For immediate release:
5:00 p.m. – Thursday, January 17, 2020
| County | Number of meters out as of 4:20 p.m. Thursday, January 17, 2020 |
| Huerfano County | 1575 |
| Costilla County | About 200 |
| Pueblo County | Restored |
Cause of outages: High winds
Meters out: 1,775
Damage report: Three broken poles
Number of SIE employees: All available employees
Contract crews: if applicable
Major restoration efforts are underway to restore wind-related power outages in Huerfano County. Lineworkers are working to replace three poles that broke during the windstorm. Repairs are expected to be complete no later than 8 PM. Once the poles are replaced, the majority of the meters should be back in service, however there may still be some isolated, scattered outages.
At 4:20 p.m. on Thursday, January 17, there were approximately 1,775 meters without power.
Service was restored to Navajo Ranch and members along Highway 165 between San Isabel and Aspen Acres earlier today. Since the outage began, shortly after 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 17 power to more than 400 meters has been restored.
Recently upgraded equipment has been helping isolate outages and restore power more quickly than in the past. Since 2013, a major effort has been underway to rebuild old sections of our electric infrastructure that had reached the end of their usable life, as well as sections that were frequently causing trouble. The rebuild projects are part of the co-op’s long-term strategy to provide reliable power, keep operational costs down, and ensure steady rates for many years to come.
The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind warning in effect until 11 p.m.
We will not be able to provide an estimated time of restoration until wind conditions improve and Lineworkers have inspected the area to ensure all damage has been identified.
Once all damage has been identified, we will be able to determine the work involved to make repairs and have a better idea of when power may be safely restored.
Outage status updates will continue to be posted every two hours at siea.com between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Members can report outages using San Isabel Electric’s mobile and online account management app SmartHub.
SmartHub can be used to:
- Report power outages with a computer, tablet or smart phone.
- View our outage map.
- Track an outage’s status until power is restored.
Outages can also be reported by calling 1-800-279-7432. More information about outage reporting and preparedness is available at siea.com/safety.
San Isabel Electric’s outage restoration policy is to make repairs that will restore service to the most people in the least amount of time. Transmission lines and substations are repaired first, followed by distribution lines that feed neighborhoods. Tap lines and individual service lines are then repaired to restore power to customers who may still be without electricity.
In the event of a prolonged outage, members who are expected to be without power overnight will receive an automated phone call from San Isabel Electric, as soon as possible.
A press release will be issued when power is restored to the majority of the affected meters. The release will be posted at siea.com/news and on the co-op’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
San Isabel Electric is a cooperative utility, owned by a group of member-owners, that together provide electricity in remote, rural areas where larger, investor-owned utilities don’t find it profitable enough to serve.
A large portion of the electric cooperative’s lines and equipment are in remote-rural areas and/or are in rugged-terrain, not accessible by roads or vehicles. These areas are difficult to access during good weather and even more difficult to access during inclement weather. Lineworkers often face arduous weather and road conditions making their job very difficult and dangerous.
From our office staff to those out in the field, we appreciate your patience as we work to restore power as quickly and as safely possible for everyone involved.
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As a not-for-profit cooperative utility, San Isabel Electric provides affordable, reliable electricity with exceptional service to communities throughout southern Colorado. Serving nearly 20,000 Member-owners and 24,000 meters, San Isabel Electric has been keeping the lights on since 1938. We don’t just serve communities. We are part of communities.
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