Boone REMC is committed to providing reliable, uninterrupted electrical power to our members. But sometimes, storms, car accidents and even squirrels can cause power outages. 

Let’s take a look at the most common causes of power outages.

Animals

Animals, especially squirrels, can cause power to fail when they come in contact with specific parts of the electrical system. When a critter contacts this equipment, it creates an abnormal current, which can disrupt the flow of power. Boone REMC installs guards and barriers to protect sensitive equipment but sometimes critters find a way in. 

Weather

Mother Nature can be a tough opponent. Severe weather like thunderstorms, wind and tornadoes and the accumulation of ice and snow can cause tree limbs to fall on power lines, resulting in an outage. 

Vehicles

Unfortunately, power outages can also occur when vehicles or farm equipment crash into a utility pole, which can easily bring down power lines and damage other electrical equipment. 

Blinks

Has your power ever blinked on and off for a few seconds?

This is known as a power blink. 

A power blink occurs when an animal or vegetation comes into contact with a power line that serves your home. When this happens, protective equipment – that acts like a circuit breaker – interrupts the flow of power for a split second to reduce the possibility of damage to the electrical system. This is what causes your lights to blink. Many times, the problem on the power lines can be isolated, which limits the number of members without electricity. 

Regardless of what causes the power outage or blink, you can rest assured knowing that we’ll be working to get your power restored as soon as possible. Our top priority is to provide you with the safe, reliable electricity that you depend on. 

Want to know when you are having a service interruption even when you are not at home? Sign up for SmartHub and allow us to text you when the power in your area is out.