CVEC released the following statement Sunday afternoon.
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) is Preparing for a Valentine’s Day Storm
Lovingston, VA – Snow, ice and rain may visit central Virginia with potential for power outages.With the forecasted arrival of a mixture of snow, followed by ice and rain, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) is preparing to respond to outages that could occur due to the winter weather. The greatest potential for outages will be during the snowfall followed by potential ice accumulation on trees growing outside of the 40-foot wide right-of-way and on the CVEC distribution lines.
Field crews and equipment are ready to go if necessary. Dispatchers and field supervisors are prepared to coordinate power restoration efforts. Member service representatives are available to answer member calls and enter outage tickets. CVEC is coordinating with sister electric cooperatives in Virginia that will provide assistance should outage restoration be necessary.
CVEC members may report outages by calling 800-367-2832 and then use the automated reporting system. Cooperative members may also visit www.mycvec.com on a computer or a smart phone to report an outage online or members may download the CVEC mobile app. Each reported loss of power will be entered into the CVEC Outage Management System, where it will be combined with other reported outages to allow dispatchers to identify fault locations and to send crews to where they will do the most good.
Outage updates will be available through the local media, on the CVEC Facebook page, via Twitter and at www.mycvec.com. The Cooperative website also features an outage map with the number of members affected within each substation service area and by county.
Co-op members are advised to take appropriate measures that include preparing for an outage and creating an outage kit. CVEC also requests that members turn off major appliances after a loss of power, in order to help with cold load pick up …the point when power is restored and there is a major burden on the distribution system.
For safety sake, anyone that encounters a downed-power line, stay clear, even if there is no obvious sparking. Do not attempt to cut trees on power lines. The tree may be conducting electricity. In addition, once cut, the power line may launch the tree in any direction. Please leave restoration work for trained linemen.
If the storm does result in significant power outages, CVEC crews will begin repairs along major lines closest to the local substation, then work their way out along the primary lines, clearing outages as they go, in order to restore service to as many members as soon as possible and to permit power to flow to the end of the distribution lines. Other personnel will be conducting damage assessments, while other crews may be dedicated to service restoration in local neighborhoods.
Headquartered in Lovingston, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric-distribution utility serving more than 35,000 meters in 14 counties across central Virginia. For more information, visit www.mycvec.com
