Network Outages & Electrical Blinks

Power interruptions or “blinks” are most often caused by devices installed to protect the electrical system. These devices are called reclosers. Reclosers essentially act like the circuit breakers in your home, with one major difference – they reset themselves after breaking the circuit. The intent is that a tree touching the line or other obstruction will cause the recloser to open.

The device will reset itself and power will once again flow down the line. If the problem has cleared the line, power will stay on. If the problem still exists, the recloser will operate again. After trying three times, most reclosers are designed to stay open until the obstruction is cleared and the device is manually re-set. The opening and closing of the recloser only lasts up to two seconds, causing the blink. These power interruptions are normal system operations to protect the general public, our employees, and our system.

Squirrels also cause a majority of the blinks and the incidents are most common in early summer through the fall. Every blink is investigated and additional wildlife protection is added whenever practical.

• Report a Power Outage
• Report a Streetlight Outage