Contact: NOVEC Public Relations, 1-888-335-0500, customerservice@novec.com
MANASSAS, Va. — Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, contract, and out-of-state crews are working to restore power to thousands of NOVEC customers in Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties after ice caused trees to fall on power lines on Monday, December 9. As of 5 p.m., approximately 6,000 customers were without power.
“We realize that it’s cold and uncomfortable for people without power,” says Larry Shaffer, vice president of System Operations. "That’s why we’ll work all through the night and tomorrow to restore service.” Fallen trees have broken some utility poles. Shaffer says replacing poles requires extra effort and time. But Shaffer says the majority of outages have been caused by ice-ladened trees and branches that have fallen on power lines. Shaffer notes that many of the outage locations are in the woods and remote areas: “It’s more of a challenge for crews to access these areas on foot to locate and remove trees and branches from power lines, and then reenergize the lines.”
Customers can obtain outage information on NOVEC’s website at http://stormcenter.novec.com. NOVEC warns customers not to go anywhere near a downed power line because it could be energized and deadly. Also, customers should never run power generators indoors because they could create deadly carbon monoxide. A large generator should only be connected to the power grid by a qualified electrician because an incorrectly connected generator could damage a home or kill line technicians who are working on the system.
Preparing for More Snow and Outages
With more snow in the forecast for December 10, NOVEC encourages all customers to prepare for additional outages. Customers should register their phone numbers with the Co-op by calling 703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500 and follow the prompts on the Interactive Voice Response system. Shaffer says the IVR system cannot identify customers’ addresses if they have not tied their numbers to their account.
NOVEC reminds customers to:
- Charge cellphones: Cordless phones don’t work when power is out.
- Develop a plan for elderly or disabled family members.
- Have an emergency kit with non-perishable food, water, flashlights with fresh batteries, battery-operated radio, lanterns, canned fuel, matches, and first aid. If applicable, have enough prescription drugs, pet food, and baby-care items.
- Stock up on firewood for a wood-burning fireplace or stove. Cover wood with a tarp or stack it in a carport to keep it from being buried by snow.
What to Do if Power Goes Out
- Report an outage to NOVEC by calling 703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500. The IVR system will provide updates. Customers with access to the Internet can report outages at www.novec.com on computers and www.novec.com/mobile on smartphones. They can also use NOVEC’s smartphone application available on the app store. Do NOT report outages via social media because those sites aren’t connected to the reporting system.
- Open freezers and refrigerators only when necessary.
- Open exterior doors only when necessary.
- Use camp stoves or grills outdoors to avoid carbon-monoxide poisoning.
