How We Restore Your Power

We prioritize by making repairs that will restore power to the most consumers at one time.

FIRST: Transmission lines bring power to our system from generating plants. It is relatively rare for transmission lines to go out, but they get attention first if that happens. Irwin EMC does not maintain transmission lines.

SECOND: Substations interface transmission lines to Irwin EMC’s main circuits. Substations must be functioning before any other part of our system can carry power. If we compare our electric system to your circulatory system, the substation is the heart. Substations are Irwin EMC’s first priority in restoring power.

After the substations are functioning, we focus on main circuits. It would be pointless to make repairs to other parts of the electric system if the main circuit was out.

THIRD: Main circuits leave the substation and carry electric power throughout our service territory. Main circuits serve as the backbone of our system (trunk lines is another good way to describe main circuits). Taps and service wires leave main circuits to carry power to relatively small groups of consumers. There are very few wires that are considered main circuits. Just because a line runs next to a major highway doesn’t mean it’s a main circuit. We can compare a main circuit to your aorta.

FOURTH: Taps feed off main circuits and carry electricity out to smaller numbers of consumers. You can compare them to an artery. Repairs on taps begin after main circuits are up and running.

FIFTH: Service wires may attach to either main circuits or taps and supply power to only one or two locations. Service wires are comparable to capillaries. Repairs to service wires come last. If we repaired service wires first, it would be like bandaging a cut finger while blood from a main artery gushed.