At any hour of the day or night, dozens of computer monitors glow inside REC's headquarters. From four dispatch stations, employees watch over thousands of miles of line, more than 100 substations, parts of 22 counties and more than 185,000 connections.
The unassuming room may seem calm on a day without outages or be filled with phone calls, radio chatter and overlapping conversations during a storm. Either way, the work never stops.
A lineworker may call in a repair. A contractor may need a section of line de-energized. An outage report may have arrived from a member. Elsewhere, electricity may need rerouting to prevent an interruption.
Keeping track of it all are the eight system operators who staff REC's System Operations Center. The center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, serving as a critical link between members, lineworkers, response crews and employees across the Cooperative.
"There's a lot going on here," said Anthony Childress, System Operations Supervisor. "And it's all focused on keeping lineworkers safe, keeping the lights on when we can and getting them back on as quickly as possible when they go out." Safety is the team's first priority. When crews work on REC's system, these employees track where the crews are and what work is taking place. They coordinate when equipment must be de-energized, confirm protections and manage the system while work is completed. Lineworkers rely on operators to know the status of nearby equipment; operators rely on crews to report what they see and provide updates.
The team also coordinates maintenance, construction and contract work across REC's service territory. When possible, systems operators reroute electricity to reduce interruptions and keep power flowing to members. Technology provides a clearer view of the system, but experience and communication is critical.
"The System Operations Center is where information becomes action," said Arthur Wholey, Senior Director - Operations and Construction Services. "Our employees are monitoring the system, communicating with crews and helping make sure we have the right people and resources in the right places."
That role becomes especially important during severe weather. Members may see REC's yellow trucks on the road and lineworkers repairing damaged equipment. Behind that visible response, System Operations Center employees connect member reports with information from crews and the electric system.
As outages occur, operators identify affected areas, communicate assignments and track restoration. They also update the tools members rely on, including text alerts, REC's online outage map and estimated restoration times. For a member without power, waiting for restoration may feel like nothing is happening. Yet inside the System Operations Center, employees are constantly receiving information, confirming details and coordinating people.
During major events, REC may bring in additional crews or request mutual aid. The System Operations Center coordinates those resources and restoration priorities, beginning with major parts of the system and working outward to restore the greatest number of members safely.
The System Operations Center is rarely visible, but its work touches every part of REC. At its center, a small team works around the clock to protect those on the grid and keep the lights on for members.
