroline and Madison areas, where snowfall has been the greatest. This will be an extended restoration effort that will last for many days. Our goal is to have the majority of service restored to members late Monday.

This is the most severe winter storm in years, one that not only interrupts electric service to our members but also poses extreme challenges to the crews working to restore that service. (The image above is from Unionville in Orange County. It illustrates the extent of damage to REC lines and the challenges that crews are facing as they work round the clock to restore power.) Storm restoration information is available from the Outage Center.

We are focused on getting the lights back on for our members as quickly as possible while maintaining safety as our first priority - safety of our members and safety of our crews. We urge our members to make plans for how they will stay safe overnight, as single-digit temperatures will affect much of the state.

Please stay clear of downed lines and use extreme caution if you must be on the roads where snow and downed trees could be affecting traffic patterns. The Cooperative asks motorists to be extra cautious to ensure safety for themselves and for the utility crews driving on, and working near, area roadways. Safe driving also reduces the chances of motorists hitting utility poles, which becomes more likely along icy roads during and after winter storms.

Crews and support staff will work around the clock to restore service. Customers should call toll free 1-800-552-3904 to report outages or downed power lines.

The highest priority for restoration is always given to public safety and emergency situations such as hospitals, emergency 911 call centers, and municipal water pumping stations. View a description of our basic outage restoration process.

REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties.

REC Crews Work Around the Clock to Restore Power

Feb. 7, 2010 - 7:45 a.m.

The extremely high winds and heavy snow in the REC service territory has caused a large number of power outages. Restoration efforts continue today and will continue around the clock until all power has been restored. The strong winds and snow have caused significant damage, including fallen tree limbs and whole trees, which have brought down power lines and damaged utility poles.

As of 7:30 a.m. today, REC has approximately 32,000 members without power. The majority of these outages are in Spotsylvania, Orange, Louisa Culpeper, Caroline and Madison counties. The scattered nature of the outages, combined with weather conditions, continues to make restoration efforts more difficult.

Due to the road conditions across the service territory, travel time to restoration points is slowed. We continue to work with the counties for assistance in getting to the major outages. We encourage members to check back periodically to get updated restoration information but they must realize that outages may be extended and should make plans accordingly.

REC strongly urges everyone to follow these important safety tips:

Never touch a downed or damaged power line. Do not attempt to move downed or damaged power lines with branches, boards, etc. Again, stay away from downed lines and report them immediately.
Never attempt to remove trees or limbs from any utility line. Assume all objects touching a power line are energized.
If using a portable generator during a power outage, always operate it outside. Do not operate a portable generator near doors, windows or in garages to prevent deadly carbon monoxide from entering the house.
Make sure your home has a telephone with a cord or cell phone to use as a backup. Cordless telephones require electricity to operate and will not work if there is an outage.
Customers who need electric-powered life-support equipment should have a back-up power source or an evacuation plan. Relatives or friends who care for someone who is elderly or infirm should check to make sure back-up plans are in place in case of a power outage.
Customers should look to facilities that are opened up by counties they live in for shelters and warmth centers.

For up-to-date information about power outages and electric safety tips visit the Outage Center. REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties.

REC Encourages Members to Prepare for Overnight Outages

Feb. 6, 2010 - 6:50 p.m.

outage restoration With high winds and freezing temperatures expected during the night, REC encourages its members without power to be prepared for continued overnight outages. These outages continue to be concentrated in the counties of Spotsylvania, Culpeper, Orange, Louisa and Caroline. Scattered outages are also being reported throughout the remainder of the Cooperative’s service area. REC crews will continue to work throughout the weekend and restore power as quickly as possible. Additional crews have been brought in, and more will be added tomorrow.

“While our crews have been able to make a great deal of progress throughout the day, there are still a significant number of members without power. Our crews continue to encounter trees on the lines and downed power lines. Repairing these facilities will take time to complete,” said Rhonda Curtis, manager of customer services and public relations.

For those remaining without power this evening, emergency shelters are available in Albemarle, Culpeper, Madison, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Louisa, Caroline and Fauquier counties.

High winds and colder temperatures are expected tonight as today’s storm exits the area. As these conditions develop, additional outages could occur, and the restoration process could be hampered. Members should be prepared in case this situation develops.

