A major outage event is typically caused by severe weather, natural disasters, or large-scale power disruption that impacts a significant number of members in 1 or more counties. As substantial damage has impacted the system, this requires extensive restoration efforts including additional assessment and repair time than a typical outage. Support from mutual aid partners and contractors is often used in these events. Such major events often impact multiple utilities or states and typically see restoration efforts continue for multiple days.
Outages - Major
SEC maintains an emergency restoration plan that is updated and exercised annually. Following the guidelines in this plan, SEC monitors weather forecasts, secures additional resources, and pre-stages crews in key locations. Equipment and supplies are stocked in advance to ensure prompt response. Communications are provided to members regarding storm preparation.
Restoring electricity during a widespread outage is a carefully coordinated process that starts with prioritizing critical infrastructure (hospitals, emergency services, water treatment plants, etc.). SEC also works with agencies such as VDOT to clear downed lines across public roadways, as needed.
SEC then prioritizes repairs that will restore service to the greatest number of members. We follow a utility-accepted best practice of focusing on our transmission system first, then our substations, then our main feeder lines, and finally our smaller service lines and individual services. This process ensures we restore the greatest number of members in the shortest possible time.
While we prioritize restoring power to the greatest number of members as safely as possible, there are a few exceptions:
- Safety Concerns: If there are downed power lines or other hazards, crews must address these to protect the public and workers.
- Accessibility: Some smaller outages may be more accessible or require less complicated repairs, allowing crews to restore power in those areas while waiting for additional resources for larger repairs.
- Resource Allocation: Crews are deployed strategically based on the specific skills and equipment needed for each repair, which may result in smaller outages being restored first.
During a major outage event, providing an estimate is difficult until all damage can be accessed and evaluated.
- The event causing the power outage may go on for hours or days (such as a hurricane or ice/snow storm). These extended events continue to create damage and slow access to inspect the system.
- Crews need time to evaluate the full extent of the damage across the electrical system. Until all service disruptions are identified, it is difficult to provide an accurate restoration estimate.
- A single member’s outage could be caused by multiple disruptions (e.g., downed power lines, fallen trees, or damage at different locations). Each repair may require a different crew and process.
- Once the area has been thoroughly assessed, our system operators can update the ETOR on a per outage basis.
Conditions such as high winds, flooding, fallen trees, lightning, icy roads, or Acts of God can slow restoration efforts, limit crew access, and create additional hazards, requiring extra time to restore power safely.
Yes, SEC crews do work overnight during major storm outage restoration. While the majority of resources are strategically dispatched during daylight hours for more efficient restoration, a select number of crews continue working overnight to make progress in restoring power.
- The event causing the power outage may go on for hours or days (such as a hurricane or ice/snow storm). These extended events continue to create new outages, even while we are making repairs. In some cases, causing multiple outages to the same areas.
- Safety Measures: Crews may need to temporarily shut off power again to safely complete repairs in certain areas.
- If your outage is no longer showing on the outage map, please be sure to report the outage again
During a major storm, power lines, transformers, and other equipment can be damaged in multiple places. Crews start repairs on the "big picture" issue, however, if smaller disruptions remain further down the line - such as downed lines or damaged equipment in your area - your power might come back briefly but go out again. This is part of what is called a “nested outage”. Some areas may get power back, but if more repairs are needed nearby, outages can continue. Sometimes, initial repairs restore power to an outage, however, other outages impact your individual service. Crews may also need to temporarily shut off power again to safely complete repairs.
- Safety Protocols: Crews often need to patrol the lines and inspect the area before they can safely restore power. This ensures there are no hazards, such as downed lines or damaged equipment, that could pose a risk to both the crew and the public. For instance, SEC uses a variety of contract personnel to locate and report damage to our system during large outages. These personnel may patrol lines in your neighborhood, find an issue, and then report back to our system operations center so that the appropriate crew can be assigned to make repairs.
- Complex Repairs: Sometimes, the outage is more complex than initially assessed. The crew might need specialized equipment or additional materials that are not already on trucks, requiring them to leave and return after acquiring said equipment back at the
stocked warehouse or another staging point. Another specialized crew may be needed for the next step in restoration. - Multiple Causes: There might be multiple faults in the system. Crews could fix 1 problem only to discover another disruption further down the line, requiring additional repairs.
There could be multiple reasons why your power remains out while others around you have service. Your home may be on a different circuit, or additional repairs may be needed for your specific location. A circuit is like a highway for electricity, delivering power from substations to large areas. Once a circuit is repaired, many members will see their power restored. However, some outages may be caused by damage to tap lines - smaller power lines that branch off from the main circuit to serve neighborhoods and individual homes, similar to side roads connecting to a highway.