|
If you come home and find your clock-radio flashing 12:00, it's not
necessarily a signal that your power has been out.
Most
electrical disturbances last just a moment. A tree branch may have
brushed against a power line or an animal may have scampered across
it. When that happens, your local electric cooperative goes to
work to make sure its lines aren't being damaged - because damaged
wires can mean prolonged power outages.
When
something lands on a power line, an oil circuit recloser (OCR) opens
to interrupt the flow of electricity - sort of like your circuit
breakers do at home. Once the equipment senses that the problem has
moved on, the OCR closes and electricity is restored. On a rainy or
windy day, this may happen repeatedly.
Still,
it's better than the alternative - a damaged line that requires
homes to be without electricity while it's being repaired. It's sort
of an insurance policy for you and your electric co-op.
|
