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SECO Releases Interactive Restoration Plan Map for Members

SECO Energy released a new interactive restoration plan map for members to help them determine the areas where crews are currently rebuilding feeders/circuits and restoring power.

 

This new interactive map is a useful communication tool for members seeking power restoration information. Members can input their service address and determine if their area is included in the current day’s restoration plan. Substations are labeled as a reference and feeders/circuits are outlined in polygons. To use the map, visit www.SECOEnergy.com and hover over “Contact Us” in the top right corner. Select “Daily Restoration Plan.”

 

On Wednesday morning, SECO updated the map to reflect the September 13 restoration plan, and mobile-friendly adjustments were made for smartphones and tablets. SECO quickly built the map to help its members who may not be able to get through on the phone.

 

SECO has had significant restoration success since work began Monday at noon. On Monday morning when hurricane winds subsided, our systems indicated about 110,000 reported power outages out of SECO’s 200,000 members. By the end of the day Monday, SECO crews and contractors had restored 25,000 members’ service. By the end of the day Tuesday, SECO crews and contractors had restored another 31,500 members’ service. SECO’s Storm Center shows that approximately 54,000 members remain without power.  

 

SECO anticipated the widespread damage, and brought several contingents of line and tree contractors in before the hurricane hit. The company also proactively arranged for fresh tree and line contractors to arrive every day this week to deploy in the field. Crews arrived from Texas, North Carolina and Louisiana on Tuesday and a large Missouri contingent arrives today. Most substations are now functional, and SECO is counting on the support of Duke Energy to repair its transmission lines connected to SECO’s Mount Dora, Lady Lake, Umatilla, Sorrento and Gospel Island substations back online.

 

SECO crews along with hundreds of contract line and tree trimming crews who arrived before Hurricane Irma struck have been working around-the-clock restoring power to SECO members. Since restoration began at noon on Monday, SECO has restored power to more than 56,500 members and the number restored members continues to climb by the minute. The following is a summary of substations and feeders where crews are or will be TODAY performing repairs and restoration:

 

Sumterville District Office:
• Dallas substation in Marion County near Hwy 301 in Summerfield.
• Lady Lake substation off of Griffin Avenue in Lake County.
• Wildwood substation north of CR-222 in Sumter County.
• Floral City substation off E. Floral Park Drive in Lake County.
• Inverness substation near Susan Point in Citrus County.
• Bushnell substation in Sumter County on CR-48.
• Webster substation in Sumter County on CR-753.

 

Groveland District Office:
• Groveland substation in Citrus County on Phelps Street.
• Big Creek substation in Clermont off CR-474 in Lake County.
• South Highway substation in Groveland on SR-33 in Lake County.

 

Eustis District Office:
• St. Johns substation in Lake County off Lake Mack Drive in Deland.
• Mount Dora substation off SR-44 in Lake County.
• Linadale substation in Umatilla off SE 255 Ave in Lake County.
• Umatilla substation in Lake County off of CR-450A.
• Sorrento substation off CR-437 in Lake County.
• Deer Island substation in Tavares off CR 448 in Lake County.

 

Ocala District Office:
• Dallas substation serving CR-42 and Hwy 301 in Marion County.
• Belleview substation serving Belleview and Summerfield in Marion County.
• Timberwood substation in Marion County off 60th Avenue in Ocala.
• Summerglen substation serving Summerglen and Marion Oaks in Marion County.
• Westwood Acres substation in Ocala off SW 140th Ave in Ocala in Marion County.
• Martel substation in NW Ocala off 110th Ave in Marion County.
• Ocala Park substation in NW Ocala off 90th Ave in Marion County.

 

Please keep in mind that Hurricane Irma just left SECO’s service area late Monday morning. Even the storms of 2004 didn’t hit the area this hard with this much damage. The system disruption is unprecedented and SECO is doing its best to quickly and fully recover.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

Hurricane Restoration Continues Across Central Florida

Hurricane restoration continues across Central Florida with SECO Energy diligently working to restore power to the over 110,000 members without power after Hurricane Irma ravaged its service territory. SECO crews along with hundreds of contracted line and tree crews are deployed to all counties.

