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Sullivan County Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

OUTAGES - WHY & WHAT TO DO
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     Sullivan County Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) does all that it can to provide the best possible service for members at the lowest possible cost.  Programs such as right-of-way-maintenance, pole inspections, line improvements, etc., help reduce but cannot eliminate outages. 
     Electrical outages can be caused by trees, tree limbs, lightning, cracked insulators and, even squirrels.  Many times only a small number of members are affected by an outage. 
     However, in the case of a major storm a wide area  can be affected. 
     During a large outage the co-op works to restore service to as many members as possible in the least amount of time.  If a substation or a main distribution line is out, crews work to restore power to these systems first. 

BREAKERS & FUSES

    To help prevent lines from sustaining major damage fuses and breakers are used.  You may have noticed that before power fails the lights may blink several times.
     If an object such as a tree limb falls on a line a breaker will reset or “trip” in the hopes that the object has cleared the line.   If, however, after three attempts the object has not cleared,  the breaker will cut the electrical feed preventing a line from burning down.
     Fuses on the line work similar to those in your home. If an object falls on the line, the fuse trips.  The only way to restore power is for linemen to go to the fuse, check the line, remove any object on it and insert a new fuse.

REPORT AN OUTAGE

    To help insure that power is restored as quickly as possible, members are encouraged to call the cooperative and report an outage.  Members may be on a fuse by themselves and be without power for a long time thinking someone else would call to report the outage.
Sullivan County REC currently uses an Outage Reporting System to handle outage calls.  A new and improved Porche Outage Reporting System has replaced the outage reporting system used since 1996.  The new system utilizes “caller ID.”  In the past when reporting an outage, members had to either punch in their phone numbers using a touch tone phone or leave a message.
     Using caller ID the system automatically “reads” the phone number you are calling from.  Using this information, the system  displays the name on the account, members map number, phone number and time the call came in.

Automated Outage Reporting System

    The new computer will also handle outage calls placed by the automated outage reporting system .   Members who have the automated outage reporting  will no longer need call in to report an outage.  The system will automatically call Sullivan County REC and report an outage when it occurs.
    One of the things members will note with the new outage reporting system is a five second pause when they call in and the phone is answered.  This pause occurs as the computer uses caller ID to find the phone number of where you are calling from.  If you call to report an outage, but are not calling from the location where the outage is occurring, be sure to enter the phone number where the outage is occurring.
    The Porche system operates by using a member's phone number to locate where the outage is occurring.  If you recently changed your phone number, or do so in the future, please contact Sullivan County Rural Electric Cooperative's office at 924-3381 so your number can be updated.
    If you  have information regarding an outage, such as  a tree on the line, you may leave a voice message.  If you leave a message be sure to give the following information:

1.  Name on your account.
2.  Phone Number.
3.  If reporting a problem, what the problem is.

     Each message left must be listened to individually.  Please do not leave a message unless you are reporting a specific problem.
     Outages can occur when the wind is blowing and lightning fills the sky.  Or, they can occur on a calm summers day.  Whenever an outage occurs be assured Sullivan County REC employees are working to restore your power as soon as possible.