Representatives of numerous electric utility companies serving Missouri get ideas on what works and what doesn’t work in terms of preventing storm-related power outages and getting the electricity back on once the lights go out.
A day-long roundtable discussion, in Jefferson City, organized by the Public Service Commission, brought together not only the utility company officials, but their ideas. Many of these utilities and their customers suffered through recent severe weather that included thunderstorms and ice storms – weather that knocked out power for weeks in some areas.
Martin Penning, Director of Operations of the Joplin-based Empire District Electric Company, spoke of some of the lessons learned and opportunities to improve service in the future. Penning says that while his customers were not spared the outages, the company was able to react quickly because it had, in place, a plan to provide manpower and material so that various needs could be addressed quickly.
Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)