 

SECO crews and contracted line and tree crews worked overnight restoring power to members. Because of the significant damage, SECO is diligently calling for more man-power and additional resources to speed up restoration efforts. SECO members were understandably frustrated yesterday with the seeming lack of progress and information on restoration activities. About half of SECO’s system was on the ground Monday morning after Hurricane Irma blasted directly through the center of its service territory.

 

After Monday’s restoration began and the overnight efforts continued, and 25,000 of the 110,000 members without power had their service restored. The following is a summary of Monday’s restoration progress:

 

    • Tree and line crews spent Monday afternoon in Citrus County working on a feeder served by SECO’s Inverness substation serving 2,210 members. Service to that feeder and substation is anticipated to be restored by Tuesday afternoon.
    • 3,000 of the 3,626 Sumter County members served by our Lake Ella substation (Fruitland Park) feeder 4 were restored Monday evening. The remaining members will have service restored Tuesday.
    • Almost 2,000 members in Sumter County served by our Continental (Wildwood) substation’s feeder 4 were restored Monday evening. An additional 431 members on this feeder will see full restoration by around noon today.
    • Our Timberwood substation on 60th Ave in Ocala feeder 2 had 1,000 members restored, feeder 3 had 150 members restored and feeder 4 had 1,300 members restored.
    • 600 members served by our Belleview substation have had their service restored Monday evening.
    • 801 members served by our Waterways substation in southwest Marion County have had their service restored.
    • 80 members served by our Summerglen substation near I-75 in Marion County have had their service restored.
    • 500 members served by our Dallas substation near Summerfield have had their service restored.
    • 241 members Lake County, Astatula area have had their service restored – more members will be restored Tuesday in this community as crews continue to make progress.
    • 100 members served from our St John’s substation in the Lake Mack area have had their service restored.
    • Almost 3,000 members served from two of our six feeders from our Clermont substation have had their service restored.
    • 200 members served by our Linadale substation off 42 in Lake County near Umatilla have had their service restored Monday night.
    • 1,400 members served by our Groveland substation have had their service restored.

 

More members will see power restored today and we will update social media and customer service as soon as possible. Please keep in mind that Hurricane Irma just left SECO’s service area late Monday morning. Even the storms of 2004 didn’t hit the area this hard with this much damage. It is unprecedented and SECO is doing its best to fully recover.

 

Seek shelter if you or your loved ones need power to run life-saving medical devices. Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

 

If you are using a portable or backup generator, never let it run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Do not tamper with a meter to connect a generator as this requires a licensed electrician. Safety tips and storm preparation tips are available on SECO’s website.

 

To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration or tree trimming assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

Hurricane Recovery Begins in Central Florida

Overnight, SECO’s service territory suffered significant damage from Irma’s hurricane-force winds. More than 110,000 members are without power. Statewide, nearly 7 million people – nearly 60 percent of Florida – do not have power. SECO members struggled today to report outages because Century Link phone lines are down and SECO’s online Storm Center platform has been inundated with more than a million hits since 5 am. SECO asks that members who have already reported an outage refrain from reporting it again.

 

High wind gusts continue to hamper restoration efforts across the counties we serve. Restoration began around noon today with tree contractors and line crews paired together for the daunting work of clearing limbs and fallen trees before electric equipment repair/replacement can take place. The outages affect 100 of our 197 feeders, so half of SECO’s electric system is disabled. Eight SECO substations are completely out due to transmission outages – including six Duke Energy transmission outages, one City of Ocala transmission outage, and one SECO-owned transmission outage.

 

SECO CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO has developed a priority restoration plan and has deployed local crews and outside resources in Marion, Lake, Sumter and Citrus counties. Per Florida regulatory requirements, substations and feeders with hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies are the highest priority. The next priority is to restore power to large groups of members, and then to less populated areas with individual electric services.” The company anticipates that up to 25,000 members’ service could be restored in the first 24 hours of restoration, and crews will continue to work round the clock until all service is restored.

