We know frequent power outages are frustrating and disruptive, and we understand the impact they have on our customers, families, and businesses. Reliable electricity is essential to everyday life, and we want our customers in Buenaventura Lakes to know that we are listening and actively working to improve service reliability in the area.
Why are outages occurring?
Power outages can happen for many reasons, including severe weather, equipment issues, and, wildlife or vegetation coming into contact with power lines.
In the Buenaventura Lakes area, this year’s outages have been driven primarily by a combination of severe weather and equipment, along with some incidents involving outside parties working near power lines. Storms with high winds and severe lightning have caused a number of outages, and we’ve also seen an increase in equipment-related issues, particularly with transformers. Some work, such as replacing equipment and installing additional protective devices, is already underway, while other improvements will be implemented within the calendar year, as part of our long-term reliability plan.
What KUA is doing to improve reliability
KUA is committed to improving electric reliability in Buenaventura Lakes through ongoing investments and proactive maintenance, including:
Upgrading equipment and increasing protective devices:
KUA is prioritizing equipment upgrades in the Buenaventura Lakes area, with a focus on replacing aging transformers and other equipment. We are also adding protective devices — such as fusing and switches — that allow crews to isolate a problem to a smaller section of the circuit when an outage does occur, so fewer customers are affected and power can be restored to unaffected areas more quickly.
Increasing the frequency of tree trimming:
While vegetation is not the leading cause of outages in this area, we are increasing the frequency of tree trimming and vegetation management cycles in Buenaventura Lakes as a proactive measure, maintaining safe clearance around power lines and reducing the risk of tree-related outages during storms and high winds.
Increasing inspections:
We have identified areas where equipment improvements and replacements will be occurring. Additionally, KUA is increasing how often crews patrol and inspect power lines and equipment in the Buenaventura Lakes area.
Deploying additional wildlife protection and storm hardening:
We are installing additional wildlife protection devices on poles and equipment to reduce outages caused by animal contact, along with storm hardening measures designed to help the electric system better withstand high winds, lightning, and severe weather. Together, these efforts are aimed at reducing both the frequency and duration of outages in the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Buenaventura Lakes (BVL) experiencing more outages than other communities?
While power outages can happen anywhere due to severe weather, equipment, vegetation, or wildlife, the recent increase in outages in Buenaventura Lakes has primarily been caused by a combination of severe weather and equipment-related issues.
2. How long will it take to fix the problem?
Improving reliability is an ongoing effort that requires a combination of equipment upgrades, inspections, maintenance, and system improvements. Some work, such as replacing equipment and installing additional protective devices, is already underway, while other improvements will be implemented within the calendar year, as part of our long-term reliability plan.
3. Why can’t you put the power lines underground?
Underground power lines can improve reliability in some situations, but converting an existing overhead electric system to an underground system is a complex, time-consuming, and costly process. It also requires significant engineering, construction, and coordination. At this time, we are focused on improvements that can provide more immediate reliability benefits.
4. What improvements are being made to reduce outages in Buenaventura Lakes?
We are making several investments to improve reliability, including replacing aging transformers and other equipment, installing additional protective devices to isolate outages to smaller areas, increasing the frequency of tree trimming and vegetation management, performing more frequent inspections and patrols, and adding wildlife protection and storm-hardening measures throughout the electric system.
5. Will tree trimming eliminate outages?
Tree trimming is an important part of maintaining a reliable electric system, especially during storms. Although vegetation is not the primary cause of outages in Buenaventura Lakes, increasing tree trimming helps reduce the risk of trees and branches contacting power lines during high winds and severe weather.
6. How do protective devices improve reliability?
Protective devices, such as fuses and switches, allow crews to isolate a problem to a smaller section of an electrical circuit. This means fewer customers are affected by an outage, and power can often be restored more quickly to customers outside the affected area.
7. How are inspections helping prevent future outages?
More frequent inspections and patrols allow crews to identify equipment before it fails. By making repairs or replacing equipment proactively, we can reduce unexpected outages and improve the overall reliability of the electric system.