Danville Utilities has restored power to all customers served by the Kentuck electrical substation in Pittsylvania County. The substation was gradually brought online as required, with service restored to all customers at 11:56 p.m. Wednesday.
UPDATE POSTED AT 9:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY:
Danville Utilities continues to bring the Kentuck electrical substation in Pittsylvania County back online gradually. As of 9:30 p.m., power was restored to all but 200 to 300 customers. The substation serves 4,100 customers.
UPDATE POSTED AT 6:45 P.M. WEDNESDAY:
Repairs are completed at the Kentuck electrical substation; however, the substation must be gradually brought back online.
Customers located closest to the substation may have power restored to their house as soon as 30 minutes. The wait will be longer for customers farther away from the substation.
Remember, customers served by the Kentuck substation are asked to take steps to reduce the initial load consumed in their house. Customers can help by lowering the setting on their thermostats and turning off electrical breakers or unplugging appliances and electronics until power is restored and remains on for 20 to 30 minutes.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Kentuck electrical substation that serves 4,100 customers in Pittsylvania County will remain out of service for another three to four hours as a Danville Utilities crew makes repairs to the bus work that connects the transformer to the breaker building.
Those customers without power are asked to reduce the electrical load that will be generated in their homes when power is initially restored. Customers can help by lowering the setting on their thermostats and turning off electrical breakers or unplugging appliances and electronics until power is restored and remains on for 20 to 30 minutes.
“If we don’t get this help from these customers, then we may not get the substation back on tonight,” said Ken Ashworth, power and light division director of Danville Utilities.
When the substation is brought back online, Ashworth explained that the initial load would be much greater due to the low temperatures and the length of time in which the substation has been offline today.
“We need these customers to help us ease the initial load, however they choose to do so,” Ashworth said.
Customers should turn their thermostats down to 60 degrees. One power is restored and remains on for 20 to 30 minutes, customers can begin raise the thermostat setting a few degrees at a time.
The substation went out of service at 1:30 p.m. Ashworth said ice formation inside the trim way in which the bus work is housed created the problem. Materials are available to make the repairs, but the repair process is lengthy.