Reliability Badge

Jan 26, 2021 | Reliability | 2 comments

Storm versus power grid

How we’re changing the reliability odds for the better

Hurricanes have had names for 70 years. Now big winter storms get them. Go figure.

In the electric utility business, we’re always watching the weather, so we’re prepared to respond to any resulting power outages. Winter Storm Gail, which swept through our region in mid-December, was no exception. Our crews worked safely and quickly to get the lights back on for affected customers.

The good news is our hard work and investments in a safer, more reliable, and resilient power grid are paying off in increased reliability for you. Outages are down 30 percent since 2011. And storms, whether named Gail or otherwise, don’t cause as many service problems today compared to even a decade ago.

Here’s why. We’ve replaced older equipment, put up stronger poles and wires, and have a state-of-the-art smart grid in place to automatically detect outages and instantly reroute power to shrink outage footprints and keep the lights on for more customers. Smart grid alone has prevented more than 1 million PPL customer outages since 2015.

Couple that with using data analytics for smarter, more efficient equipment maintenance and a comprehensive tree trimming and clearing program, and you have one of the most reliable grids around.

Among our electric utility peers, we’re a national leader in reliability. That’s a good thing, but we don’t stop trying to improve your service. You rightfully expect that from us.

You can be sure we’ll continue to innovate, looking for ways to make a very reliable grid even better. No matter what Mother Nature throws our way, you can bet the power grid delivering electricity to your home or business – and the people behind it – will serve you well.

2 Comments

  1. Marsha L Eichner

    My electricity flicks on and off in a few minutes almost daily and I’m tired of it!!!!!!!!!!!! My equipment in the house is going to suffer from the switching on and off. I know in the past 26 years we have lived here this has happened before. It had been attributed to trees that need trimmed as an excuse in the past. PPL has had that done and service returned to normal it seemed. A housing development is now inhabited across the street in recent months. This outage issue has become prevalent since outages at least to the minimum have occurred weekly or every few days. I would like this area to be inspected and something done. My neighbor across the street and around are experiencing the same issue and it’s ridiculous!!!!! I’m sick and tired of resetting the clocks in the house often or putting up with my equipment such as heat/cooling system and cable tv needing to recycle to come back! Please do something by checking the wires or trees up here. The neighbors certainly will not trim them especially the maple trees across the street which may have electric wires running thru them. Don’t say it’s necessarily storms in the area because especially during the night last night we had none or during the past week! Thank You, Marsha Eichner (account name: Charles Eichner)

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      Good Afternoon Marsha, This certainly sounds frustrating and we do not want these interruptions to continue. Please call our Service Team weekdays between 8am-5pm at 1-877-220-6016. The Representative will take your details and send this information to our Field Members to investigate and ultimately resolve. Thank you!

      Reply

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