 

Though SECO staged hundreds of contract line and tree crew members in advance along with heavy equipment, more manpower is needed based on the significant damage. The company is working to secure additional resources. Fuel is in very short supply, and SECO is working with Governor Scott’s office to secure tankers of diesel and unleaded fuel. Transportation is also challenging with trees and lines down. Restoration may take days or even weeks, dependent on manpower and fuel.

 

Seek shelter if you or your loved ones need power to run life-saving medical devices. Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

 

If you are using a portable or backup generator, never let it run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Do not tamper with a meter to connect a generator as this requires a licensed electrician. Safety tips and storm preparation tips are available on SECO’s website.

 

To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration or tree trimming assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

Thieves Posing as Utility Workers Rob Residents During Hurricane

SECO Energy is warning members of thieves posing as utility personnel, knocking on doors, and robbing unsuspecting consumers at gunpoint during Hurricane Irma.

 

Florida Power and Light (FPL) customers, and Marion County residents have been approached by thieves dressed as utility workers. The thieves knock on the door, and then rob the residents at gunpoint.

 

Please be very cautious if you receive a knock on your door during Hurricane Irma. By Sunday evening, wind speeds will approach 100 mph in SECO’s service area and SECO personnel will not be in the field restoring power. Also, many counties in Central Florida are under a curfew, almost no one except law enforcement and first responders should be out and about.

 

Scammers and thieves run rampant during and after hurricane restoration. Utility customers should never accept restoration services from anyone other than their electric utility personnel. There are possibly thousands of line and tree trimming contractors in the state prepared to restore power after Hurricane Irma. All SECO visiting line and tree crews trucks’ are clearly marked with “SECO Energy Authorized Contractor” signage.

 

Also, helpful in avoiding scams and dangers is to not accept restoration or tree trimming assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

Hurricane Force Winds Will Cause Extended Power Outages

SECO Energy, a not-for-profit electric cooperative, has enacted its emergency restoration plan and organized its employees and hundreds of line and tree trimming contractors who are waiting and ready for Hurricane Irma to impact SECO this afternoon through Monday. Hundreds of bucket trucks, front-end loaders, cranes, and other heavy equipment are already assembled at SECO.

 

Hurricane-force winds are expected throughout SECO’s service territory as Hurricane Irma veers north into Florida’s west coast. At noon Sunday, Hurricane Irma was clocked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and moving north-northwest at 9 mph. Irma is a huge storm, with hurricane-force winds extending 70 miles from its center, and tropical-storm-force winds extending 205 miles from its center.

 

Irma is currently forecast to move along Florida’s west coast, making final landfall near Cedar Key mid-morning on Monday. Hurricane-force sustained wind speeds over 100 mph will begin to impact SECO’s territory late Sunday night and continue through Monday morning.

 

As this giant storm is moving closer to Florida, SECO is warning members to expect extended outages. SECO’s distribution system is built to withstand 100 mph winds, and the state’s transmission system is built to withstand 110 mph winds. Hurricane-force winds will put poles, lines and substation equipment on the ground. Thousands of SECO members will be without power – even those served by underground equipment as their service is fed by overhead transmission lines. Full restoration from Hurricane Irma may take days or even weeks.

 

Later Sunday afternoon when winds exceed 35 mph in SECO territory, restoration efforts must be stopped for safety. SECO won’t be able to conduct restoration activity until winds subside Monday afternoon. Once safe, SECO employees and hundreds of line and tree contractors will converge throughout the service territory to conduct restoration according to the emergency plan.

 

Essential services such as hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies are the highest restoration priority. Line repairs that will restore power to large groups of members are next, and less populated areas with individual electric services are the final part of restoration.

 

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters. Seek shelter if you or your loved ones need power to run life-saving medical devices.

 

Prepare to hunker down and wait for Hurricane Irma to exit the state. If you are using a portable or backup generator during outages, never let the generator run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Do not tamper with a meter to connect a generator as this requires a licensed electrician. Safety tips and storm preparation tips are available on SECO’s website.

