power Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Power still out in some areas; trees, utility lines remain down

Posted at 12:19 am July 9, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Utility lines were down after a large part of a tree fell on Alhambra Road in east Oak Ridge on Friday, July 8, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was updated at 12:30 a.m.

Power remained out in parts of Oak Ridge on Friday night after a severe storm blew through Friday evening, and the city said electricity might not be restored in some areas until Saturday.

In a brief statement Friday night, the city said it is still experiencing power outages in at least 17 known areas across town.

“Additional contract crews have been called in to try to get power in major areas up tonight,” the statement said. “Public Works crews are also out clearing downed trees and brush. Areas around Dana and Michigan have been hit especially hard with downed poles and lines in some places. Power in these areas may not be restored until tomorrow.”

The city urged residents to use extreme caution and avoid these areas. [Read more…]

Tech 2020 awarded $250,000 EDA grant

Posted at 4:12 pm October 19, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Center for Entrepreneurial Growth to administer funds to support entrepreneurs

Tech 2020, a nonprofit corporation that serves to foster entrepreneurship, has received a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, or EDA.

The grant is part of nearly $1.8 million EDA is distributing through its Partnership for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization, or POWER, Planning program.

The POWER Planning grants were awarded to development and entrepreneur groups throughout the country for “developing targeted economic strategies, feasibility studies, impact assessments, asset mapping, and other relevant strategic planning efforts,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Large tree falls on power line, causes outage for about 7,150

Posted at 3:03 pm July 13, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A large tree fell on a power line in west Oak Ridge early Saturday morning, causing an outage that affected about 7,150 customers, officials said.

The tree fell on a subtransmission line that runs over the top of a ridge south of Oak Ridge Turnpike on the west side of town at about 12:15 a.m. Saturday, July 11.

The tree shorted out the feeds to two substations, which caused a power outage roughly from Tulane Avenue westward, the Oak ridge Electric Department said. [Read more…]

Officials recommend staying off roads unless travel is essential

Posted at 6:40 pm February 16, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

South Illinois Avenue was a sloppy, slushy mix of snow, ice, and water early Monday evening.

Roads in Anderson County are ice-covered, and driving conditions are extremely hazardous, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

“We have already received reports of accidents due to slick roads,” Lucas said. “We are asking everyone to please stay at home and not to travel unless absolutely necessary.”

The roads in Oak Ridge appeared to be a sloppy, slushy mix of sleet, ice, and snow. There were reports in Anderson County and Oak Ridge of roads that were frozen or impassable. [Read more…]

About 1,600 lost power in Sunday storms

Posted at 6:31 pm July 28, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

About 1,600 customers lost power during the two major bands of storms that ripped through Oak Ridge at around 8 p.m. and midnight Sunday night, Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said.

The outages were concentrated around 15 distinct locations, and the east end of town was hit the hardest, Suggs said. The Oak Ridge Electric Department started working on repairs as soon as it could bring in people to help, and crews have been working continuously to restore power.

Suggs said most everyone had power restored by noon Monday. Others had had power restored earlier, some at midnight, more at 3 a.m., then still more by 4 a.m. The majority were back on by 7 a.m. Monday, and crews started “whittling away” at those who were left. [Read more…]

WYSH: Storm damage follow-up; EF0 tornado confirmed in Kingston

Posted at 1:32 pm June 12, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

One of several pictures showing the storm damage Tuesday to the home of Mike and Wanda Marsh on Timbercrest Drive in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Mike Marsh)

Information from WYSH Radio

The National Weather Service has confirmed the powerful storms that rolled through the area on Tuesday included an embedded tornado in Kingston.

Officials with the NWS office in Morristown assessed the damage and said an EF-0 tornado touched down along 3rd Street in Kingston. The winds of an EF-0 tornado are around 65-85 miles per hour.

The NWS said the widespread damage throughout East Tennessee was almost entirely from straight-line winds and down-bursts. Kingston is the only site suspected of sustaining tornado damage.

The Weather Service says straight-line winds estimated at 80 mph packed a destructive punch in Clinton, which appeared to bear the brunt of the damage from Tuesday’s severe weather. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge: 4,000 lose power, 70 homes damaged

Posted at 1:05 pm June 11, 2014
By John Huotari 1 Comment

One of two trees that fell on a home on West Wadsworth Circle. The second tree, visible on the ground in the background, punched a hole in the roof and displaced a mother, grandmother, and two children.

