Fast winds, slow recovery
Appalachian could better enlighten customers on efforts to reconnect them to their interrupted lives.
Before the windows began to rattle, the trees to sway and break, the wires to spark and falter, and the transformers to blow; before we understood what straight-line winds forming near Chicago, bowing outward and barreling our way meant, our biggest complaint Friday was the heat. The unrelenting, suffocating heat assaulted us upon opening the door that morning and grew ever more oppressive as the day wore on, reaching 104 degrees in Roanoke.
July 3, 2012 - 8:05 AM
I am appalled that the editors would attack the power company for doing their damnedest to restore power.
I once spent an entire week without electricity and it was right after hurricane Bob, and if memory serves, it was in the middle of August. I sympathize with those who are without power, but criticizing the power company is only to exacerbate the situation.
Turn your ire to those town municipalities for refusing to consider alternative energy as a backup source of power so then the power companies can focus their effort on restoring power while folks get to stay cool. Turn your ire to folks who keeps shooting down wind farms on mountain because they would rather to have beauty over comfort.
You can’t have it both way.
The editors didn’t “attack the power company for doing their damnedest to restore power.” Did you read the editorial?
Our hats tip to the men and women enduring scorching heat and rising tempers to clear trees from roads and power lines, all to help restore people to their interrupted lives. The workers do not deserve ire.
No criticism at all, gratitude even! Here is the criticism, and it is rightly directed at APCO’s abysmal communication with customers:
Their bosses, though, could do better in explaining the details, challenges and priorities in restoring power. Appalachian’s terse statements have left customers in the dark, and the heat is aggravating their mood.
I get that it will take a long time to restore everyone’s power. But APCO has done a very, very poor job of communicating the status of recovery efforts. Other utilities have dynamic recovery maps on their websites. APCO had a wall of text two pages deep into their website that listed anticipated recovery dates for various localities but didn’t even include Roanoke city!
No large company has any excuse in this day and age, with the technology available, to not communicate timely and meaningfully with customers. Of course, APCO holds a virtual monopoly over its customers, so it doesn’t have to.
The problem is that the bosses have walled themselves up and try to manage a problem that they have no clue how to fix. In fact, they have probably “pushed down” the work and expect the lineman to actually do the communication directly to the customer.
This is what management, in particularly middle management, has become. And it runs rampant, not just at your Power Company. Look at your government, your banking institution, your cable provider, etc.
SSDD
Manwhile, the customer is left with a big bag of poop.
2 – do you have an example of some of the dynamic recovery maps other utilities have, and do you know the impact on the cost of the utility to implement such a system?
Sure 89Hoo, Dominion Power: https://www.dom.com/storm-center/crew-work-locations.jsp
As for cost, my own small IT department could put together such a map, and customizable GIS software is widely available. I’m sure APCO has the resources already in place to do so as well.
I’m not disputing you, tass, was just curious. I too would like to see more communication from AEP.
…and to be certain (unless I’m missing something) the link you provided just shows pdfs of maps showing affected areas, and pdfs of lists of work crews…not what I would consider dynamic at all. I guess they update the lists periodically, but that’s not that different from what aep is doing.
AEP’s map (https://www.appalachianpower.com/outages/details.aspx?stormName=June%2029%20–%20Severe%20Summer%20Storm%20–%20Virginia) is no more or less informative than Dominion’s. Neither tells when power will be restored.
AEP would be fools to set dates for when power would be restored…inevitably estimates would be wrong (often due to unforeseen circumstances) and people would be even more outraged. Best to tell everyone to hunker down for the long haul and for AEP to do the best it can…which I’m sure it is.
Charles Patton, Appalachian Power’s president, was in Roanoke today. Here’s a link to the story.
tass, I read the editoral in it’s entirity, and I recongized they commended the workers, but let’s not kid ourselves. The editoral made it sound that Roanoke should be first to receive the power and rural areas should be lowered in the pecking order. If I’m not mistaken, I believe most of the substations are located in rural areas, and that’s probably why they are getting power faster than Roanoke. 2nd point, the workers who are working hard in the heat and at extreme dangers represent their bosses and their company, so when an article criticize a company, they are going after the whole company.
I have read an article on the RT’s home page where some folks are trying to make the best of the situation and one fella was saying it’s better to be helpful than to complain about the situation. I think we all can learn from that fellow.