REC’S Restoration Effort Continues

Feb. 6, 2010 - 5:00 p.m.

REC is experiencing brutal winter conditions, marked by precipitation, freezing temperatures and high winds. These weather conditions have contributed to power outages all across the Cooperative’s service territory, in the form of downed power lines and poles. These same conditions have also impeded repair progress. REC and its contract crews are working hard to restore power to affected customers. It could take numerous hours or even several days to complete repairs.

"Our number one concern is the safety of our employees and members. We urge everyone to take the necessary precautions to ensure their safety," said Maxie Rozell, director of safety and security. .

REC reminds its members to stay away from downed power lines. Members should call toll free 1-800-552-3904 to report outages or downed lines. The Cooperative's outage reporting system consists of customer service representatives and an automated voice response unit. The automated voice response unit is the quickest way to report an outage or downed power lines.

During the storm, if your electricity is interrupted:

Leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.
If using portable or camp-type stoves or lanterns for cooking and lighting, ensure that the area is adequately ventilated.

After the storm:

Do not rely on your neighbors to report your outage.
Listen to your local radio station in your car, or a battery-powered radio for news and weather updates.
Stay away from fallen wires and debris. Treat all fallen wires as if they are energized.
Follow safe operating procedures for generators. Never operate one inside your home, in crawl spaces or in an enclosed space, such as a garage.
Do not hook portable generators directly to the electrical system of your home. Electricity could flow backward onto our power lines and endanger lives. Either have a qualified electrician perform the work or plug directly into the generator with the proper-sized extension cords.

REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103.000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties. Visit the Outage Center for outage details.

Winter Storm Continues to Impact Cooperative's Members

Feb. 6, 2010 - 12:30 p.m.

REC crews are working to repair damage to the company’s electricity delivery system from the severe heavy snow and wind that tore through much of the company’s 12,500 miles of line in the 16 county service territory.

Downed power lines are dangerous. Stay away from downed lines and anything that may be touching a power line. Immediately report downed lines to REC by calling your local REC office or 1-800-552-3904.

If you are using a portable electric generator, do not connect it directly to household wiring. Power from generators can backfeed along power lines and electrocute anyone coming in contact with them, including line workers making repairs.

Turn off major appliances (electric water heaters, refrigerators and freezers) and sensitive electronic equipment (TVs, VCRs, DVD players, computers and stereos) to prevent overloading and possible damage when power is restored. Turning off this equipment may mean that you have to unplug it, turn off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse for the circuit in your home that provides power to this equipment. Leave one light switch “on” so you’ll know when power has been restored.

Significant accumulations of snow are occurring in the northern portion of the Cooperative’s service territory. Damage from the storm is currently concentrated in the counties of Spotsylvania, Louisa and Culpeper. Scattered outages are also occurring throughout the remainder of the Cooperative’s service area.

Crews are responding to outages as they are reported, but supplementary outages are occurring as quickly as repairs are made. Continued heavy snow and high winds are expected through the remainder of the day. As these conditions continue, the restoration process can be hampered and additional outages can be expected to occur.

For up-to-date information visit the Outage Center. REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties.

REC Crews Respond to Outages Caused by Winter Storm

Feb. 6, 2010 - 7:30 a.m.

REC crews are working throughout the service area to restore outages caused by a winter storm that moved through the region Friday evening continuing into Saturday.

As of 7:30 a.m. the Cooperative reports approximately 17,000 outages. The majority of outages are west of Interstate 95 concentrated in the counties of Culpeper, Madison, Fauquier, Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania.

The Cooperative is deploying additional contract personnel to those affected counties. Although the company is making progress in restoring power to these counties, restoration efforts will take time to complete. Heavy snow has weighted down trees causing limbs to break and fall onto power lines.

Vist the Outage Center for numbers on current outages.

The quickest way for customers to report power outages is by calling REC’s customer services representatives at 1-800-552-3904.

Families who have special medical needs or elderly members should closely monitor the outage situation and make alternate arrangements, if needed.

Customers should stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized as well as trees or limbs in contact with lines. Please report downed power lines to Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and your local police department.

REC is a member-owned cooperative providing service to more than 103,000 homes and businesses in portions of 16 counties.

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