UPGRADES BRING FEWER, SHORTER OUTAGES - San Isabel Electric
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YOUR CO-OP NEWS
UPGRADES BRING FEWER,
SHORTER OUTAGES
BY REG RUDOLPH GENER AL MANAGER
O
n average, our member-owners Rate stability
experienced a 112% reduction The reliability improvement upgrade proj- REG RUDOLPH
in the average length of power ects are also part of the co-op’s long-term
outages in the last four years. strategy to keep operational costs down and What’s next?
The average length of an outage spread ensure steady rates for many years to come. In 2020, with most of the upgrade projects
out across each member served was reduced Because the upgraded equipment will be near completion, focus is shifting to targeted
by one hour and 52 minutes since 2015. brand new, there will be fewer outage-re- preventive repairs and maintenance.
In 2015, our System Average lated repair costs and maintenance costs. The goal of this is to create a “level”
Interruption Duration Index score, the San Isabel Electric member-owners have where maintenance crews can start each
average length of an outage for each only experienced one rate increase in the year with a clean slate, responding to
member served, was 211.8 minutes. Our last decade and we do not anticipate any rate current issues instead of problems of the
2019 SAIDI score was 99.5 minutes. increases in the near future. past.
We have a talented workforce. Our More information about all of Rather than waiting for a storm or
strategy is to get ahead of outages, rather San Isabel Electric’s upgrade projects, major weather event, engineers will be
than respond to them. including interactive maps and frequently analyzing meter data, blinks and outages
Most often, power outages are caused by asked questions, is available at siea.com/ and patrolling lines to identify equipment
factors beyond our control: animals coming systemupgrades. about to fail. Any deteriorated or failing
into contact with our equipment, trees equipment will be repaired or replaced.
outside of our rights-of-way and storms. Tree trimming The electricity we provide literally
In 2017, we began several projects to We also re-evaluated our tree trimming powers our communities. And it takes
tackle the common outage causes within cycle, to trim every three years in areas every person in the co-op to deliver on
our control and improve reliability for our where there is rapid growth and eight years this promise. Across the country, San
24,000 member-owners — things within in slower growth areas. Two additional full- Isabel Electric, and the 900 other electric
our control such as equipment failure and time employees and a contract crew were cooperatives, provide safe, reliable and
trees inside our rights-of-way coming into hired to help keep up with the ambitious technologically advanced service to 42
contact with our lines. Our goals were new trimming schedule. million Americans while maintaining a
simple: reduce outages, make the system Although most trees do not present a unique, consumer-focused approach to
more resilient to storms and bounce back problem, some of them grow into or crowd business.
from major weather events more quickly. power lines or other utility equipment.
As a rural electric cooperative, with a When greenery becomes too close for
service area larger than Connecticut, Rhode comfort, we have to address it because
Island and Delaware combined, most of the overgrowth can interfere with power
rural landscape is only accessible by going distribution and create a fire hazard.
off road, up mountains and through creeks, If you notice that your trees are growing
much like the original rural electrification into power lines, contact San Isabel Electric
workers did in the late 1930s. to determine the next
Since the system upgrade projects began recommended step. Only
in 2017, contract crews and our staff of 22 professionals who are trained
lineworkers have replaced more than 1,300 to safely prune and trim trees
poles and 67,000 feet of line from Pueblo for electric line clearance
West to the New Mexico state line. should do this work.
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE
MARCH 2020 7
YOUR CO-OP NEWS
Weather, Animals and Trees All Share the Blame
M
ost often, power outages are to provide reliable power, keep operational outage with SmartHub, the co-op’s account
caused by factors beyond our costs down and ensure steady rates for many management app. It’s always helpful to have
control. years to come. members provide additional information
In the summer months, power outages If you come across a fallen or damaged about an outage whenever possible. For
are often caused by animals, such as birds and power line, keep a safe distance — at least the example, if a member can tell us a tree is on
squirrels coming in contact with our equip- length of a city bus. the line outside their house, then we know
ment, especially in the early morning hours. Another common cause of power outages what type of crew we need to dispatch.
In the winter months, power outages that can happen at any time of the year is Our meters also provide automated alerts
are all about the weather. Snowstorms, ice motor vehicle accidents that damage power and alarms that notify us when there is an
storms and windstorms can all cause trees poles. Power may go out immediately due to outage. Meter outage notifications are best
to fall on our power lines or cause the wires the impact of the vehicle, or crews may need used for individual or smaller scale outages.
themselves to be knocked down. to disconnect power when they arrive on site In large events, information from meter data
Our vegetation management team to make the area safe and facilitate repairs. is used to help determine how widespread
routinely inspects vegetation growing near Because electricity can travel through vehi- the outage is.
power lines to identify potential hazards, cles, an accident involving our equipment
then either prunes or removes any hazardous can be extremely dangerous, so please keep Smart meters aid in restoration effort
trees. Unfortunately, they can’t get them all. your distance. Smart meters add a new level of efficiency
Since 2013, a major effort has been under that we didn’t have before.
way to rebuild old sections of our electric Outage reported, crews dispatched Previously, we would have sent a crew
infrastructure that had reached the end of There are a variety of ways that we’re alerted out to investigate an outage that can now
their usable life, as well as sections that were to an outage on our system. Members can be investigated remotely by checking the
frequently causing trouble. The rebuild proj- report their power is out either by calling meter. Sometimes the outage isn’t actually
ects are part of the co-op’s long-term strategy 1-800-279-SIEA (7432) or by reporting the on the electricity system but rather within
When the power goes out, line crews work to pinpoint the p
ork to pinpoint the problem.
