Severe Winter Weather Can Cause Outages, Pioneer Electric Reminds Members to be Prepared.

Contact: Angela Green, Communications Specialist
334-382-4904

January 7, 2011 Greenville, AL-- Snow, sleet, and freezing rain is expected in our area this weekend and it could cause power outages for Pioneer Electric Cooperative members. Field crews have been placed on stand-by in anticipation of outages.

“Our Members are encouraged to prepare for the possibility of outages and for those using generators and other heat sources,  use them in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions,” said Jason Settle, Pioneer’s Vice President of Engineering and Operations.  "Ice is a huge problem for our power lines, it can weigh the lines down and cause outages.  If you see a downed power line, please do not touch or attempt to move it," Settle said. "Please allow our experienced crews to remove all power lines."

Pioneer Electric has a comprehensive storm plan that allows it to quickly mobilize crews and equipment to respond to storm-related outages, redeploying company and contractor crews within its service area on short notice to focus extra resources in affected areas. In addition, Pioneer can also request assistance from other electric utility companies as part of mutual aid agreements.

It is Pioneer’s goal is to restore power to all members as quickly as possible if outages occur. Also, customers should be aware of the following ways to stay safe and comfortable in the event of an outage. Careful preparation will help avoid problems and inconveniences in the event of an outage.

Members may call Pioneer’s outage line 24 hours a day to report a power outage, downed line or other power emergency at 1-800-533-0323 . Updated outage information is also available at www.pioneerelectric.com.

If the power goes out in your home:

Turn off major appliances (heat pumps, water heaters, stoves, etc.) and unplug sensitive electronic equipment (TVs, computers, microwaves, etc.) to prevent a possible overload when power is restored.Leave one light on so you can tell when power is restored.

Open refrigerators and freezers as little as possible to keep contents cold.

Make sure the area is adequately ventilated prior to using portable stoves or lanterns.

Tips for keeping warm:

Stay indoors in the warmest area of the house.

Bundle up—wear layers of clothing and use blankets. You can also wear hats and gloves.

If you are planning to use any type of indoor heater, like wood stoves or kerosene heaters, make sure that the room you are using them in is adequately ventilated. Also, make sure that the flue of your fireplace is working properly.

It’s important to have an outage kit in your house in the event of a prolonged outage. Your kit should include the following:
• Matches
• Candles
• A flashlight
• Extra blankets
• A battery-powered radio
• Batteries
• Bottled water
• Canned and dried foods
• A manual can opener
• A wind-up clock or battery-powered clock
• A telephone that does not depend on electricity

Don’t leave candles unattended and keep them away from furniture, draperies and other flammable materials.

Turn off electric ranges during a power outage. This will prevent the possibility of a fire if you are away from your home when power is restored.

Keep a large block of ice in the freezer to maintain cold longer, and avoid opening refrigerator and freezer doors to retain cold air inside and keep your food from spoiling. If doors are kept closed on refrigeration equipment, cool temperatures can be maintained for several hours. Dry ice can be used to protect the contents during extremely long outages. Use gloves when handling dry ice and use caution not to place it directly on the contents.

Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Inc. services more than 13,000 members across 4 counties: Butler, Lowndes, Dallas and Wilcox and the service area extends into five other counties which include parts of Autauga, Crenshaw, Covington, Conecuh and Monroe counties.

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