Another thought, which is something I posted yesterday or the day before, this situation highlights the need for a reliable backup power source, specifically renewable energy source. Wind generators, solar panels, and natural gas plant would be ideal source of backup power. If every homes have the ability to generate their own power from 3 sources (wind, solar, or natural gas, as examples), that would free up AEP and Dominion Power to focus on restoring powers to businesses, hospitals, prisons, sewage treatment plants, and all the critical infrastructures necessary to keep our instant gratification society happy.
I am all for green energy, unfortunately, politics and money (cost of installing a solar panel is prohibitively high right now) are in the way.
Here’s a radical idea…why don’t Roanoke build and maintain their own power plant just as the town of Blacksburg are powered by Virginia Tech? Now that would make the “affulent” citizens of Roanoke happy.
An even more radical idea – strip AEP of its monopoly rights and allow some competition. Let Dominion, Duke, whomever bid for the services, let them compete with each other to provide the cheapest, best service.
I know some would say AEP was granted the monopoly in order to prevent AEP from getting the monopoly, but that’s specious reasoning in my view. And I do not see the benefit in stripping the monopoly from AEP only to give it to government entity. The only thing worse than a monopoly by fiat is a government monopoly.
#12 ‘Hoo, here is where I have extremely mixed thoughts, limited as they are. Would like to hear from Brian & others on this one.
Public utilities are necessary & desirable from the perspective of lack of duplication, economy of scale, fixed cost, property easments, etc.
Yet, the lack of any competition is perhaps problematic. Ma Bell comes to mind.
I saw the mayor of DC last night telling the power company that it was too slow in restoring power.
Hey, Mr. Mayor…you’re not the one working hard out in the heat while people bitch at you.
And to the folks still without power? My heart goes out to ya, but maybe you could have prepared better. Sorry if that sounds cold-hearted, but the truth hurts.
The power folks are doing their best and I, for one, am grateful for their hard work.
Jim, duplication of service is called competition, and it’s a good thing. If more than one company can.provide the same service, make them work to get your business. Why is fixed cost desirable when fixed by a monopoly? Why not have a have a utility that pays YOU when the weather causes you to use less, instead of one that charges you more when you use less (I’m thinking of Roanoke Gas here)?
#15 ‘Hoo…I pointed out the dilemma, and some sound arguements for the concept of public utilities. Duplicating fixed costs to the (in effect) tax payer would be wasteful, along with the other points I made.
I am, you might have noticed, a bit of a capitalist & competition guy myself, that doesn’t (necessarily) mean I see any advantage to multiple sets of telephone polls. Yes, I realize the can of worms I’ve just opened.
Duplication of services can be good clean competition, it can also be a confusing, dishonest mess. Too often, the cost of competition can impact consumers. It becomes a maze instead of a straight line transaction. In the end, breaking up of ma bell gained us what? The infrastructure of the power grid is not conducive to true competition. Competition is not the solution to every problem.
“maybe you could have prepared better”
Yeah, maybe my 90 year old parents should peddle faster on the generator-bike in the basement.
To #13 (Jim Lucas): The “state-regulated monopoly” status of our various utility providers (Appalachian Power, Roanoke Gas, etc.) has always been somewhat problematic, but I don’t know if there’s a better solution.
Right now, our utilities have no competition. The government (state, local, and federal) have established regulations that attempt to make our utility service inexpensive and reliable. [Whether or not they've been successful is an open question.] And there’s always a second question: Could somebody else do better? Without competition, we’ll never know the answer. Indeed, the lack of competition often results in a lack of innovation. [Like in this thread, where I agree with the RT editorial board that AEP could make some IT investments and provide finer-grained outage maps and better time estimates of power restoration. Their existing per-county map, https://www.aepcustomer.com/outagemap/main.aspx?region=apco, is pitiful.]
Unfortunately, providing for competition in such capital-intensive and essentially non-optional markets is very tricky. If Virginia simply tossed the SCC and associated utility regulations and welcomed competitors into the market, our existing providers could jack up prices massively while the new guys spent years installing their own power lines, gas lines, etc. “Don’t like our prices? Go buy from the competition. Oh, they haven’t installed lines in your neighborhood yet? So sorry. Cough up the money or do without.”
To establish a competitive market with less potential for abuse, regulations concerning shared infrastructure (like power and gas lines) would be necessary. Again, would these regulations be successful? It’s been tried in a few places over the years, but the regulations often ended up being biased in favor of the existing providers, and competition failed to take root. It’s difficult to get right. Especially when technically-clueless legislators are writing the rules.
