EVANSVILLE, Ind. — In the wake of the recent winter storms, the road to recovery has become a team effort in the Tri-State area. While many residents remain without power, local electricians are stepping in to repair critical damage between homes and the power grid, providing much-needed relief to those affected.
Homeowner Malcom Cook, who was without power for more than a week following the storms, described the conditions in his home as unbearable at one point, with temperatures dropping to around 30 degrees. However, Cook was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Josh Lamb’s electrical company responded to the damage and restored his service.
“I never thought they would get to it this quickly and do it as fast as they did,” Cook said. “I figured it would be several days.”
According to Lamb, the repairs made at Cook’s home were typical of the storm’s aftermath, especially given the age of the house. Lamb’s company repaired a damaged riser, fixed the service conductors that had come loose, and replaced the meter sockets, restoring the vital connection between the home’s electrical system and the power grid.
While utility companies like CenterPoint Energy continue to address grid-wide issues, electricians like Lamb are focused on the critical, often overlooked repairs that are necessary to reconnect homes to the grid. These repairs typically involve weather heads and masts, which serve as the connection point between the electrical system in a home and the larger power grid.
Lamb explained that many homeowners are unaware of where their responsibility begins and where the utility company’s work picks up. “It’s important for everyone to know that electric companies and utility companies have to work hand in hand when it comes to storm repairs, so power can get turned back on as soon as possible,” Lamb said.
He went on to clarify that homeowners are generally responsible for repairs to components such as the weather head and mast, which are located where the power lines connect to the house. Utility companies like CenterPoint Energy focus on larger grid repairs but rely on electricians to handle the more localized damage that can delay power restoration.
The collaboration between electricians and utility companies has proven essential in speeding up the recovery process, ensuring that residents in the area can return to normal life as quickly as possible after the storms.
