Cooperative Living October 2019 - 24

SafetySense | by Erin Campbell, Contributing Writer
Keeping the Grid
Up and Humming
W
1. Being Part of the Community
One of the most valuable things about being served by
an electric co-op is that you also have an ownership stake in
the way the cooperative operates. Electric co-ops know our
communities. We live and work in the neighborhoods and
towns we serve. You know many of your co-op's board
members and employees. And, in turn, board members and
employees are personally acquainted with or are a part of fire
departments, county supervisors and first responders.
Emergencies can happen at any time, so these relationships
are important in urgently responding to unplanned events or
in preparing for more predictable events, including winter
storms or summer flooding. For example, in the wake of
Tropical Storm Michael in 2018, co-ops from North Carolina,
South Carolina and Kentucky sent teams to help co-ops in
Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. That's because we're part
of one large cooperative community, and cooperation among
cooperatives is an essential principle of providing reliable
electric service.
2. Planning, Preparing and Practicing
A well-known saying: It's not if a crisis will occur, but
when it will occur. What constitutes a crisis can mean different
things to members, depending on the role electricity plays
in their daily lives or businesses. Your electric co-op tests
disaster and business continuity plans regularly and takes
pride in being prepared at all times. Plans focus on how to
prevent threats, as well as how to respond and recover in the
event of an incident. Business activities, such as vegetation
management or pole inspections, might seem routine;
however, they are strategically performed to reduce power
disruptions before they occur. Trees that are too close to
power lines can cause major damage during a storm and
could result in a lengthy outage.
22 | Cooperative Living | October 2019
hile cyberattacks on the electric grid get a lot of
attention, physical damage from storms or critters
is much more likely to disrupt power. From battling
weather events to copper theft, your electric cooperative takes
a proactive commitment to deliver reliable service. Even a misstep
by a squirrel can damage infrastructure and cause power outages.
Here are three ways your co-op works to ensure your power
is reliable:
The nation's electric
grid is incredibly
resilient and can
withstand many
physical impacts, but
it's also a dynamic
infrastructure that
requires constant
attention.
3. Coordinating with Stakeholders
Your electric co-op places a high importance on partnerships
with fellow cooperatives, industry partners and government
agencies to mitigate the potential impacts of all types of threats
to our system. Electric cooperatives work closely with the rest of
the electric industry, the North American Electric Reliability Corp.,
the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy
and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on matters of
critical infrastructure protection. That includes sharing necessary
information about potential threats and working together to avoid
disruptions to the extent possible.
Although the electric grid is incredibly resilient and can
withstand many physical impacts, it's also a dynamic infrastructure
that requires constant attention. Your electric co-op is vigilant in
ensuring grid protection from physical and cyber threats in order
to power your lives. 
WAYS YOU CAN HELP
Report Suspicious Activity
We ask co-op members to be mindful
of unusual situations and to report
them immediately to your electric
co-op or local authorities. If you see
something that doesn't seem right,
we ask you to say something so that
it can be investigated.
Check for Damage
If you have tree branches or
other vegetation growing too
closely to power lines or utility
poles, please contact your electric
co-op so it can keep the lines
clear in order to provide the
most reliable service.
Erin Campbell writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for
the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national
trade association representing electric co-ops in Virginia,
Maryland and Delaware, and across the country.
co-opliving.com
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living October 2019

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