Restoration Process
Powerful storms often pass through our area, leaving damage to our utility services. In many instances, we can diagnose and often repair problems with minimal impact on our customers. Unfortunately, there are those storms that create major system-wide damage, leaving customers without power for an extended period of time. Restoring power after a major storm is a complex process that can affect each customer differently.
Safety First
When our system is damaged by a major storm before any restoration begins our top priority is safety. Our employees assess the situation to make sure there are no life-threatening conditions such as live downed lines.
In the event of a widespread outage, JEA’s outage restoration plan is put into place immediately. The steps in this plan are designed to restore power as safe as possible to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time. In general, restoration begins at the power source and ends at your house.
- Transmission Lines & Substations. Transmission lines and substations (the backbone of the electric system) supply power to distribution lines. Because thousands of customers could be served by one line or substation, the restoration begins here.
- Critical System Loads. These include communications systems, water, and wastewater pump stations, hospitals, fire, police and other services vital to public welfare.
- Main Distribution Lines. From the substations, the power is supplied through feeder distribution lines. These carry power away from substations to groups of customers such as subdivisions, housing areas, and commercial areas. We work our way across the system, first repairing problems serving larger groups of customers than to smaller groups.
- Secondary Distribution Lines. The final supply line, called tap lines, carry power to the utility poles or underground transformers outside individual houses or buildings. Homeowners: If you have overhead electric service, please review the Weatherhead image below to learn where you need to check for damage at the service drop.
