On Ice

[Bird]

Chuck, the electric company hires a contractor to prune trees away from their power lines. When they were here this summer, I even asked the supervisor to prune my trees, but in his opinion, they won't be into the electric company's mains for 5 years (I suspect half that), so they wouldn't do it. Then the line from their pole (in my yard) and transformer to my house goes through a live oak tree of mine, so I do a little pruning on that tree myself a couple of times a year. Yep, sure wish we had underground electric service.

 

[Chuck52]

Bird,

My rural electric coop is pretty good about just about everything; I really have no complaints. They did hire a company that pruned some tree on my property a few years ago, and that company was a bit sloppy. They left snags in one place that I ended up cleaning up myself, but I was wanting some firewood and it wasn't a big deal. On the other hand, they also cut down a black walnut that was maybe 12" at the base, and that they neatly cut up into firewood length pieces. If I'd been there I would have asked they leave me a single log because I have a friend with a sawmill who could have gotten me a small amount of usable lumber.

I want my line buried for safety, and to make it so I can plant some trees for shade where they would now get into the line. I also have trimmed an elm that gets into the line from the last pole to my house, because that's my responsibility. However, I called them up to ask about it and they said though it was my responsibility, if I was worried about doing the trimming they would get somebody out to do it for me at no charge. Nice folks.

Chuck

 

[Bird]

Chuck, when I was down in the country instead of in town, the contractor for the rural co-op did a fine job because I was there when they did it, told them I liked my trees, but liked my electricity even more, so cut it back plenty far. I also let them leave all their equipment on my place a few nights, and got them to dump a few loads of wood chips for me.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

, i just heard on the news that some parts in KY won't
have power until the middle of next month.




I just heard on the news that Kentucky was hit the hardest.
they said close to a million without power, they had to bring in different crews from different states to help restore power.

I won't argue with that! We got slammed, and this isn't the worst area. I'm in central Ky. West of us got it even worse. We have trees down everywhere, power out to many, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel in short supply. The stations that have it are among those without power. Motels that have power are slammed.

First estimates were somewhere between 600,000 and 800,000 without power. Latest numbers are down to somewhere around 450,000. MAny are 3 to 5 weeks from getting powered up again. Domestic water supplies are effected. Pumping stations and treatment plants are without power. Big generators are in short supply due the the extensive area effected. So now water systems are running at low pressure and at risk of contamination.

Out of state utility crews are pouring in, but we're still having NEW damage. Trees are still falling. Temps are supposed to go above freezing today and tomorrow, but more snow (and possibly more freezing rain) is in mondays forecast.

Personally, we had several large tree limbs go down on the house. Luckily, no apparent damage. Our road was blocked with downed power lines for 2 days. After those were removed, I cleared the road of snow and ice. We lost power 3 times for less than an hour total. I understand we were one of less than 100 homes in the immediate are to remain powered up. For that I'm most thankful.

All this and we were just now getting cleaned up from Sept 14th. (Hurricane Ike)

Yesterday, we managed to get all the downed trees around the house sawed up and moved. A couple 75+ y.o. oak trees will need to come down after the weather breaks. (split to to bottom)

So.... in just over 4 months, we've had the 2 worst power outages in our states history.

 

[coobie]

I wish they'd bury all the power lines possible. We get lots of ice, though we dodged the bullet on this one. Getting as much of the grid underground as possible would help some.

Chuck

Thats good and bad!! Trying to find a fault on a underground powerline can be a pain in the butt sometimes.Overhead lines are easier to find the problem.coobie

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I won't argue with that! We got slammed, and this isn't the worst area. I'm in central Ky. West of us got it even worse. We have trees down everywhere, power out to many, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel in short supply. The stations that have it are among those without power. Motels that have power are slammed.

First estimates were somewhere between 600,000 and 800,000 without power. Latest numbers are down to somewhere around 450,000. MAny are 3 to 5 weeks from getting powered up again. Domestic water supplies are effected. Pumping stations and treatment plants are without power. Big generators are in short supply due the the extensive area effected. So now water systems are running at low pressure and at risk of contamination.

Out of state utility crews are pouring in, but we're still having NEW damage. Trees are still falling. Temps are supposed to go above freezing today and tomorrow, but more snow (and possibly more freezing rain) is in mondays forecast.

