We do our best to avoid them, but there’s no way around it: power outages happen. 

While some outages often only last a few hours, extended outages are unavoidable when a major storm hits our service area. 

So, when the power goes out, how do KV REMC crews know where to start working? 

In the aftermath of a major storm that causes power interruptions, we implement a service restoration plan emphasizing safety and efficiency. Repair crews are first assigned to the most critical areas to make them safe for the general public. Our second priority is to restore power most efficiently. We have taken these steps when deciding where to send crews during a widespread outage.

Substations/transmission lines/emergencies
KV REMC has 10 substations and four metering points from where electricity is sent out over the REMC lines. Any problems with the substations or transmission lines,  getting the power to those substations must be attended to first before other damages can be detected and repaired. During this time, we also respond to emergency accident situations. 

Main Three phase circuit lines
Main three phase circuit lines carry electricity from substations and metering points to tap lines, homes, farms, and businesses. KV REMC checks main three phase circuit lines if the problem doesn’t involve a transmission line or a substation. Crews work main three phase circuit line outages to restore electricity to the greatest number of members simultaneously. 

Tap Lines
KV REMC’s main three phase circuit lines branch off into tap lines. Tap lines serve only one member or very small groups of members.  

Individual Outages
Sometimes a problem lies at an individual transformer or on a tap line that serves one meter. These are usually the last to be restored unless a crew is working a tap line outage in the same area. During a storm, trees are generally the culprit of these individual outages. 

If you experience a power outage, don’t assume a neighbor reported it. It’s best to report the outage yourself, and we can make it easy to do so. The quickest way to report an outage is through the SmartHub app or by calling 800-552-2622. You can keep up to date on restoration efforts on the KV REMC Facebook page. 

Mother Nature can be unpredictable, but as a member of KV REMC, you can feel confident knowing we’re standing by, ready to restore power as quickly as possible, keeping safety as our number one priority. 

While most of us say we can’t live without electricity, there is a group of KV REMC members who literally can’t live without it. Your cooperative keeps a medical necessity list of households with an occupant dependent on life-support equipment. If you are on this list, we can notify you before a planned outage allowing you to make alternative arrangements. In an unplanned outage, the cooperative’s restoration process requires the system’s backbone to be restored first. We encourage members to be prepared with backup plans in case of an outage.