On Monday, Oct. 28, just over 1,400 customers of Empire Electric Association were without power as the result of an auto accident that downed a power pole carrying transmission lines on the north side of the city of Cortez, also affecting customers in parts of Yellow Jacket, Lewis/Arriola and Cahone, up to and including County Road Z.
Empire Electric was notified just before 1 p.m. Most of the affected homes and businesses had power restored just after 4 p.m. Customers who are located close to the accident site, had power back before 9:45 p.m.
Downed transmission lines pose their own challenges due to their higher voltage. The transmission system worked to limit the outage to just over 1,400 customers by identifying the damaged lines and making it possible to isolate and re-route power to others while those lines could be repaired.
We would like to thank those who were affected by the outage for their patience, as well as the
Colorado State Patrol officers and the fire department who helped keep the area secure, allowing for our crews to repair the downed lines. Reports were that the driver of the car who collided with the power pole suffered only minor injuries.
For tips about how you can protect your property and increase your knowledge about what to do if you experience a power outage, visit www.eea.coop.
