Updates 1-17-22

8:45 A.M. 1-17-22

Winter Storm Izzy has caused major outages from Florida to southern parts of New England. Although the snow has passed over our territory, SEC employees remain ready and fully stocked for any outages that may occur as the storm continues to head north.

SEC has released our mutual aid lineworkers to return home or help another cooperative with the restoration of electricity.

We want to thank our mutual aid and contract personnel for their hard work helping us make preparations for this storm and being on standby as we waited to restore any outages that occurred.

We also want to thank the members of Southside Electric for being prepared and supportive. It is an honor to serve you, thank you for being amazing member-owners.

Thank you Adams Electric Cooperative, Inc., Clinton County Electric Cooperative, Inc., Illinois Electric Cooperative, Jo-Carroll Energy, Norris Electric Cooperative, Shelby Electric Cooperative, SouthEastern Illinois Electric Coop, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Community Electric Cooperative, Carolina Power and Signalization and Choptank Electric Cooperative.

Updates 1-16-22

10:00 P.M. 1-16-22

Update: At 10:00 pm, SEC crews has reduced the number of members without power to 96. Crews are working as safely and efficiently to restore power as quickly as possible. Should you experience a new outage, please be sure to notify SEC.

9:00 P.M. 1-16-22

Update 9pm: Good Evening SEC. We currently have 286 members without power and these outages are throughout most of our service area. Crews are dispatched at this time and will work until power is restored. We will continue to monitor throughout the night as winds pick up and temperatures drop.

6:45 P.M. 1-16-22

We are starting to feel the effects of Winter Storm Izzy across the SEC service territory. As of 6:45 p.m., 449 members are without power. Crews are en route to restore power as safely and as quickly as possible.

Two different ways to report your outage:

• Text “#out” to 866-878-5514 using the mobile number on your account.

• Call 866-878-5514 to report the outage using our automated service.

5:00 P.M. 1-16-22

SEC Members:

As forecasted, the widespread winter storm has transitioned to a wintry mix. Icy conditions have been reported on interstate & primary/secondary roads. Please keep traveling limited in an effort to clear the roads for first responders. As of 5 p.m., there are currently 30 members without power. The forecast calls for more freezing rain or snow in portions of our service territory until around midnight tonight. Gusty winds are also expected tonight. We stand ready with over 400 personnel to respond safely and quickly to restore our member-owners’ power.

Two different ways to report your outage:

• Text “#out” to 866-878-5514 using the mobile number on your account.
• Call 866-878-5514 to report the outage using our automated service.

3:00 P.M. 1-16-22

As Winter Storm Izzy moves north, it has caused outages to over 250,000 homes and businesses from Florida to North Carolina. If you experience an outage as this storm passes over SEC’s service area, please report it using TextPower or our automated phone line.

TextPower Tutorial à https://youtu.be/XaFZFNEFO3Q

The Four Steps of Restoring Power à https://youtu.be/raSFiYod1Cc

12:00 P.M. 1-16-22

Winter storm Izzy has arrived in SEC country! Your Cooperative has over 300 lineworkers and support staff positioned to restore electricity to members as safely and quickly as possible.

According to the weather service, snow may turn to ice in our service territory, coupled with wind.

Should you experience an outage, please report it one of two ways:

• Text “#out” to 866-878-5514 using the mobile number on your account.

• Call 866-878-5514 to report the outage using our automated service.

Remember, roads can be slippery. While travel could be hazardous, if you must go out, please travel with a flashlight, water and food, as well as blankets. Stay safe.

8:30 A.M. 1-16-22

SEC is proactively staging its workforce across the service territory to respond to outages should they occur. Additional mutual aid and contract crews continued to arrive Saturday.

These crews are also being pre-staged, so they are ready when needed.

Once the precipitation begins to fall, travel conditions will become increasingly dangerous. Please stay home, so roadways are clear for first responders if needed.

