SECO Energy Recovering After Hurricane Ian
SECO Energy is recovering after Hurricane Ian swept through most of its Central Florida service area. Crews worked overnight Thursday in the continued effort to restore electric service to all homes and businesses that are deemed safe to receive service.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm, slowly moved northeast across the state and exited as a tropical storm. Portions of Lake County, Sumter County and southwest Marion County sustained the most extensive damage in SECO Energy’s service area. As of 8 a.m. this morning, SECO has 112 active outages affecting just over 3,000 accounts with 2,968 of those located in Lake County.
Across the service area, crews battled heavy rains and gusty winds. downed trees, flooded roads, or high-water areas. At the Leesburg Airport KLEE weather station, wind gusts were measured at 56 mph with maximum sustained wind speeds of 39 mph, and 2.4 inches of rain.
SECO Energy’s Ocala area returned to normal operations late Thursday night and the Sumterville area returned to normal operations early Friday morning. In the Groveland area, there are only five outages that require crews. In the Eustis area, there are four separate feeder outages (Paisley substation feeders 1 and 2, St. Johns substation feeder 1 and Mount Dora substation feeder 1). Crews are actively restoring these circuits today.
The current National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast has Ian re-strengthening to a Category 1 hurricane and poised to make another landfall along the coast of South Carolina. As of 8 a.m. Friday, the storm has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and is moving north northeast at 9 mph.
CEO Curtis Wynn assured members that the restoration effort is ongoing. Wynn stated, “Crews worked tirelessly overnight on both Wednesday and Thursday to restore service after Hurricane Ian traveled through SECO Energy’s service area. Keep in mind, the rain bands from Hurricane Ian’s rain bands only exited SECO’s service area mid-afternoon yesterday. Restoration was hampered by strong winds and heavy rains yesterday. We continue this morning and won’t stop working until the last member’s service is restored.”
SECO’s Emergency Restoration Plan determines the system’s restoration priority of each affected feeder. Essential services such as hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies are the highest priority. Line repairs that will restore power to large groups of members are next, feeders that serve large commercial services and then individual electric services in less populated areas.
SECO Energy has re-opened its five Member Service Centers on Friday as Hurricane Ian restoration is in its final stages. StormCenter is SECO Energy’s outage and communications platform for members to report outages, check the status of an existing outage and enroll in outage communications and alerts via email, text, voice or all three. Visit StormCenter today and bookmark on your smartphone or tablet to report outages quickly and easily.
Major weather events can cause extended power outages. SECO Energy reminds members to follow safety protocols when using a generator during a power outage. Generators emit deadly carbon monoxide (CO) that is odorless and colorless. Thousands of people die each year from CO poisoning. Never operate a generator in an enclosed space, including a garage. Always place the generator at least 15 to 20 feet away from your home and never near open windows.
Before operating a generator, thoroughly read and review the owner’s manual. Never plug a generator directly into an electrical outlet. This current flow is deadly for utility personnel. Keep children away from an operating generator and store fuel in approved containers. Do not smoke while fueling a generator. Always operate a generator in a dry space. If it is raining, use a canopy or cover. SECO Energy’s Hurricane Handbook includes generator safety tips and how to prepare for before, during and after a storm.
“Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on Twitter for prize drawings, news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Manage your outage notification preferences at StormCenter. To see reliability and expansion projects in your area, visit our new System Improvement map. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > About.
StormCenter is SECO Energy’s outage reporting and communications platform that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online at www.SECOEnergy.com/StormCenter.
