BrightRidge crews work 365 days a year to ensure reliable electric service for all customers. When large power outages occur, crews first restore power to the greatest number of metered-customers at one time. Next, crews restore service at individual, isolated cases. Generally, these steps are followed to restore power (electric service):
Step 01: High-voltage transmission lines supply electricity to substations from TVA power plants where the electricity is produced. If the transmission lines are damaged, it is impossible for electricity to be supplied to anyone.
Step 02: Substations receive electricity from transmission lines. Large transformers located at substations reduce electric voltage from 69,000 volts to approximately 13,000 volts. Substations must be repaired before electricity is supplied to distribution lines.
Step 03: Distribution lines are the third link in the system to be repaired. Distribution lines may also be referred to as 3-phase lines and operate at 13,000 volts. These lines typically provide electricity to commercial and industrial customers, as well as supply electricity to single-phase lines.
Step 04: Single-phase lines or tap lines operate at 7,200 volts, supplying electricity to residential areas. During extreme power interruptions, it may take several days to completely restore electricity to all tap lines as these are widespread and make up a large portion of our electric system.
Step 05: The final step in the restoration process is to restore electricity to individual homes and small services. During the final step, electricity is generally supplied at a voltage of 120/240. Repairs to individual service lines and transformers can be very time consuming as these individual services must be repaired one job at a time.