Remember, two ways to report an outage:

• Text “#out” to 866-878-5514 using the mobile number on your account.

   

• Call 866-878-5514 to report the outage using our automated service.

   

Updates 1-15-22

5:00 P.M. 1-15-22

Good evening SEC members,
We are now just hours away from what is forecasted to be a treacherous winter storm barreling into Virginia, including SEC's 18-county service area. A state of emergency has been declared in Virginia. Weather advisories, watches and warnings are posted across the state. Winter Storm Izzy is predicted to bring varying amounts of wet, heavy snow and then ice to the state, starting early Sunday morning and continuing through the day into Monday. Gusty winds are expected to kick in Sunday afternoon. Ice means the possibility of trees and limbs falling into power poles and lines, increasing the likelihood of outages. 
 
Before the precipitation begins to fall, SEC strongly encourages members to prepare for the storm and the possibility of multi-day power outages. Putting together a storm kit with food that doesn't need to be heated, water, flashlights, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, blankets, manual can opener, extra medications, cell phone and charger, extra batteries and other emergency items is a good idea. See sec.coop/stormprep for more ideas. SEC also advises members to avoid travel unless necessary during hazardous storm conditions.
 
SEC has spent this week planning and preparing for the storm. Warehouses and supply yards are stocked, fuel tanks are full, equipment has been checked, extra trucks and track machines are in the fleet and SEC lineworkers are ready to begin restoring members' electricity. SEC's army of lineworkers will be bolstered by mutual aid crews from Arkansas, Illinois and Maryland and by contractor crews. Over 300 lineworkers and support personnel are ready to take on the outages and restore electricity. This skilled team will work safely and as quickly as possible and won't stop until everyone's electricity is back on. 
 
Members should report outages by using TextPower. Text "#out" to 866-878-5514 if your mobile number is on your account. Members can also call that number to report outages.
 

12:00 P.M. 1-15-22

We wanted to let our members know that the most efficient way to report an outage is through TextPower. You are already signed up if your mobile phone number is on your account. If you have a new number, please register that number by calling Member Services at 1-800-552-2118, M-F, 8-5 p.m.

When you experience an outage, text “#out” to 866-878-5514. You only need to do this once per outage.

To get an update with a possible restoration time, text “#status”. Once a crew is assigned, SEC lineworkers will locate the issue and give a more accurate estimate for restoration. Please know that major outages due to a storm can cause a delay in estimated restoration times.

If your power has been restored, texting “#status” will show that information.

Video Tutorial ----> https://youtu.be/XaFZFNEFO3Q

8:30 A.M. 1-15-22

SEC continues its proactive staging of crews, supplies and fuel across our service territory. This Saturday morning brings the addition of 32 – 2 person mutual aid crews from Arkansas and Illinois. Thank you Adams Electric Cooperative, Inc., Clinton County Electric Cooperative, Inc., Illinois Electric Cooperative, Jo-Carroll Energy, Norris Electric Cooperative, Shelby Electric Cooperative, SouthEastern Illinois Electric Coop, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Community Electric Cooperative and Carolina Power and Signalization. SEC members and employees greatly appreciate your help.

We continue to urge our members to spend today making final preparations for the forecasted storm. Sec.coop/stormprep.

UPDATES 1-14-22

12:00 P.M. 1-14-22

The preparations continue. Thank you, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Community Electric Cooperative and Carolina Power and Signalization for already having boots on the ground in our service area. Additional mutual aid and contract crews will be arriving on Saturday. We will continue to update you on our progress through the weekend.

8:30 A.M. 1-14-22

Good morning SEC members,

We are 2 days away from the predicted storm that weather forecasters say will bring snow and mixed frozen precipitation to Virginia, including SEC's 18-county service territory, through all of Sunday and into Monday. All this week, SEC has been planning and preparing for the storm and the possibility of power outages. Here is a short list of some of our preparations.

