In a world where electricity is needed to power every aspect of our lives, keeping the lights on has never been more important.
A dependable electric supply ensures the smooth operation of homes and businesses. Without reliable electricity, our safety, economic stability, and quality of life would be drastically reduced.
Reliability is so important to GCEA staff and the board that it is an enduring priority within the organization’s strategic plan. As we plan for the cooperative’s future, we examine what needs to be done today to ensure we will be able to continue providing reliable power.
PARTNER
GCEA partners with Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association to provide wholesale power to our service territory. When issues arise on our system, Tri-State assists in restoring power quickly. Tri-State leads the way in the clean energy transition and has committed to providing 50% renewable energy by the end of this year. Utility-scale renewable energy projects and participation in regional transmission organizations help GCEA access a more affordable renewable energy supply. By partnering with Tri-State, GCEA achieves its goals by providing safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible energy to the communities it serves.
PLAN
GCEA proactively procures poles, transformers, and other necessary equipment to remain prepared for potential planned and unplanned power outages. This ensures GCEA crews have the right equipment available to restore power if there is an outage.
PROTECT
Our land is a precious resource. GCEA aims to protect it while also protecting our infrastructure and preventing wildfires and outages. Vegetation management, system inspections, pole testing, and drone inspections are all ongoing strategic efforts that improve the safety and resiliency of our electric grid.
PREVENT
To prevent potential larger outages, GCEA crews regularly identify maintenance concerns and replace old or outdated equipment. Sometimes this requires a planned outage to take part of the system offline in order to make the repair safely. In the event of a planned outage, GCEA will contact you ahead of time with an explanation of the expected outage time and preventive measures being completed.
PROVIDE
With improved technology such as advanced metering infrastructure, outage management systems and SmartHub, GCEA is better equipped to receive and send communication about an outage. AMI provides rapid notification of system outages and narrows down the location of system issues. Through the SmartHub app, you may conveniently report outages from your mobile device straight to the OMS system.
In an era of increasing electrification — including charging electric vehicles and operating smart homes — reliable electricity is more crucial than ever. By prioritizing reliability, GCEA is able to continue working toward a brighter, more prosperous, and connected future for all.
Author: John Stoeber Chief Operating Officer
