1 minute read
From the Top with CEO Patrick Grace
While it feels like we've lived through our share of storms and weather events this year already, we're now gearing up for spring storm season. One proactive approach we take year-round is the trimming of trees away from our power lines so when the wind does come sweeping down the plains — and it always does — it won't lead to unnecessary power flashes and outages.
For years now, we've been focused on system hardening, which is a fancy term for the aggressive, strategic improvement of our power system. We've installed state-of-the-art technology and studied each mile of line to look for ways to make it better, and that's led to a massive reduction in our outage times over the years. But a practice that often gets criticized may be the best investment we've made when it comes to reliability, and that's tree trimming.
Who can forget the October ice storm? Did you know we only lost 200 poles due to the ice and high winds? I say 'only 200 poles' because five years prior during Winter Storm Goliath, we lost over 600 poles in a storm with pretty comparable ice accumulations. That's a testament to the focus we've put on improving our system — mostly via tree trimming.
Adding a fiber-to-the-home network has allowed us to upgrade the system as well. More equipment attached to our poles means heavier poles are needed, and those withstand natural elements better than smaller poles. We know that over time, man-made infrastructure can and will fail.
Part of keeping the lights on is having a great workforce. Our lineworkers take pride in what they do in both the construction of our system and the maintenance of it. Our low outage numbers also show how dedicated our lineworkers are in going out in all kinds of weather. When the meteorologists are telling people to stay off the roads, you can bet OEC trucks will be rolling down the roads. As a member myself, I appreciate the dedication our lineworkers display, and I know you do too.
