Providing safe, reliable electric service is one of URE’s most important responsibilities. I understand that people depend on electricity more than ever. Although URE’s system reliability has continually improved throughout the last 90 years, outages can and will still happen, and sometimes, frustratingly often. 

Feedback from our recent member survey reinforced the importance of both reliability and communication during outages. We hear you and know that repeated or extended outages can be extremely frustrating. That feedback is important as we continue working to improve both reliability and the information provided to you when outages occur.  

I know that when the power goes out, you need it restored as quickly as possible. You want to know what caused the outage, what is being done, and when you can expect your power to be restored so that you can plan accordingly. 

I want to assure you that we don’t wait for an outage to start working. Throughout the year, URE crews inspect and maintain the system, trim trees and manage vegetation, replace aging equipment and make improvements in areas where reliability concerns are identified. Engineering personnel review outage data and identify recurring issues to help determine where additional maintenance or system improvements may be needed. 

We have launched a reliability evaluation and planning project to review and improve URE’s maintenance processes and operational tools. The goal of this project is to identify additional improvements that can reduce both the frequency and length of outages. While these efforts can’t eliminate every outage, they can help us strengthen the system, improve our response and continue increasing reliability over time. 

When an outage does occur, every situation is different. Sometimes the cause can be identified very quickly. At other times, crews may need to carefully patrol significant sections of power lines or test power equipment before the problem can be found. Outages involving underground cable and equipment can be particularly challenging because the damage isn’t easy to spot. Special equipment may be needed to locate the problem before repairs can begin. These procedures take time, but they’re necessary to avoid additional damage and even more outage time. 

Sometimes an outage originates outside the URE system on the transmission grid. URE owns and maintains the distribution system that delivers electricity to you, but the high voltage transmission lines supplying the URE distribution system are owned and operated by other utilities. When a transmission line outage occurs, we coordinate closely with the transmission provider and share information as it becomes available, but repairs to their system are outside URE’s control. 

Keeping members informed throughout an outage is an important part of our response. Early in an outage, crews may not yet know the cause or have an accurate restoration estimate. As they locate the problem and assess the damage, that information can change. Members can stay informed by visiting ure.com or SmartHub for the latest outage information and by signing up for outage notifications through SmartHub to receive updates when an outage affects your service. 

URE’s distribution system typically provides highly reliable service to members every day, but I know that doesn’t make an outage any less frustrating when it affects you. Our commitment is that URE will continue investing in the system, evaluating areas where improvements can be made, and working hard to reduce the frequency and duration of outages for members like you. Serving you is our top priority, and that’s the Cooperative Advantage.