 

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration or tree trimming assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

Hurricane Irma Expected to Pound SECO’s Service Area

SECO Energy enacted its full emergency restoration plan late Friday afternoon in preparation for Hurricane Irma. The not-for-profit electric cooperative is preparing its members, employees and hundreds of line and tree trimming contractors for the hurricane to pound SECO’s service area.

 

Currently, Hurricane Irma remains a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 160 miles per hour. Irma’s center is located about 275 miles south-southeast of Miami, and it’s moving west at 12 miles per hour. Hurricane-force winds extend outward 70 miles from the center, with tropical-storm force winds extending 185 miles outward from the center.

 

Irma will turn northwest later today through Sunday morning, and is expected to make landfall first in the middle to upper Keys very early Sunday morning and then make another landfall near Naples Sunday afternoon. The track is shifting slightly to the west and when it makes landfall Hurricane Irma will be a Category 5 or high-end Category 4. Hurricane Irma will trek north-northwest Sunday afternoon and evening along or near Florida’s west coast picking up speed and gradually weakening before entering Central Florida.

 

Because Hurricane Irma strengthened back to a Category 5 early this morning, it will take time for it to weaken below hurricane strength. In addition, the slight westward shift in track means Irma will be over water for a longer period of time. For those reasons, we are now forecasting hurricane-force winds (up to 80 mph) over SECO service territory beginning late Sunday night and lasting through early Monday morning. Winds will likely decrease late Monday morning to below tropical-storm force early Monday afternoon. SECO’s area will be inundated with rain before, during and after Irma’s approach. There is also a chance of tornadoes within Irma’s feeder bands on Sunday. Hurricane Irma’s track will probably make slight shifts until it reaches Florida and makes landfall.

 

SECO employees and hundreds of line and tree contractors from across the nation will focus on power restoration throughout the duration of the event. Hundreds of bucket trucks, front loaders, cranes, and other heavy equipment is being assembled at SECO locations. When winds exceed 35 mph, restoration efforts are curtailed due to safety. It is possible with the hurricane timing and intensity that SECO won’t be able to conduct restoration activity beginning Saturday night until winds subside on Monday. SECO members should expect power to be off for an extended period of time due to hurricane-force winds.

 

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond to outages spawned by Hurricane Irma. SECO is prepared for inclement weather and reminds members that it is best to be informed and prepared.

 

Have your emergency supplies including food, water, batteries, a radio, etc. in a safe place. If you are using a portable or backup generator during outages, never let the generator run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist.

 

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters. Please seek shelter if you or your loved ones need power to run life-saving medical devices.

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. 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, and then individual electric services in less populated areas. To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO Braces for CAT 2/3 Across Central Florida

SECO Energy is enacting its emergency restoration plan in full alert this afternoon well before Hurricane Irma barrels through the state. SECO employees and hundreds of line and tree contractors from across the nation will focus on power restoration throughout the duration of the event. Hundreds of bucket trucks, front loaders, cranes, and other heavy equipment is being assembled at SECO locations.

 

The current National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast indicates Hurricane Irma continues to move west-northwest at a speed of 16 miles per hour. Irma is currently a Category 4 storm. The projection cone has shifted, putting Irma’s path directly through the state’s center. Hurricane Irma is 250 miles wide, and by the time it reaches Central Florida, Irma could be a Category 2 or Category 3 hurricane which is unprecedented for Central Florida.

 

Tropical storm winds will likely affect SECO’s area before the storm makes landfall in south Florida on Sunday. Bucket trucks cannot operate in high wind conditions. When winds exceed 35 mph, restoration efforts are curtailed due to safety. It is possible with the hurricane timing and intensity that SECO won’t be able to conduct restoration activity beginning Saturday night until winds subside on Monday. SECO members should expect power to be off for an extended period of time due to hurricane-force winds.

 

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond to outages spawned by Hurricane Irma. SECO is prepared for inclement weather and reminds members that it is best to be informed and prepared.

 

Have your emergency supplies including food, water, batteries, a radio, etc. in a safe place. If you are using a portable or backup generator during outages, never let the generator run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist.

