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Kodiak Electric Association rolls out new outage detection system

Kodiak’s wind generators. Photo via Alaska Public Media.
Kodiak’s wind generators. Photo via Alaska Public Media.

The Kodiak Electric Association has introduced a new outage detection system to both improve response times and consumer awareness. According to Dan Menth, Manager of Finance and Administration for KEA, members will now have real-time information on local power outages.

“If they go to our website, kodiakelectric.com and click on ‘outage map,’ it’ll take them to a map broken down into smaller sections that will show the… not detailed outage information, but the general area and the number of meters that are out in that area,” Menth said.

According to him, the new system is a mix of both specialized hardware and software.

“When we put in the AMI or the automated metering system about four or five years ago– that was the first step in allowing an outage management system to come in. We just implemented outage management software just within the last week or two that’s allowed this kind of technology to be taken advantage of,” Menth said.

Menth says that the new system also allows for members without power to kick off the response. If a member looks at the outage map and doesn’t see an outage that they’re experiencing, they have a number of new ways to report it.

“They can call in to our IVR system, press number two to report an outage and then they have to enter their phone number, a meter number or their account number. And a little bit easier way to report an outage would be for the folks that have already signed up for Smart Hub. They can go to their Smart Hub account on their computer or if they have the app on their phone. They simply log in the Smart Hub, go to notifications report a problem. And I think it’s as simple as clicking Submit. And it will notify our OMS system and that software will kick off a search and verify the outage and the extent of it and get the crews rolling,” Menth said.

The system was tested by conditions last Thursday night, when a high-intensity windstorm rolled through Kodiak. According to Menth, the system did exactly what it was supposed to.

“There was a small outage on near Island, the outage management system picked it up, identified the extent of the outage. Very quickly the crews got assigned. … But it was- as far as the outage management system goes- it worked perfectly on that stress test,” Menth said.

Even though the system is new, KEA is confident in its ability following the Thursday night storm. Members can also get notifications enabled in their SmartHub app of ongoing outages and their resolutions.