Tree across power line at Side Lake, Minn., during winter storm 2016
We know you want reliable service. And we do everything we can to make it happen, but sometimes it’s a tall order.
Literally…
Lake Country Power’s region is filled with beautiful forests and rugged terrain. That’s good for aesthetics and quality of life, but not good for power outages.
Trees are the number one cause of power outages on Lake Country Power’s system. During heavy storms, trees and limbs falling on power lines cause power outages, especially when strong winds blow through a large system like ours.
We’re not standing still, though. We go through our entire service territory and trim back trees and brush. Still, we can’t be everywhere.
Aside from weather conditions, the past few years have been particularly difficult as certain kinds of trees have been attacked and killed by parasites because of drought conditions. Those dead and dying trees pose a significant threat to the reliability of our system. So we’ve stepped up staff and dollars to catch up.
Although power outages are primarily caused by trees, outages also happen because of squirrels and other types of animals, normal equipment deterioration and problems at the member’s home.
Ever wonder why Lake Country Power doesn’t bury its overhead lines? There are a few reasons actually. Underground power lines don’t eliminate outages and can result in longer outages in normal weather. Underground lines are susceptible to failure caused by digging, animals, lightning strikes, frost movement and normal shifting patters with soil and rock. Damage to underground cables takes more time and money to locate and repair.
You can help by letting us know if any trees in your area need to be cut. Call us at 1-800-421-9959 or contact us about “problem” trees and critters in your area.