1 High-Volatage Transmission Lines 2 Distribution Substations 3 Distribution Power Lines
Substations can serve If the outage can’t be
thousands of members. isolated at the substations,
When an outage we inspect the distribution
occurs, line crews lines. These are the lines
inspect substations to that carry power to your
determine where community.
repairs must be made.
8 COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE
MARCH 2020
YOUR CO-OP NEWS
a member’s home, such as a blown fuse or outage status updates at siea.com every two the largest areas without power.
tripped breaker. hours until power is restored, to keep you We also consult with the emergency
Smart meters also allow us to remotely informed about how work is progressing. managers experiencing concern about
confirm when the power has been restored The co-op only posts outage information hazardous conditions related to power
so crews can focus their attention on other on its Facebook page when more than 2,000 outages for their help in determining
trouble calls. This is especially helpful when meters are affected, or if the outage is antici- priority areas for restoration. This would
there are multiple outages and incidents pated to be longer than four hours. include lines that provide power to hospi-
occurring at the same time. Members can sign up for text and email tals, schools, fire departments and water
outage alerts, notifying them when there is systems.
Estimating restoration times an outage in their area and when the outage
isn’t an exact science is restored. Currently, the notifications go to Be prepared if the lights go out
When your power goes out, you want to members in the area of the outage. So, some Power outages can be an inconvenience for
know when you can expect to have it back members may receive a notification about you and your family, especially when so
on. Our mobile-friendly website, siea.com, a power outage in their area, even though much of our daily lives rely on having fully-
provides outage maps as well as updates every their meter is not affected. juiced electronics and Wi-Fi access. We
two hours, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 In addition to the outage notifications, invest in and regularly maintain our system
p.m. as soon as we know of the outage. members can find out if the co-op is aware to continuously improve reliability for our
Restoration times can and will change. of their outage by checking the outage map, 24,000 meters. However, power outages are
That is why we do not provide estimated which is available through the SmartHub inevitable and it’s important to be prepared
restoration times. A seemingly simple repair app and at siea.com. for when they do happen.
job, such as plugging in a new fuse to a trans-
former, can become a more complex repair Prioritizing work during larger storm
job if that fuse goes too, indicating that there’s events
something more going on. Our number one priority is always public
Once an outage is determined to be safety. So, in a large-scale outage with exten-
affecting more than 100 meters, we post sive damage, we first focus our attention on
4 Tap Lines 5 Individual Homes
Our crews work
hard to restore power
to the greatest number
If the power outage If your home remains of members in the
persists, we inspect tap without power, the
lines. These lines deliver service line between shortest time
power to transformers the transformer and possible.
located on utility poles your home may be the
or pads for underground culprit.
service.
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE
MARCH 2020 9
YOUR CO-OP NEWS
Three Ways to
Electrify Your
Lawn Care
BY ABBY BERRY
S
pring is just around the corner, and you
can practically smell the freshly-cut
grass. If you’re in the market to upgrade
your lawn care equipment, you may want to
consider exploring your options.
Gas-powered lawn mowers and trim-
mers may be your go-to equipment, but times
are changing. Electric lawn care equipment
options are becoming more popular than Cordless electric leaf blowers are lightweight and easy to maneuver. Photo: Scott Van Osdol
ever, offering consumers faster charging
times, longer battery life and quieter, greener worthy competitors of gas-powered models. Search online for the latest reviews and check
products compared to their gas-powered Cordless electric trimmers are much trusted websites like ConsumerReports.org.
counterparts. Here are three ways you can quieter and easier to use, but most batteries With a little research, you’ll be well on your
electrify your lawn care this spring. last about 30 to 45 minutes. So, if you have a way to Lawn of the Month with less mainte-
lot of space to trim, you may want to consider nance, hassle and noise, which your neighbors
Electric lawn mowers a backup battery or plan to work in short will thank you for.
Electric lawn mowers improved over the bursts. If you’re interested in purchasing an Abby Berry writes on consumer and cooperative affairs
last few years. Early models required corded electric trimmer, the main factors to consider for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
connections, which were tricky to manage, are the battery’s life, charge time and power.
but now the cord has been cut. Newer cordless Costs can vary depending on your needs, but
electric mowers are certainly more expensive you can find a quality version for about $100.
than gas-powered mowers, but much of the
upfront cost can be recovered since electricity Electric leaf blowers
is a less expensive fuel than gas, and electric After cutting and trimming your lawn, you’ll
engines generally require less maintenance need to clear off those walkways and patios
than gas engines. Cordless electric mowers for the finishing touch. If you don’t want to
March 2020
typically range from $200 to $500. deal with the maintenance of a gas-powered
Electric mowers are suitable for most blower or the restraints of a corded blower,
Energy Efficiency
lawn care needs, with batteries that typically a cordless electric version is a great option. Tip of the Month
require about one to two hours to fully charge. Cordless electric leaf blowers are light-
Most batteries can run for a full hour. That weight and easy to maneuver, but they don’t Placing hot food in the
said, if you have a large yard (half an acre or offer quite as much power as gas-powered refrigerator makes the
larger), a gas-powered option may be best to and corded blowers. If your leaf blowing and appliance work harder
than necessary, using
suit your needs. clearing needs are minimal, a cordless elec-
more energy. Allow
tric leaf blower can get the job done. Costs food to cool down
Electric trimmers for a cordless electric blower vary depending before you place it in
Cordless electric string trimmers are a great on power and battery quality, but you can the refrigerator.
option for most lawns. Traditionally, like lawn purchase a dependable model for about $150
Source: energy.gov
mowers, string trimmers have typically been and up.
powered by gas. New versions of electric trim- If you’re looking to electrify your lawn care
mers are improving and are now considered equipment, be sure to do your homework.
10 COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE
MARCH 2020
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