When will my power be back on?

It is 1:00 a.m. and I woke up thinking about all the people who want you to tell them exactly when their electricity will be restored after an outage. We understand your need to know but

A) we usually don't have enough information to give you a definite time -- we get our info from listening to linemen talk to each other on the radio system and looking at stacks of paper that represent people who have called about outages in your area... and

B) if we ever gave you the wrong information about when power will be restored -- and it took a lot longer -- you wouldn't be very happy with your power company.

Someday we will have a "smart grid" that will tell us which people do not have electricity (even before they call) and it will probably show us exactly where all our red trucks are, but until then we make due. We don't have a map on our computer that shows exactly which lines are out and which lines are working – right now that comes from the stacks of paper. This "smart grid" thing will probably be in place within the next 4 years.

Even with the smart grid, outage restoration will require people. Someone has to drive the path of the power line and see why a breaker has turned the power off. The cause could be a tree branch that fell to the ground and is no longer a problem or it could be a car containing a mom and her kids who skidded off the road – who are safe because the breaker turned the power off. We don’t simply flip the switch without checking for the cause. It takes time to “run out the lines” and it takes time to make the repairs.

I really feel for the people affected by power outages... the elderly people who need oxygen concentrators and might get very cold, quickly... the mother at home with kids who have H1N1... the people with new babies that they just brought home from the hospital... the people who have livestock that need water. I relate. I empathize. I wish I could push a button and fix it but I can't. Fixing power lines isn't a fast thing. We put all our resources (skilled linemen and trucks) into place and work hard.

With that said, during large scale power outages, sometimes the decision is made to pull the crews back in before power is restored to everyone. This is not a decision taken lightly. Many linemen tell stories about connecting “just one more” before they turn back towards the shop. The decision to stop working is made when weather conditions are bad enough that we are losing more ground than we can possibly gain by continuing to work. Sometimes the decision is made because the outage is so large that crews will be working to restore power for several days or weeks and they need rest so they can safely continue. Remember that the linemen and the people answering the phones
may be going home to a dark, cold house without power.

Nobody likes power outages. Although a young lineman may be excited to work their first big storm job, major ice storms take their toll on utility employees. Dawson PPD is prepared to handle power outages. We have the training and equipment we need. And one of the most important tools is caring about you, our customers.

Marsha Banzhaf, Public Relations Coordinator
Dawson Public Power District

Custer Power and NPPD talk Climate Change

Ron Asche is the CEO of NPPD and Rick Nelson is the general manager of Custer Public Power District.  Great interview!

WINTERY WEATHER CAUSES SOME POWER OUTAGES

Social Media is PERFECT for keeping customers updated about outages.  Yes, we know customers without power obviously cannot get online - but their family and friends can.  Plus many of the cell phones today are equipped with data plans and those phones can accept Twitter or FaceBook updates quite easily. 

PRESS RELEASE - OCTOBER 22, 2009 - 11:00 A.M.
Dawson Public Power District crews are busy restoring power to customers throughout their territory. Isolated outages have affected about 500 customers between North Platte and Smithfield. In many cases the outages have been caused by trees breaking under heavy snow and ice, sending branches through power lines.

Larger-scale outages have been reported at Bullhead Point at Johnson Lake and in a rural area south of Maxwell.

Ice and tree problems have also caused lights to blink in some areas.

“If you are experiencing blinking lights, we suggest that you unplug sensitive electronics. Report any outages by calling 800-752-8305 or 308-324-2386,” instructs Marsha Banzhaf, Public Relations Coordinator.

THIS, I didn't know....

Beef by-products enable us to use 99% of every beef animal, and these products are a part of our daily lives. Beef by-products include leather, candles, toothpaste, deodorants, crayons, textiles, cosmetics, rubber tires, insulin, high glass for magazines, asphalt, fertilizers, cement blocks, hydraulic brake fluid, car polishes and waxes, detergents, shaving cream, soaps, shampoo, paint, chewing gum, marshmallows, and the list goes on, and on, and on. Can you go a day without using a cattle by-product? (When is a Cow More Than a Cow?)  OK, I knew we had beef by-products but I didn't know (or didn't want to know) I might be putting them in my hair or on my face.

American agriculture is sustainable for the future. In the United States, 98 percent of farms are family farms. Today’s American farmer feeds about 144 people worldwide. 2009 versus 1960: 1.8 million less farms are feeding a U.S. population that has increased 61 percent. BEEF: From Pasture To Plate.  GOD BLESS our farmers and ranchers! 

Other cow facts (from cattlefacts.com):  More than 100 medicines, including insulin and estrogen, come from cattle. Cattle outnumber humans in 9 states: Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.

Open House Weather WOES

The snow started Friday night - and continued well into the next day. Dawson Power was expecting approximately 1,500 to 2,000 guests for their open house. Sadly, we had to curtail some of the outdoor activity. More than 700 brave souls came out to see our new headquarters. Dave Landis portrayed George Norris and it was a wonderful look into the past.

Check out NTVs coverage of our open house - they did a wonderful job. The link is next to this blog in the Twitter section.



We will label the open house as very successful in spite of the weather. Plenty of food and information was available for everyone.

Dawson Public Power District
today's energy; tomorrow's vision

There goes the plannning....

Months and months of planning have been put into the open house event on Saturday, October 10th. I know Marsha Banzhaf has worked on organizing and coordinating this project for well over a year. She has covered the major pieces (speakers) and the minor pieces (who will hook the straps on the bucket truck harnesses for female guests). Her logistical settings have been tested repeatedly and finally all the employee volunteers have a job to do from 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning until 4:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Lauren Daberkow and his crew have assessed and reassessed the parking situation, creating alternative plans in case things change at the last minute. Tony Hoos, Mike Zern and Connie Shively have hung pictures, cleaned, dusted, painted, mowed, trimmed, washed windows all in anticipation of a good turn out.

One highlight of the new building is all the technology built into the rooms. From smart boards that house our mapping system, to the audio visual elements in the board and meeting rooms, this place is a communication masterpiece. Imagine our surprise to find that small things don’t work the way we expected them too. Our technology coordinator, Tracy Gordon, has been spending the past three weeks tweaking things so they operate properly and it appears his tasks will be ongoing.

Our initial planning calculated that we could expect 500-700 guests on Saturday. As time has gone on…the guest list has grown to 1,500 – 2,000 people. That was before the weather report hit us last night. With temperatures in the 30’s expected, possibly accompanied by snow, our plans for the outside activities have been hampered significantly. Imagine a bucket truck ride in 30 degree weather, winds at 15 mph, and 65 feet high? No thanks. If you are inclined to brave the cold, those bucket trucks stand ready to take you high!

The employees of Dawson PPD have been part of the open house preparation from the day we moved in. There’s been something for everyone to do so that the event is successful. A special thanks to everyone who’s been helping!

We are ready to welcome our customers, our neighbors, and our professional colleagues. It seemed to us that this moment would never arrive and now it’s upon us. There have been list of lists made and while we know not everything will go according to plan, our biggest goal is to ensure our guests are comfortable, fed, and educated by the demonstrations, the presentations and the employees who help them along the tour.

JOIN US! Saturday, October 10, 2009 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

You have the Power!

Dawson Public Power District believes our customers have the power to change the future.  Please contact your elected representative today by visiting http://www.ourenergy.coop/.