 

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

 

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. 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, and then individual electric services in less populated areas. To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO & County EOCs Prepare for Hurricane Irma

SECO Energy serves almost 200,000 members in Sumter, Lake, Marion, Citrus and in small parts of Levy, Hernando and Pasco Counties in Central Florida. Currently, no mandatory evacuations are in effect for the counties SECO serves, but Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) activated and are open to assist the public throughout Central Florida.

 

Sumter County: EOC Citizens’ Hotline is 352-689-4400. Shelters will be opening and schools are releasing early on Friday.

 

Lake County: EOC Citizens’ Hotline is 352-253-9999. Nine shelters are now open and schools are releasing early Friday and are closed Monday.

 

Marion County: EOC Citizens’ Hotline is 352-369-7500. Shelters are open only for Marion County residents – no host shelters available. Schools are closed on Friday and Monday.

 

Citrus County: No Citizens’ Hotline open. No school closures or shelters have been determined at the time of this release.

 

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

 

As of Thursday afternoon, Hurricane Irma is maintaining its Category 5 intensity and wind speeds of 175 miles per hour. Irma continues its west-northwestward path at 16 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center predicts Irma will make landfall in south Florida early Sunday morning.

 

SECO members will likely feel Irma’s effects late this weekend and early next week. SECO’s service area will likely experience tropical storm force winds, torrential rains and the possibility of tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Irma. Members should be prepared for the possibility of lengthy power outages.

 

Gather your emergency supplies and if you plan on running a portable or backup generator, now is the time to test that it is working properly and you have an adequate supply of fuel. Never use a portable generator in an enclosed area. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and to view an emergency checklist.

 

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. 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, and then individual electric services in less populated areas. To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a storm restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond if outages occur. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO Bracing for Hurricane Irma

SECO Energy is keeping a close watch on Hurricane Irma as its track lands the giant Category 5 storm in Florida. The cooperative is enacting its emergency plan in full alert mode starting Friday at 4 pm through the duration of the restoration event.

 

Hurricane Irma continues to move on a west-northwestward track with an increased speed of 17 miles per hour, and maximum sustained winds of 180 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has shifted the impact cone to the east overnight, but that shift isn’t enough to send Irma away from Florida. The NHC predicts Irma will make landfall along the southern east coast of Florida or the storm will travel up the east coast.

 

SECO members will likely feel Irma’s effects late this weekend and early next week. SECO’s service area will likely experience tropical storm force winds, torrential rains and the possibility of tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Irma. Members should be prepared for the possibility of lengthy power outages.

 

Gather your emergency supplies and if you plan on running a portable or backup generator, now is the time to test that it is working properly and you have an adequate supply of fuel on hand. Never use a portable generator in an enclosed area. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist.

 

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

 

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. 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, and then individual electric services in less populated areas.To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond if outages occur. SECO is prepared for inclement weather and reminds members that it is best to be informed and prepared. All SECO members should continue to seek out supplies for their emergency kits, and be ready to wait out the storm.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO Tracking and Preparing for Hurricane Irma

SECO Energy is tracking Hurricane Irma and continues to prepare for a track that will affect its service territory.

 

Currently, Hurricane Irma is a Category 5 storm with wind speeds over 180 miles per hour. The storm is located five miles north of Barbuda, and is moving west-northwestward at 15 miles per hour. Forecasters predict that Hurricane Irma will continue on this current path until at least Friday night, passing between Cuba and the southern Bahamas.

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is predicting Hurricane Irma will make landfall in Dade County. The major models predicting Irma’s path shifted a bit easterly overnight, and predictions will continue to fluctuate over the next couple of days.

 

SECO’s service area will likely experience heavy winds, torrential rains and the possibility of tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Irma. Members should be prepared for the possibility of lengthy power outages.

 

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond if outages occur. SECO is prepared for inclement weather and reminds members that it is best to be informed and prepared. All SECO members should continue to seek out supplies for their emergency kits, and be ready to wait out the storm.

 

If you have a portable or backup generator, now is the time to test that it is running properly and you have an adequate supply of fuel on hand. Members can visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist. For members with smartphones or tablets, bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.