White River Valley Electric prepares for weather-related outages
Branson, Mo. – As a
winter storm bears down on Missouri, White River Valley Electric Cooperative is
prepared for impending inclement weather, including the possibility of damaging
ice. The
National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for nearly
the entire state in effect from Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon.
Snow, sleet and freezing rain are all possibilities.
According to the
NWS office in Springfield, Mo., a considerable amount of icing will be possible
across much of southern Missouri. However, exact amounts are highly uncertain
at this time, and the potential impacts to utility systems are unknown.
“We’ll know more
as the storm approaches,” CEO Chris Hamon said. “Damage to the electrical
distribution system could be scattered or widespread, so members should make
plans in case the power supply is interrupted. It’s just too early to tell.”
While snow does
not greatly affect power supply, ice storms are among the most devastating
weather events that can hit the electric grid. When ice falls, it can collect
on lines. The heavy weight can snap lines, cause trees to fall into lines or
topple poles. Icy roads and downed trees can hamper crews attempting to restore
power.
WRVEC has had
considerable experience dealing with winter storms and has plans in place to handle
outages should the worst happen. When large numbers of outages occur, the
Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives initiates its Emergency
Assistance Procedure. As outages occur, electric cooperatives call the
association in Jefferson City to request help. The association staff
coordinates bringing in crews, equipment and supplies from unaffected parts of
the state to lend assistance. If the disaster is widespread, cooperatives in
other states and contractors also will send help.
As the storm develops and details of any outages become clear, updates
will be available online at
whiteriver.org
as well as on the WRVEC
Facebook
and
Twitter feeds.
# # #
Contact:
Jeff Pardeck, Member Services Manager
417.335.9335 (WRVEC office)
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