STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
Power restoration is mostly complete, according to the final Farmers RECC update.
As temperatures rise and ice melts, additional outages may occur, according to the update.
“Thawing ice can damage equipment and cause lines to gallop or cause already weakened tree limbs to fall onto power lines,” the update stated. “Our crews remain on standby and are responding quickly to any new outages that arise.”
Farmers RECC would like to thank its linemen, member service representatives, the dispatching team, the team “who kept everyone fed,” warehouse personnel and “the members of [the] team who handled daily tasks so the majority could focus on storm restoration” as well as crews from Clinton County Electric Cooperative, Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative, Menard Electric Cooperative, Monroe County Electric Cooperative, Inter-County Energy, 5 Star Electric, Glasgow Electric Plant Board, Townsend Tree Service and SteelRock Services, LLC.
Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative, Menard Electric Cooperative and Monroe County Electric Cooperative from Illinois now travel to
Tri-County Electric Cooperative’s district office in Tompkinsville to assist them with restoration efforts, according to the update.
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Farmers RECC outages are down to double digits this morning.
Public communications officer Caralyne Pennington told Glasgow News 1 on Jan. 29 that the cooperative is down to 26 outages. Farmers RECC plans to have total restoration later today; however, that remains somewhat slow due to hazardous conditions and extensive damages, Pennington said.
Barren County outages are concentrated south of Glasgow, according to the cooperative’s outage map.
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Less than 600 people are without power, according to the newest Farmers RECC update.
This is down from the approximately 6,000 reported in the direct aftermath of the winter storm. Progress towards total restoration remains slow due to extensive damage and hazardous conditions, according to the cooperative.
Full restoration is expected Thursday, according to Farmers RECC.
“We are currently in the most time-consuming phase of storm recovery,” the update stated. “Although the number of members without power has decreased, we are still addressing approximately 90 separate outage locations. At this stage, crews may work for hours on an outage that restores service to only a few members.”
The cooperative stated there are 31 crews working in Farmers RECC’s service area.
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Farmers RECC outages are down to 1,700, according to a 1 p.m. update provided by the cooperative.
Twenty-eight broken poles have been found by crews over the course of the repairs, which is lengthening restoration times, Farmers RECC stated.
“This phase of our restoration is the most tedious process of storm recovery,” the update press release stated. “While our number of members without power has been reduced, we still have 125 different outage locations.”
Many of the Barren County outages are in the county south of Glasgow, according to the Farmers RECC outage map.
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Full Farmers RECC restoration will likely be Thursday, according to the energy cooperative’s 8 a.m. update, which also stated that while Wednesday was the tentative restoration date, there could be some outages lasting until Thursday.
Roughly 2,110 outages are reported. Restoration efforts continue with more than 40 mutual aid crews — including crews from the Glasgow Electric Plant Board — that are assisting Farmers RECC with repairs, according to the update.
Progress continues to be slow. Crews have encountered numerous downed trees, damaged and broken poles, the wind, and treacherous road conditions, according to the update.
“Wind gusts of up to 35 mph, combined with ice weighing down trees and power lines, increase the risk of additional outages” Farmers RECC stated. “Already weakened trees and lines may snap under added pressure throughout the day.”
People relying on Oxygen or medical equipment, along with those who are without heat, should make alternate arrangements. As a reminder, Bridge Kentucky offers a 24/7 warming room at 1411 N. Race Street.
“Despite brutal temperatures and challenging conditions, we remain all hands on deck and will continue working safely and diligently toward full restoration for our members,” the update stated.
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Approximately 2,900 people are without power throughout Farmers RECC’s coverage area.
Hazardous conditions—including ice, snow, fallen trees, and difficult terrain—continue to slow the restoration process and make the work especially challenging, according to the cooperative’s update.
“The other major concern today and tomorrow is the extreme cold temperatures entering our region,” Farmers RECC stated. “We do understand that it is brutally cold and the safety of our members and employees is our top priority.”
Thirty more mutual aid crews, including those from the Glasgow Electric Plant Board, are assisting the cooperative.
Wednesday is still the target for full restoration.
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Good progress was made overnight, according to information provided by Farmers RECC.
Roughly 3,400 customers are without power, a cooperative press release stated.
“While this progress is encouraging, hazardous conditions—including ice, snow, fallen trees, and difficult terrain—continue to slow the restoration process and make the work especially challenging,” Farmers RECC stated.