Note: This story was last updated at 2:40 p.m.

Roughly 4,000 customers lost power in the Tuesday evening storm, and about 70 damaged homes will require repairs by an electrician before power can be restored, an Oak Ridge official said Wednesday morning.

Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said he doesn’t recall ever having 70 homes damaged in one storm, although the Electric Department has experienced worse storms when many utility poles were broken. But the brief, fierce Tuesday storm, which brought severe winds and driving rain, was significant in terms of its damage to homes and its far-reaching nature, from Blair Road on the west end of town to east Oak Ridge and beyond—into Clinton and Anderson County, Suggs said.

“It was pretty widespread,” Suggs said.

Janet Bowker on Plymouth Circle and Storm Debris

Janet Bowker, left, walks through debris on Plymouth Circle in front of her home, where a tree fell into her bedroom during the Tuesday evening storm. Her home is at right but not visible in this picture. There were no injuries, but Bowker does not have power now.

The storm, which ripped through Oak Ridge at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, left a trail of debris: scattered branches and limbs, broken trees, fallen power lines, and damaged buildings and homes. It also triggered a flood of calls to the city’s 911 call dispatch center.

About 500 customers remained without power around noon Wednesday, including the 70 damaged homes. [Read more…]

More than 400 lose power after car crashes into utility pole on Lafayette

Posted at 5:10 pm March 17, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A car crashed into a utility pole on Lafayette Drive early Monday afternoon, knocking out power to 441 customers.

More than 400 customers lost power early Monday afternoon after a car crashed into a utility pole on Lafayette Drive, officials said.

The driver was reportedly taken to a medical center to be examined but appeared to have escaped major injuries, officials said.

The crash, which snapped a utility pole at an intersection with Midway Lane, was reported to the Oak Ridge Electric Department at about 1:20 p.m.

The Electric Department reported that 441 customers lost power. Most were in the Woodland neighborhood along the so-called “P” streets and Quincy Avenue. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge warns of high energy bills

Posted at 11:19 pm January 28, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 38 Comments

Submitted

The Oak Ridge Electric Department is warning its customers to expect higher utility bills for the next two months. According to Jack Suggs, Oak Ridge electric director, bills for power used in December are now in the mail, and bills for January will be coming out in a few weeks. He expects these bills will be difficult for many customers.

The National Weather Service calculates an index called “degree days of heating,” which is used as an indication of how cold the weather is over the course of a month. The higher the value of the number, the greater difference between the outside temperature and a properly heated home.

“Higher degree days of heating means that the heating system in a customer’s home has to work harder to keep the home warm,” Suggs said. December 2013 had nearly twice the degree days of heating as November, and January is looking to be significantly higher than that. [Read more…]

TVA power demand hits second-highest winter peak

Posted at 3:19 pm January 7, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority offices in Chattanooga are pictured above. (Photo courtesy TVA)

Power demand hit a peak of 32,460 megawatts at 9 a.m. Tuesday, the second-highest winter peak in Tennessee Valley Authority history.

The preliminary peak power demand occurred when the average temperature in the Tennessee Valley was a frigid 4 degrees, TVA said.

In a press release, the public utility said electricity use is now coming down. [Read more…]

About 620 customers lose power during Sunday outage

Posted at 2:18 pm November 18, 2013
By John Huotari 4 Comments

About 620 customers lost power during a Sunday afternoon outage, Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said Monday.

The outage started around 3 p.m. and lasted until 4:45 p.m. It affected the center of the city north of Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Suggs said workers did not find the exact cause, but they suspect it was a tree limb that fell onto an electrical line and then blew off or fell through before workers arrived.

The outage affected the Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge High School, and Grove Center. [Read more…]

Small bedroom fire extinguished on Hamilton Circle

Posted at 6:23 pm July 14, 2013
By John Huotari 5 Comments

A small fire around an electrical outlet in a bedroom on a multifamily home on Hamilton Circle was extinguished before firefighters arrived Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Firefighters found light smoke and evidence of burning when they arrived at 102 Hamilton Circle at about 3 p.m. Tuesday, but they said the fire had not spread. [Read more…]