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        2. Restoring Power
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  • Outage Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes power outages?

Power outages can be caused by many different things including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Storms: Wind, heat, ice, and snow are the most common causes of widespread power outages.
  • Lightning: When lightning strikes transmission towers, wires, and poles, outages occur.
  • Animals: Squirrels, birds, and other small animals are a common cause for power lines to short circuits.
  • Trees: During high wind, or trimming by an untrained professional, limbs can come into contact with power lines, causing power interruptions.
  • Excavation Digging: Underground cables are commonly disturbed by digging. Practice safety when you dig and always call Iowa One Call first at 811. Click here for more information on Iowa One Call.
  • High Power Demand: During heat waves and other times of unusually high power demand, overburdened electric cables, transformers, and other electrical equipment can melt and fail.
  • Vehicles: Occasionally, vehicle accidents with a utility pole cause power outages.

If you experience a power outage or notice a problem with our power lines, call us at 1.866.242.4232, 24 hours a day, seven days a week

What's the process of restoring power after a storm?

Mother Nature doesn’t always follow the rules. She sends wind, lightning, and other weather elements that can cause disruptions in your service.

After a storm, outages can sometimes occur at several points in an electric system. At Access Energy Cooperative our goal is to get the power back on for everyone in the most efficient, safe manner while restoring electricity to the greatest number of consumers in the shortest amount of time.

When a widespread outage occurs, here’s how our repair crews work:

  • they first check substations
  • then work their way out on the main distribution line, restoring service to the main feeder lines
  • then they move to lines serving groups of homes
  • and finally individual consumers

Fixing the damage at an individual home first is useless if the main line is dead-no electricity would flow into the home anyway. By repairing the main line first, many more people will have their power restored.

What should we do if the lights go out?
  • If you lose power during a storm, call us right away so we can determine the extent of the power failure. Please keep in mind that during a large spread outage, it may take a few calls to get through on the phone lines. Please be patient with us and keep calling.
  • Stay away from fallen trees or power lines. Avoid driving down roads or streets with fallen trees and power lines.
  • Disconnect TVs, computers, and all electronic equipment to prevent damage when power is restored.
  • Above all, stay inside and try to be patient. We’re working hard to have your power on again as soon as possible.

Click here for more information on what to do during an outage.

What causes power blinks?

Power blinks, or momentary power flickers, occur when an obstruction, like a tree limb, animal, or vehicle, comes into contact with a power pole, line or transformer. To minimize the possibility of damage to the utility system or your home, a circuit breaker interrupts the flow of electricity for a fraction of a second.

If the object remains on the line, the breaker opens and tries to reclose two more times before the power goes out. At this point, a lineman must be dispatched to remove the obstruction and manually reset the breaker.  Without this feature designed into the system, very brief interruptions would result in outages lasting much longer.

How accurate are our meters?

At Access Energy Cooperative, all of our watt-hour meters must be accurate to within ±2% at full and light load. To verify meters are operating within these parameters, we test 10% of our meters each year.

With the installation of the Automated Meter Information (AMI) system, the majority of our meters have been replaced with electronic meters. These meters are more accurate than their old electro-mechanical counterparts and will also reduce meter reading costs. For more information on AMI, click here.

If you feel your meter is not working properly, you may request it to be tested. An advance deposit is required prior to performing the meter test. If the meter is found to be within the ±2% we will retain the deposit to cover the expenses of the meter test. If the meter is found to be registering outside the ±2%, we will refund the deposit and review the account.

How to Request a Meter Test

  • Click here to submit a request for a meter test
  • Or call our office at 319-385-1577 or toll free at 1-866-242-4232
How do I read my meter?

All of Access Energy’s meters have a numeric display showing the number of kilowatt-hours the meter has recorded since it was installed. To determine your current usage, take the current reading and subtract the reading you recorded on a previous day. In most cases this will be your usage during that time period.

However, some of the new electronic meters have a multiplier on the right side of the faceplate. If your meter has a multiplier you will need to multiply the reading you just calculated by this number.

For instance if you recorded a reading of 52,100 a month ago and your meter reading is currently 53,200, you would subtract the two to get a usage of 1,100 kWh. If, however, your meter has a multiplier of 20 the actual usage for the month would be 20 * 1100 or 22,000 kWh.

Dedicated to exceeding member's expectations for safe, reliable, efficient service while being a good citizen in our communities.

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1800 West Washington Street 

P.O. Box 440

Mount Pleasant, IA 52641

To REPORT AN OUTAGE CALL

319-385-1577 | 866-242-4232

Access Energy Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 800-795-3275 (voice) or 202-720-6382 (TDD).

©2023 Access Energy Cooperative. Safe, reliable, efficient service and a good citizen in our communities.

  • Home
  • My Cooperative
    • About AEC
      • About Us
      • Our Staff
      • Board of Directors
        • How to Run for the Board of Directors
          • Nomination Process Begins for 2021 Board Election
      • Monthly Magazine
      • Service Area
      • Annual Meeting
        • Election of Directors
      • Cooperative Principles
      • Where Does Your Power Come From?
      • History of Co-ops
      • About Touchstone Energy
      • Employment Opportunities
    • Policies
      • Articles of Incorporation
      • By-Laws
      • E-Business Privacy Policy
      • Identity Theft Protection
      • Privacy Policy
      • Rights and Remedies
      • Statement of Nondiscrimination
    • Member Info
      • Dividends
        • Treasure Hunt
      • What does it mean to be a member?
  • Your Account
    • Payment Options
      • Bank Draft
      • Budget Billing
      • Credit/Debit Card Payments
      • Payment Drop Box
    • Billing
      • Your Meter
      • Questions About Your Bill
    • IA Energy Assist Program (LIHEAP)
    • Moving/Address Changes
    • Rates
    • Dividends
  • Residential & Business
    • Residential
      • Residential Rebates
      • Rates
      • Products Available
      • Financing
      • Energy Audits
      • Energy Saving Ideas
    • Business
      • Business Rebates
      • Rates - Commercial & Industrial
      • Power Quality
      • Services
        • Business Energy Audits
        • Thermal Imaging
        • Questline
        • Business Energy Advisor
        • BizConnections
        • Energy Saving Ideas
  • Safety
    • General
      • Blinking Lights
      • Restoring Power
      • Safety Tips
      • Maintenance Programs
      • Safety Equipment
      • Safety Quiz
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Safety Policies and Procedures
      • Grain Bin Clearance
      • Tree Trimming
      • Call Before You Dig!
  • Community
    • Legislation
      • Current Legislative Issues
      • National Legislative Issues
      • Contact Your Legislators
    • Economic Development
      • Economic Development Partners
      • Revolving Loan Fund
    • News
      • Coop News
  • Co-op Programs
    • Programs for Youth
      • Access Energy Cooperative Scholarship Program
      • Summer Work and Internships
      • Youth Tour Contest
      • Kids Zone
    • Tools For Schools
      • Teachers Zone
      • Get Charged!
      • Safety Demonstrations
    • General
      • Photo Contest
      • RECare
      • Co-op Connections
      • Together We Save
      • Lineworker Scholarship Application
    • International Assistance
  • Going Green
    • General
      • A Balanced Fuel Mix Promotes Power Reliability
      • Electric Vehicles
      • Energy Saving Ideas
      • Programs to Help You Save Energy
      • Access to Green Energy Program
      • Environmental Partners
      • Rebates and Low Interest Loans
      • Solar Energy Generation
    • Wind Energy Info
      • Questions to Ask Vendors
      • Small Wind Systems
      • Tariff Requirements
      • Ten Steps to Wind Systems
      • Wind FAQs
  • Outage Center