As usual, this editorial has an anti-business slant to it. The whole thing goes nicely with the prior editorial attacking the state attorney general on his greenhouse gas stance. I suppose when the electrical rates go up due to the closing of coal fired power plants, that will be Apco’s fault as well. As for those linemen out there, most of them are hard nosed, real world men with little patience for the drivel that passes for intelligent commentary from this publication.
Get in the real world and understand the factors affecting the restoration of power. Get in the real world and learn to read instead of crying for a pretty picture on a website. I have had no issue at all finding and comprehending the information presented by Apco.
Understand that government has many fingers in the power generation and delivery business. You may generate your own power, but if there are lines present, you must hook to them. If you generate more power than you need, the utility must buy the excess from you at the going rate. Windmills and Solar are not ready for prime time – nowhere near. The efficiency is very low. The cleanest enery per watt generated is nuclear by far. Coal is cleaner than it used to be.
I am in no way opposed to renewable energy, but the practicality is not there yet. There are two ways to attack the issue. The first is to make the alternate energy generation sources more efficient. The second is to make the items that consume the energy more efficient.
Another thing to consider is taxation. The government at every level makes money hand over fist taxing our energy consumption. If we have cars that no longer burn lots of gas or diesel as well as lower energy consumption from the lines due to home generation of power, do you think that government is really going to withstand that loss of revenue? Wonder what they will tax and how. It is likely that they will tax miles per year traveled. How about that? This idea has been floated by a couple of congresscritters already.
It is morally reprehensible for a government to be doing other than aggregating the right of self defense. Read Frederic Bastiat’s little 100 page tome titled, ‘The Law.’ It is available freely as a PDF on the internet. You might also try Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.
#18 – “Yeah, maybe my 90 year old parents should peddle faster on the generator-bike in the basement.”
If your parents didn’t prepare for the power going out, that’s their fault. If YOU didn’t make sure they were prepared, you fail as a son.
People trying to buy generators AFTER the power goes out = failure to prepare. My neighbor didn’t even have candles on hand. That’s pathetic.
Duplicated services costing the taxpayer, Jim? I’m talking about people paying one company and one company only, and not through taxes.
Brian, as always, brings up some very good points; no it wouldn’t be easy…but I would propose that in the long run it would be better.
And unlike the health care tax, sticking with the system lessens the power the government has. Which is a good thing.
19. Deregulation has been tried and failed. It led to Enron and manipulated power outages in California where the power companies sacrificed the sick and elderly for a few more dollars. Competition is not the answer for all things.
#17 Again, let’s not confuse the private with the (including quasi) public sectors.
“failure to prepare”
Of course, how silly of me. Had I been better prepared I would have spent five days before the storm felling the very same trees it took me five days to clean up afterwards. Your argument is childish.
If Appalachian Power had in fact been doing all they could to restore power to the area, they would not have waited until today to bring an additional 750 workers in to help.
You may not like the public criticizing their efforts, but they have fallen short of my expectations. I’ve been without power since Friday in Roanoke City and find it unacceptible that I’ve not seen ANY AEP vehicles in the area.
I tip my hat to Cox though- they’ve had my cable restored since Tuesday. And what gives with Redi-Ice? I haven’t been able to find ice since this fiasco started.
I believe I read previously that the additional 750 workers could not be brought in sooner because they were busy helping to restore power elsewhere…as hard as it is to believe, and as frustrating as it is, the Roanoke Valley is NOT the only region to lose power.
Epic fail for APCO. Allowing the infrastructure to deteriorate hoping nothing happens causes them to be caught flatfooted when something does. And they want a 7% rate increase? There is no excuse to be without power for a week in the Roanoke Valley.
I’m not sure what infrastructure improvements – short of burying underground at tremendous expense – would have prevented falling trees from bringing down power lines.
#25 – “Your argument is childish.”
It’s not an argument, Art…even though you’d like it to be one.
It’s an opinion. If you do not prepare the best you can for events such as this, then the suffering you endure is no ones fault but your own.
“It’s an opinion”
You know what they say about opinions, Mike. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.
#26 I truly understand your frustration. Yet, perhaps you’ve noticed the storm damage is large in geographic scope. Even at that, crews from Alabama to Canada are working here.
#25, 28 #31 No increases & no problems? I am certainly in favor of keeping a lid on cost to consumers…..at the same time, realize things will go wrong. It was quite a storm.