• SEC lineworkers have been briefed on the storm, have checked their equipment and are ready to safely and as quickly as possible restore members' power, should outages occur.

• Cooperative lineworkers from Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and Community Electric Cooperative have arrived in the area and are helping SEC crews with preparations.

• More line personnel from Carolina Power and Signalization have also arrived with 14 vehicles, including seven track machines that help lineworkers gain access to poles and lines in difficult terrain.

• SEC has requested and will have additional crews from cooperatives and contractors arrive over the weekend and next week.

• SEC's 4 warehouses have restocked following the snowstorm earlier this month. Additional poles are arriving today. SEC will have more than 550 available poles across the service area.

• By the end of Friday, all fuel tanks will be topped off. Substation generators arrived Thursday.

• We are continuing to watch weather forecasts so we can respond to members' power outages across the 18 counties.

SEC encourages members to also get ready for what could a significant amount of snow and possibly multi-day outages. Prepare a storm kit with food, water, flashlights, blankets and more. Fill up your car with gas. Members who need electricity for medical equipment should have an alternative plan. Visit sec.coop/stormprep for more preparation tips.

Update 1-21-22

1-21-22 5 P.M.

SEC members,

Although our service territory will likely avoid the worst of this current storm, there is still a chance our eastern counties could see more snowfall tonight starting around 9. Should any outages occur, crews will be dispatched as soon as possible.

If you do experience an outage, remember there are two different ways to report your outage:

• Text “#out” to 866-878-5514 using the mobile number on your account.

• Call 866-878-5514 to report the outage using our automated service.

Updates 1-20-22

1-20-22 5:00 P.M.

SEC members,

It's looking like the worst of the Friday-Saturday winter storm will miss much of SEC Country. The latest forecasts are predicting the heaviest of the precipitation will be in the coastal parts of Virginia. However, some of SEC's eastern counties may see some snow. Temperatures across the entire state will be frigid.

If the wintry weather causes any outages, SEC personnel will restore electricity safely and as quickly as possible.

SEC always monitors several weather forecasts to understand when and where the expected storms will hit and how long they will last. That's certainly true with this weekend. Keep in mind, forecasts can change.

SEC encourages members to always prepare when storms are predicted. Be careful if you must travel during inclement weather.

1-20-22 10:00 A.M.

A shift in the projected forecast has most of the snow hitting the SEC service territory around noon today and continuing into the late afternoon and evening. Accumulation is expected to be light. Members may see some mixed precipitation. Temperatures are predicted to remain above freezing before dipping below overnight. SEC will continue to monitor the storm and dispatch crews if any outages occur.

If you do experience an outage, remember there are two different ways to report your outage:

• Text “#out” to 866-878-5514 using the mobile number on your account.

• Call 866-878-5514 to report the outage using our automated service.

Updates 1-19-22

1-19-22 4:35 P.M.

SEC members,

Forecasters are predicting the possibility of more wintry weather in SEC Country, starting tonight into Thursday and then Friday night into Saturday. SEC is monitoring the forecasts and planning its response should snow and ice hit and bring power outages.

Rain is expected tonight into Thursday, with the possibility of it changing to snow or mixed precipitation. Little accumulation is expected. Snow is in the forecast starting around dinner time Friday into Saturday morning. Current predictions say the heaviest snow will fall in the counties along the Virginia-North Carolina border and from the Lynchburg/Farmville area to the coast. Freezing temperatures are expected. 

SEC is keeping a close eye on the forecasts, which are continuing to be updated. The Cooperative's warehouses and supply yards remain filled with materials, and employees are prepared should there be power outages.

SEC urges members to take steps now to prepare before any winter weather hits. Tips include preparing a storm kit with food, water and other supplies; filling up the car with gas; and for members with medical equipment that needs electricity, identifying an alternative. See sec.coop/stormprep for more tips.

Follow SEC's Facebook page for updates on the weather impacting the Cooperative's service area and our plans to respond.