Thank you!

On the evening of July 13, 2024, a nasty storm came through our territory, damaging a lot of members’ property and taking out numerous Southeast Electric lines. Operations crew members and office staff worked through most of the first night. The few employees out of town cut their leave short and returned to Ekalaka to assist in the restoration process. First, I would like to thank all Southeast Electric employees for their dedication and hard work day in and day out, as well as during the long days put in to restore power. Special thanks to the Red Rock Power and Outback Power contract crews that came down to assist. They were headed this way by early Sunday morning and worked seamlessly with Southeast Electric staff.

I want to thank all of our amazing members as well. The phone calls, emails, and texts we receive to report downed poles and lines are invaluable in assisting us in pinpointing the trouble areas. Just remember to stay safe, report down lines, and stay away. Always treat them like an energized line, as our line voltages vary from 7,200 to 115,000 volts. I also want to thank the members who flew portions of our lines; this saved our crews an invaluable amount of time. Thank you to all who brought in food and snacks. Thank you, Fruit Service and Randy Fix, for being available after hours to fuel trucks. Thank you to the TSO Cantina for donating pizzas. Thank you to the Wagon Wheel and Ijkalaka Grocery for providing food, drinks, and caffeine to keep the crews going through the long, hot days. Thank you to the Midway Motel, The Guest House, and Adam & Taylor Kuntz for providing rooms for the contractor crews. Finally, I want to thank all the members who offered assistance in the restoration efforts.

Tye Williams, General Manager, Southeast Electric Cooperative