#31 – Have fun the next time the you-know-what hits the fan, Art, while waiting (and complaining) for someone else to take care of you.
#32 – “Even at that, crews from Alabama to Canada are working here.”
And my hat is off to them.
Unlike many who are complaining about it taking so long to get power back, I, for one, appreciate what they are doing in this heat to get us back up and running.
“It was quite a storm.”
Yes, it was. The Asplundh crew on my land has been working sixteen hour shifts in 100 degree weather. The problem isn’t with the rank-and-file.
“Have fun the next time the you-know-what hits the fan, Art”
I’m sure you’ll be right there blaming the little guy.
Actually Art, if you’ll check in with reality for a moment you’ll see that some of us aren’t blaming the little guy or anyone else. We are saying that individuals need to be better prepared because no matter how much you may believe the power company should do a better job of taking care of you, the reality of it is, when a natural disaster or event of this magnitude takes place, there is a very real possibility that individuals, or “the little guy” will be on their own for a while. But woe be unto anyone who dares suggest people could be a little more self-sufficient and a little less whiny. Those people are assailed for being childish. So let’s see, the guy who believes in taking steps to be prepared to take care of himself and his family is childish and ignorant, but the guy who thinks the best approach is complain incessantly about how poor a job everyone else is doing at taking care of him is intelligent adult? No wonder the country is so screwed up. That must be a fun little world to live in. I guess the good thing is, you guys don’t really need ice and electricity, you just need a whole lot of cheese.
38 – maybe we’ll get lucky and Washington will create a mandate and accompanying tax requiring everyone to have a backup generator. Accompanied by a penal…er, tax, of course.
Chuck, who the hell is asking the power company to take care of them? We pay for a service and they are supposed to deliver it and repair it in a timely manner. This is not anyone asking for a freaking hand out! Do you seriously want to tell us you never complain when you think you have had bad service from a business?
Most people can handle the normal power outages of hours or a day, but in dangerous heat and a prolonged outage, it is ludicrous to just expect people to shut up and wait patiently. Suffering in such heat (or extreme cold) is hard for anyone and as the days drag on it gets harder, costs more and is very uncomfortable, even life threatening for some.
I know FOR A FACT that AEP has sent out notices of power line clearing in my area and has not actually done so in three years. No, they could not be blamed for the uprooted trees, but many of the broken limbs that took out power, should not have been there in the first place. That is their job, to maintain their lines. It is not mine. I never called them, I have not harassed them, I have not even harangued them here, except to be honest about their lack of maintenance, but this insane idea that people, even the elderly, disabled, poor or just plain stupid should be “prepared” to live without electricity for a week in June/July is just BS! I saw an AEP truck this morning and I waved and gave them the ‘thumbs up’. Under the circumstances, I know they are working hard, long and difficult jobs. I also know that people have a right to be upset when without power for so long.
Brian, I think it is quaint and touching that you believe “technically-clueless legislators are writing the rules”. That is too precious.
#37 – “I’m sure you’ll be right there blaming the little guy.”
Have I blamed ANYONE concerning this recent event, Art? No.
On the contrary, while others have whined about it taking too long to get their power back, I have expressed thanks to the power folks for their hard work.
I’ve pointed out the need to prepare. Something that many seem to be incapable of doing.
Your dislike for me has blinded you to the point of my posts.
#40 – “… but this insane idea that people, even the elderly, disabled, poor or just plain stupid should be “prepared” to live without electricity for a week in June/July is just BS!”
Is it any less “insane” to sit by and wait for someone to come and take care of you?
Apparently, you must think so.
Some of us know that in an emergency, the only people we can depend on is ourselves and we prepare for it.
I hope this has been a lesson for those who fail to prepare for emergencies. Sadly, I don’t think it will be.
Michael, can you show me where I advised anyone to “sit by and wait for someone to come and take care of you”? Then where do you get the right to call me “insane”? None of the people complaining have said they just sat and waited for anyone to come and take care of them. All of us were proactive in whatever way we could be. That does not mean we cannot complain or commiserate. It was miserable! If complaining in a crisis is wrong…does it apply to economic crisis as well? Apparently not.
“Your dislike for me has blinded you to the point of my posts.” Michael, did you seriously post that? Really? Do you even entertain the possibility that Art, or I might feel the exact same way? I certainly feel that you have ignored most every point I have ever made just so you can disagree with me. Even in threads where you offer no other comment, no other thought, no other anything, you show up to throw a jab at me. Seriously, you can whine about anyone else being “blinded” by “dislike”?
