WALTERS – Cotton Electric crews worked throughout the day Saturday and are being called in to get some rest. “Safety and productivity become an issue after dark,” said Steve Lyons, vice president of operations.
Work will start up again around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. All field crews and construction crew will be joined by eight new line crews in the continued effort to restore power.
CEC crews will work in the Medicine Park area and the Hulen/Pumpkin Center area. Several crews will work in the Marlow and Duncan area. Because of the number of broken poles, power restoration in these areas may take 7 to 10 days.
“We still have major transmission problems,” said Warren Langford, CEO. Damage to Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) structures has power out at CEC substations. Langford said, “If the Cache substation is not energized tomorrow, we will attempt to back feed the sub and try to pick up as many members as we can.
“We’ve made some progress today,” he said. “We restored power to approximately 8,000 members.” As of 8:40 p.m., 9,510 members were still without power due to transmission and distribution issues.
Langford pointed out that this is a dangerous time and cautioned members to stay away from downed power lines.
Members with Internet access can monitor outage information of the Cooperative’s Web site, cottonelectric.com. A link shows the location of outages and the number of members affected. The site is updated regularly.
Members are reminded that to report service outages or other electrical problems, please call (580) 875-3351 or (800) 522-3520. A local dispatcher is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Stay safe during winter storms
Snow and ice storms are an inevitable part of the winter season. However, they can lead to downed power lines and outages. Preparing for a coming storm should include checking flashlight batteries and making sure there is an ample supply of alternative fuel sources, such as firewood.
A Cotton Electric dispatcher is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When an outage occurs, members can call 580-875-3351 (Walters local calling area) or 1-800-522-3520. Every effort is made to restore power as quickly as possible. For a widespread outage, contract crews are engaged to supplement the work of the CEC crews.
Members with access to a computer can monitor outage information on the cooperative’s Web site, cottonelectric.com. A new link shows the location of outages and the number of members affected.
Remember the following tips to stay safe and warm should you find yourself in the dark after a severe winter event:
Never touch a fallen power line, and assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged. Call Cotton Electric to report it immediately. Avoid contact with overhead lines during cleanup and other activities.
In the event of an outage, an alternate heating source — such as a fireplace, propane space heater, or wood stove — may be used. Extreme caution should be taken.
Plan to stay in an area of the home where the alternate heat source is located.
Fuel- and wood-burning heating sources should be vented. Be sure to follow manufacturer’s directions.
Make sure carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors are working properly.
Do not use a gas-powered oven for heating. A gas oven may go out or burn inefficiently, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Do not use a gas or charcoal grill inside the home. Do not use charcoal briquettes in the fireplace.
If you use a portable generator to power a heating source, be sure the generator is located outside your house for proper ventilation. Do not use a generator in an attached garage. Follow manufacturer’s directions for operating the generator.
Take special care not to overload a generator. Use appropriately sized extension cords to carry the electric load. Make sure the cords have a grounded, three-pronged plug and are in good condition.
Never run cords under rugs or carpets.
Never connect generators to household wiring. The reverse flow of electricity can electrocute an unsuspecting utility worker.
Ideally, your family will stay warm until the power comes back on. But keep an eye on family members for signs of hypothermia, which include shivering, drowsiness and mental and physical slowness. The elderly and young children are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia. Call 911 immediately if you notice these symptoms. At least one telephone in the house that does not depend on electricity should be available in the case of a power outage.
Cotton Electric Cooperative, organized in 1938, currently provides electric service to over 20,000 meters in eight counties of Southwest Oklahoma including Caddo, Carter, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Tillman, Jefferson and Stephens counties.
A Cotton Electric dispatcher is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When an outage occurs, members can call 580-875-3351 (Walters local calling area) or 1-800-522-3520. Every effort is made to restore power as quickly as possible. For a widespread outage, contract crews are engaged to supplement the work of the CEC crews.
Members with access to a computer can monitor outage information on the cooperative’s Web site, cottonelectric.com. A new link shows the location of outages and the number of members affected.
Remember the following tips to stay safe and warm should you find yourself in the dark after a severe winter event:
Never touch a fallen power line, and assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged. Call Cotton Electric to report it immediately. Avoid contact with overhead lines during cleanup and other activities.
In the event of an outage, an alternate heating source — such as a fireplace, propane space heater, or wood stove — may be used. Extreme caution should be taken.
Plan to stay in an area of the home where the alternate heat source is located.
Fuel- and wood-burning heating sources should be vented. Be sure to follow manufacturer’s directions.
Make sure carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors are working properly.
Do not use a gas-powered oven for heating. A gas oven may go out or burn inefficiently, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Do not use a gas or charcoal grill inside the home. Do not use charcoal briquettes in the fireplace.
If you use a portable generator to power a heating source, be sure the generator is located outside your house for proper ventilation. Do not use a generator in an attached garage. Follow manufacturer’s directions for operating the generator.
Take special care not to overload a generator. Use appropriately sized extension cords to carry the electric load. Make sure the cords have a grounded, three-pronged plug and are in good condition.
Never run cords under rugs or carpets.
Never connect generators to household wiring. The reverse flow of electricity can electrocute an unsuspecting utility worker.
Ideally, your family will stay warm until the power comes back on. But keep an eye on family members for signs of hypothermia, which include shivering, drowsiness and mental and physical slowness. The elderly and young children are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia. Call 911 immediately if you notice these symptoms. At least one telephone in the house that does not depend on electricity should be available in the case of a power outage.
Cotton Electric Cooperative, organized in 1938, currently provides electric service to over 20,000 meters in eight counties of Southwest Oklahoma including Caddo, Carter, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Tillman, Jefferson and Stephens counties.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
This winter, set your thermostat to cheap
Temperatures have dropped and the Oklahoma wind is sweeping down the plains. Cotton Electric Cooperative offers a few tips for keeping your hard-earned money from blowing away on high energy bills.
One of the simplest ways to conserve energy use during winter months is to set your thermostat as low as is comfortable. Another is to manage the warmth offered by the sun, opening draperies and shades on south-facing windows during the day and closing them at night. Closing the damper on an unused fireplace will keep warm air indoors.
Space heaters and electric blankets should always be turned off when unattended. Going a step further and unplugging them and other appliances not in use can trim energy use by taking them out of a standby mode.
A low cost way to assist your heating system and increase its efficiency is to change air filters. Frequency depends on the household, but fresh filters should be a part of every cold weather home maintenance routine.
Air leaks will cause your heating system to work harder and longer, meaning higher energy bills. A rattling window or fluttering curtain can be indicators of problem areas. Locking a window will tighten the seal, as will a fresh application of caulk or weather stripping.
Exterior doors often allow wintry air into the home. Stopping a draft at the bottom of a door can be as simple as rolling up an old blanket. Some craft vendors and retail stores offer draft-stoppers that are whimsical or decorative. A more permanent solution is weather stripping, which will address leakage all around the door.
A larger investment can bring more savings in the long-term. Installing a programmable thermostat means the system will not work as hard to heat an empty home. A great deal of home heat is lost because of inadequate insulation in attics. Adding a few inches can go a long way toward lowering wintertime energy bills.
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