Crew Foreman Steven Hughes places chains on a service truck in preparation for a winter storm. Photo credit: Tricia Smith
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, winter officially began on Dec. 21. For those of us in the southern United States, actual signs of the season typically don’t begin in earnest until January, which usually has longer periods of freezing or near-freezing temperatures. If that frigid air is joined by precipitation, it can also mean snow or freezing rain.
Whenever winter comes and whatever it brings, you can count on Little River Electric Cooperative to be ready. Snow and ice can cause trees and limbs to fall on our lines and interrupt your service. But your cooperative knows how to prevent, respond to, and restore those outages.
“Preparation for winter storms happens all year,” says Clay Charping, operations manager. “We cut limbs and trees to keep them off the lines and make sure older and more vulnerable equipment has been upgraded.”
Although Little River Electric’s vegetation management and system maintenance reduce the occurrences of these kinds of outages, it’s impossible to keep all trouble away from our lines. That’s why we encourage you to be prepared as well.
Follow these tips so you’ll be ready before the first flake (or ice) falls.
- You can’t always know when an outage will occur. Have our number, (864) 366-2141, ready.
- Winter storm outages can often last a day or more. Be sure to have nonperishable foods, water, flashlights with fresh batteries, and an emergency contact.
- If you encounter downed lines, always assume they are live. Stay as far away from downed lines as possible and report it to us.
Little River Electric will work as safely and quickly as possible to restore outages.
Take the guesswork out of your bill
The local climate during winter months often has fluctuating temperatures. However, levelized billing from Little River Electric Cooperative takes the guesswork out of fluctuating bills. Call or visit “Your Bill” to see if this is the right plan for you.