Personally, we had several large tree limbs go down on the house. Luckily, no apparent damage. Our road was blocked with downed power lines for 2 days. After those were removed, I cleared the road of snow and ice. We lost power 3 times for less than an hour total. I understand we were one of less than 100 homes in the immediate are to remain powered up. For that I'm most thankful.

All this and we were just now getting cleaned up from Sept 14th. (Hurricane Ike)

Yesterday, we managed to get all the downed trees around the house sawed up and moved. A couple 75+ y.o. oak trees will need to come down after the weather breaks. (split to to bottom)

So.... in just over 4 months, we've had the 2 worst power outages in our states history.

Sorry to hear you had some limbs fall on your house and glad you
didn't get any damage, me and you both was lucky we didn't lose
power, many all around me have no power and was told it could take
around the middle of next month.

I don't know if you saw it on the news yesterday, but it was already bad enough here, than a plane with six people crashed and killed all six, they were low on fuel and was trying to make it to the
airport and hit a high power line and crashed behind a house.

I think the news said the plane was from Delaware, that was about
30 miles from my house. that was in West Virginia and those people
had just got there power on then they lost it again.

I have some family down around Louisville Ky. they don't know when they will get there power back, i have been watching the news
and there talking that a snow storm will be back Monday, could be
blizzard like conditions, i can handle the snow but i sure don't like that ice at all, i hope they can get the power on before this next storm.

I think i heard that this ice storm that went through had killed 42
people in several different states, one thing i can't figured out is why
someone would put a generator in their house, they have been finding some dead over that, and that is sad.

I saw where bird and chuck was talking about power lines buried in the ground, that would be great around here. i seen the other day where they was bringing in these crews from other states, and they had tractor trailers with a full load of electric poles and some with a
load of transformers, if it was in the ground they probably could save
some money and many would have power right now.

I hope you can get everything cleaned up and get prepared for this
next storm coming in next week, i always stay stocked up on everything in the winter, especially with fire wood.

Good luck with the next storm.
____________________
-Bill

 

[survriggs]

Well, here's an update from southern Missouri. 3/4" of ice + an inch or so of sleet + about 3 inches of snow. Power went out Tues the 27th at 6 PM, and is still off. Took over an hour to clear the downed trees for about 1/4 mi. of county road to the highway. Have plenty of wood for the wood stove and the generator has run non-stop. Plenty of seat time on the B7800 blading driveway and county road. Our Co-Op still has about 5000 homes out of power. My next project is installing a transfer switch for the generator at the meter pole so I won't have to run all of these extension cords! You never really appreciate just flipping a switch until there's no power!

 

[coobie]

Well, here's an update from southern Missouri. 3/4" of ice + an inch or so of sleet + about 3 inches of snow. Power went out Tues the 27th at 6 PM, and is still off. Took over an hour to clear the downed trees for about 1/4 mi. of county road to the highway. Have plenty of wood for the wood stove and the generator has run non-stop. Plenty of seat time on the B7800 blading driveway and county road. Our Co-Op still has about 5000 homes out of power. My next project is installing a transfer switch for the generator at the meter pole so I won't have to run all of these extension cords! You never really appreciate just flipping a switch until there's no power!

Sorry to hear you folks are still without power.I know our company has sent electric line crews to KY.Hang in there.coobie

 

[groundcover]

I feel your pain! We were out ten days in December,the transfer switch is the way to go,no cords and when you go into a room and throw the switch(which you will do even though you know the power is off!)it turns on the lights! Sounds like you are well prepared but hope you get back online soon.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Well, here's an update from southern Missouri. 3/4" of ice + an inch or so of sleet + about 3 inches of snow. Power went out Tues the 27th at 6 PM, and is still off. Took over an hour to clear the downed trees for about 1/4 mi. of county road to the highway. Have plenty of wood for the wood stove and the generator has run non-stop. Plenty of seat time on the B7800 blading driveway and county road. Our Co-Op still has about 5000 homes out of power. My next project is installing a transfer switch for the generator at the meter pole so I won't have to run all of these extension cords! You never really appreciate just flipping a switch until there's no power!

Sure hope you didn't get no trees on your house or any other
property damage, that was a bad ice storm, and then the snow on top
made it even heavier. i sure hope you can get your power on soon.

They keep saying another snow or ice storm this week.
_________
Bill