#43 – “Then where do you get the right to call me “insane”?”
Huh? Where did I call you insane, Sandi? Please…point it out to me.
You, on the other hand, clearly insinuate that I, and others who prepare for emergencies, ARE insane for thinking people should be better prepared.
Look at your own words: “…but this insane idea that people, even the elderly, disabled, poor or just plain stupid should be “prepared” to live without electricity for a week in June/July is just BS!”
Time to calm down, folks. Please remain focused on discussing the issues, not insulting each other.
““the little guy” will be on their own for a while”
Blaming nonagenarians for their own misery is ludicrous. End of story.
Wow, this has been quite a disaster but I would hate to imagine what a real disaster like Katrina would do to you guys. Of course everyone should be prepared for disasters. However, preparation for a day or two without power is much different than preparation for a week and a half in 100 degree temps. Obviously AEP was not prepared for this, so why should you expect individuals to be. This is a once in a lifetime occurrence unless you believe in global warming. You are simply going too far in arguing that the individual can be prepared for all events. Simply not possible or cost effective. Having generators on hand to supply your every power need is beyond most peoples budget and under normal disaster plans out of reason.
However, everyone should have a disaster plan. Especially one that details to loved ones how to keep in touch, where to meet in the event of a disaster, duplicates of documents in safe places, pictures and documents to support asset insurance claims, information on medical needs in case you are unconscious, adequate supplies of water, flashlights, evacuation plans, etc. As you power comes back on work on getting these items in order.
#48 – Having a generator on hand really isn’t out of reach, Richard…they can be had quite cheaply these days from Harbor Freight or Northern Tools. Sure, people might have to cut back on needless spending for a bit, such as going to the movies, dropping Netflix, getting rid of their smart phone, eating out a bit less, etc.
And no one is saying that everyone can be ready for all events. But even doing something as simple as following the suggestions on ready.gov are better than nothing.
Looking at the overall picture concerning disasters, this past week was nothing. Sure it was hot and people were uncomfortable, but Krogers was still open, and for the most part gas was still available.
Being prepared, even a little bit, is quite simple…providing you are willing to make the effort.
#47 – “Blaming nonagenarians for their own misery is ludicrous.”
No, Art, what is ludicrous is making excuses for not being prepared. That’s the mindset of those expecting others to take care of them.
I refuse to allow my family to be dependent on others for their survival.
Thank you, Richard, for a well-reasoned response.
51. Good luck on getting your power back, Art. I went without power one winter for a week and a half and it drove me crazy. I know it has been a terrible hardship for all who have suffered.
Michael, having a generator on hand really is “out of reach” for the elderly, disabled, apartment dwellers, etc. It is just not practical to think that everyone can be self-sufficient or self-sustaining in a prolonged emergency situation. That is just not fair, not accurate, and not feasible for everyone. People of limited means who literally live paycheck to paycheck, and there are millions of them in this region, cannot just have a generator handy, or go buy one. Having to refill it every two hours or so is also cumbersome in the dark. Having a camp stove, lantern, etc is fine for those who camp, but, like the generator, a luxurious expense and something else to store for most folks.
I take your point and know well that “country boys can survive”, but to berate people not “prepared” to weather a week without electricity in a week of heat advisory days all on their own is just cruel, arrogant and frankly, pointless. Needing help, or not being self-sufficient does not make them leeches. It does not make them weak. It does not mean they want anyone to take care of them. I will not concede that point.
#20 “As usual, this editorial has an anti-business slant to it.”
Well, given big business’ long, unfortunate history of favoring profits over people, I can certainly understand why.
“You might also try Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.”
Meh…badly written, poorly thought out excuse for a book written by a talentless, obtuse hack. A much better choice of reading would be Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle.
The Jungle – hmm ‘Meh…badly written, poorly thought out excuse for a book written by a talentless, obtuse hack.’
A business exists to make a profit Stevie Boy!!!! What else would they favor???
Sure business “exists” to make a profit, so everyone should stop pretending they are anything more than that. Expecting business to solve problems, limit themselves, police themselves, regulate themselves and confess their crimes is tantamount to insanity. It does not work. THAT is why there are no “free market” nations. That is why no nation risks letting business run the government or the needs of their society. Government and business exist for two very different reasons.
As to the ludicrous notion that Upton Sinclair was “a talentless, obtuse hack”? Well I will consider a fan of Ayn Rand as someone who already exhibited poor judgement and move on.