Access Energy Ensures Power Quality and Reliability
Power reliability is a frequently discussed topic at national, state and regional levels. Because reliable power is something that is many times taken for granted, initial discussions on this topic are often sparked by an event - such as a major outage. Even if smaller, isolated outages occur, it's enough for people to ask themselves, "How reliable is my own power supply?"
The short answer is - as a member of Access Energy Cooperative your power is extremely reliable. We're very proud of our exceptional reliability record. We work hard day in and day out to maintain exceptional levels of reliability. There aren't short cuts to achieving reliable power. It's labor and time intensive - and it's an area of our business where we can't afford to cut corners or expect anything less that near perfection. Reliable electric service does not happen automatically; it is part of a well-laid plan directed by your local board of directors and carried out by experienced cooperative employees.
The requirements for maintaining a reliable power system has changed little over the decades. Yet, our changing environment illustrates that our members need much more power today than 30 or even 20 years ago, mostly driven by our passion for electronics, gadgets and the modern day conveniences that rely on electricity. By anticipating your needs, today and in the future, we have confidence in the integrity of our system.
Reliable power is just as important to Access Energy as it is to you. That's why we work hard to ensure reliable electric service by maintaining and inspecting our distribution lines and substations to determine any replacement, maintenance and repair needs. On a regular basis we perform pole inspections, meter testing, overhead and underground line inspections and vegetation management to trim trees and shrubbery that could interfere with safe and reliable power delivery.
Energy conservation programs and educating members on peak alerts and the importance of knowing where overhead and underground lines exist are important in power reliability. When all of us follow simple safety guidelines it has an enormous impact on our system.
While not all power outages can be avoided - such as when Mother Nature decides to intervene - their impact can be diminished. Spring and summer storms in Iowa can be especially severe and cause brief outages. In the event of an outage, you can call Access Energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 319-385-1580. We also have an emergency restoration plan for securing and sharing resources during widespread power interruptions.
Access Energy works hard to deliver power that is safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and affordable. For Access Energy, reliability isn't just a priority, it's a prerequisite to serving you, the member-owner.