<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0nxmAc_1CnWRudq00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0nxmAc_1CnWRudq00" width="1200" height="600" >LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - Recently, Dixie Electric workers responded to a power outage that impacted more than 1,700 residents. It wasn’t due to your typical thunderstorm or tornado.Instead, a raccoon made contact with equipment inside Dixie Electric substations on Highway 588.Communications Manager Amanda Mills said this proves that large outages can be caused by more than just Mother Nature. “People are automatically going to resonate power outages with weather, but there are a lot of things that can cause power outages, and one of those is wildlife,” she said. Mills said that animals don’t understand the dangers of electrical equipment.The animal may be looking for shelter, warmth or a place to climb, and coming into contact with energized points can cause an electrical fault. “Most of our outages due to wildlife are from squirrels or snakes, but other things we see are vehicle accidents,” Mills said. “When they hit a pole, that can take a large amount of people out at one time. We have some commercial trucks that can lift the beds of their vehicles and get tangled up in our lines. Sometimes that will cause large outages as well.”Other large outage factors can include tree limbs falling on power lines or equipment failures.Mills said the way that Dixie Electric works to restore the power varies depending on what caused the large outage. “For a vehicle accident, a lot of times our crews have to wait on law enforcement to clear that scene before they can even step foot to begin the restoration process,” she said. “Those outages take a lot more time than just getting a limb off of a line and getting that power restored.”Nevertheless, Mills said Dixie Electric prioritizes efficient support for its members. “No matter what the outage is, our goal is always the same, and that is just to get the power restored safely and as quickly as possible,” she said.Dixie Electric members can report outages through the SmartHub app, by texting “Out” to their outage number, 601-340-4442, or by calling 601-425-2535. Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.</div></body>

Block Source: WDAM-TV

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - Recently, Dixie Electric workers responded to a power outage that impacted more than 1,700 residents. It wasn’t due to your typical thunderstorm or tornado. Instead, a raccoon made contact with equipment inside Dixie Electric substations on Highway 588. Communications Manager Amanda Mills said this proves...

Dixie Electric officials break down the causes behind large power outages

NewsBreak

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - Recently, Dixie Electric workers responded to a power outage that impacted more than 1,700 residents. It wasn’t due to your typical 

Dixie Electric officials break down the causes behind large power outages

Comments