Understanding electric equipment responsibilities

As July rolls in with longer days and rising temperatures, it also brings the increased potential for severe weather. Summer storms can arrive quickly and hit hard, sometimes causing significant damage to essential electric equipment throughout our community.

Dubois REC is always prepared to respond swiftly to outages and restore power safely, but it is also important for homeowners to understand which parts of the electric system are their responsibility and which are maintained by us at the co-op. Understanding these key differences can help speed up repairs and ensure everyone stays safe when the weather turns rough.

Dubois REC is responsible for maintaining and repairing the equipment and lines that run to your home, including utility poles, distribution power lines, electric meters and pad-mounted transformers.

Dubois REC members are responsible for the equipment located between the electric meter and their home or business. Members are also responsible for the weatherhead and service mast located outside the home.

If any equipment that you (the homeowner) are responsible for is damaged, please call a licensed electrician to conduct the repairs. A professional has the experience and know-how to assess and manage these types of repairs.

When severe weather damages electrical equipment, it’s important to note that any necessary repairs to the homeowner’s equipment must be conducted before Dubois REC crews can restore power to your home or business. By understanding the equipment you are responsible for, the repair and restoration process will be smoother and faster.

Our community takes great pride in the beautiful trees and landscaping that contribute to the natural beauty where we live, however, regular trimming is essential to ensure reliable electric service and minimize damage from severe weather. Dubois REC regularly trims trees throughout our service territory to improve service reliability. If you spot a tree limb that is obstructing a distribution power line outside your home, please call Dubois REC so we can trim those limbs and maintain those lines.

By working together to understand the essential equipment that powers daily life, we can all be better prepared to start the repair and restoration process if severe weather impacts our community.

We have published a helpful graphic below to illustrate some of the pieces of equipment mentioned in this article. Please call our office if you have any questions.

Electric c-op owned equipment vs. member-owned equipment