The power behind your power
Posted April 3, 2018
AS APRIL ARRIVES, it brings with it the showers that produce spring flowers. It also heralds the beginning of a potentially stormy season that can inherently include power outages. While Palmetto Electric Cooperative strives to provide reliable electricity to our members, there are times when Mother Nature has other plans. Most of us can ride out a storm from the comfort and convenience of our homes. However, there is a group of professionals that springs into action when the weather takes a turn for the worse–co-op lineworkers.
Braving stormy weather and other challenging conditions, lineworkers often must climb 40 or more feet in the air, carrying heavy equipment to restore power. Listed as one of the 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S., lineworkers must perform detailed tasks next to high voltage power lines.
In addition to the highly visible tasks lineworkers perform, their job today goes far beyond climbing to the top of a pole to repair a wire. They are also information experts that can pinpoint an outage from miles away and restore power remotely. Line crews use their laptops and cell phones to map outages, take pictures of the work they have done and troubleshoot problems. In our community, Palmetto lineworkers are responsible for keeping more than 3,300 miles of lines working, in order to bring power to your home and our local community 24/7, regardless of the weather, holidays or personal considerations.
Lineworker Appreciation Day was April 9. So during April, or any month, if you see a lineworker, please pause to say “thank you” to the power behind your power. Let them know you appreciate the hard work they do to keep the lights on, regardless of the conditions.