Wednesday is still the projected time for complete restoration. Members relying on Oxygen or other medical equipment, or people without a heat source, are “strongly encouraged” to make a plan for this extended outage, Farmers RECC stated.
“We do understand that it is brutally cold and safety is our top priority in these very challenging conditions – with that in mind, we are all-hands-on-deck this morning and will continue to work as quickly and as safely possible to restore service,” the release stated. “We know our members depend on electricity, and our crews are working non-stop to get power restored to our members.”
In addition to the 18 linemen obtained through mutual aid, the cooperative has contracted right-of-way crews “assisting us with restoration this morning,” according to information provided by Farmers RECC.
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The number of Farmers RECC outages are down to 4,200, according to the newest information provided by the cooperative.
Due to the severity, restoration could take until Wednesday, according to Farmers RECC.
“First, we want to say that we understand that this isn’t the news anyone wants to hear,” a Farmers RECC press release stated. “We know our members depend on electricity, and our crews are working non-stop to get power restored to our members. Throughout the day, crews discovered additional broken poles. Our crews are also dealing with extremely adverse weather conditions.”
“As the early rain continued, followed by a drop in temperature, even more ice formed on lines and trees which caused more outages to occur,” the release continued.
A person with electricity-dependent medical or other equipment, or those who do not have a backup heat source, may need to make alternate plans.
Farmers RECC is receiving 18 additional linemen to help with repairs through mutual aid, according to the press release.
“We expect to see more progress tomorrow,” the release stated.
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Roughly 6,200 Farmers RECC customers are without power as crews slowly repair utilities on Jan. 25.
“Restoring power after a major outage is an enormous undertaking that involves much more than simply throwing a switch or removing a tree from a line,” said Toby Moss, Farmers RECC president and CEO.
Repairs are hindered as broken poles are found, according to the cooperative, which also stated precipitation and cold temperatures increase outage numbers.
Any ice over a fourth-of-an-inch on distribution lines significantly increases the possibility of failure. The combination of additional weight, blowout from wind, and jumping when the ice falls from the line can cause lines to break and poles to snap. These hazards are also combined with sagging and jumping tree limbs.
“We will restore service to everyone as soon as possible,” he said. “We prioritize by making repairs that will restore power to the most members at one time. Unfortunately, due to the nature of this storm and the difficult conditions, we anticipate this will be a multi-day restoration.”
Members who have electricity dependent medical or other equipment may want to make alternate plans.
The cooperative’s next update will be at 7 p.m. tonight.
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Farmers RECC crews are working to restore service to members following a winter storm that swept through the area, toppling trees and taking down power lines.
“Reported outages along our lines currently stand at approximately 6,100,” said Caralyne Pennington, director of member and public communications for Farmers RECC. “We will restore service to everyone as quickly as possible and all Farmers RECC personnel are working today. We prioritize by making repairs that will restore power to the most members at one time.”
With the magnitude of this outage event, restoration could take multiple days.
Members who have electricity dependent medical or other equipment may want to make alternate plans. Crews are working at full strength to make repairs and restore power to all our members. Farmers RECC asks for members to be patient as crews work to restore service.
Because of the widespread nature of this event across multiple states, mutual aid assistance is severely limited.
Those experiencing a power outage are reminded to turn off or unplug all electric equipment and appliances to prevent excessive load on power lines when they are reenergized. Gradually restart necessary appliances over a period of 30 minutes after power is restored for several minutes.
Pennington also offers these reminders to members:
– Stay off roads, if possible, as road conditions are poor. Disabled vehicles can slow the electric restoration process significantly.
– Don’t go near downed wires or damaged electric equipment. Touching energized wires can lead to injuries and death. If you see downed wires, call Farmers RECC at 270-651-2191 immediately.
– If you use a generator, never run it inside your home or garage. Some produce carbon monoxide fumes, which can be deadly. Make sure your generator is installed with a transfer switch to keep it from back feeding into the cooperative’s distribution system.
Farmers RECC’s service territory currently has two confirmed broken poles, however damage assessments will continue throughout the day today.
Crews are dealing with extremely adverse conditions this morning, including slick roads and difficulty accessing infrastructure, in addition to the cold weather and continued precipitation.
Farmers RECC asks for members to be patient as crews work to restore service. Due to the conditions, restoration could be lengthy in some areas. Farmers RECC reminds its members to stay away from fallen power lines. Always assume that any line is conducting electricity.
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