ROCKINGHAM, VA (Rocktown Now) – With a winter-weather system expected to arrive in the Valley by Saturday evening, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) encourages members to be prepared in case outages occur.

According to a release, SVEC will have crews and contractors ready to respond to issues in every service district. The cooperative remains in contact with weather-monitoring services for the latest projections and type of precipitation to be expected.

For any weather event, SVEC reminds members of the following:

Safety:

  • Do not make any attempts to clear trees or other debris from power lines. Note the location, and any other important information regarding these situations, and please contact SVEC immediately at 1-800-234-7832. Please avoid contact with downed power lines.
  • If you have a generator, please follow safety protocols. Use a proper disconnect. A generator that remains connected to power lines can backfeed power into them, putting SVEC workers in harm’s way.

How to Report Outages:

Members should not report outages over SVEC’s social media. SVEC’s operations must receive an official outage notification through one of the three methods listed above. It’s important for every member to submit an outage report. This assists system operators in pinpointing an issue. Additionally, “blinking” of lights may occur, which is a normal condition during a weather event such as this. Co-op members do not need to report blinking lights in these circumstances.

Preparing for Outages at Home:

  • Download SVEC’s app, MySVEC, to report your outage and manage your account;
  • Fully charge devices leading up to precipitation;
  • Prepare a home outage kit, to include flashlights, extra batteries, blankets, canned or packaged foods and a first-aid kit;
  • Make arrangements for alternative housing, if necessary, especially if you are on life-sustaining equipment that requires electricity; and
  • If outages occur, turn off major appliances that were in use at that time, which helps eliminate potential damage from surges once electricity is restored. Keep a light switch on so you can tell when power is restored.

Restoration Process:

Crews will work as safely and quickly as possible to restore service. The cooperative prioritizes restoration by first working scenes that will bring the most people back on. While members can often find an estimated time for restoration on SVEC’s outage map, this information may not be available during a large-scale outage situation. Please keep in mind unsafe road conditions may increase SVEC’s response time to outages.

For the latest information in large outage situations, SVEC will regularly update its website and Facebook page.