The power of human connections Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative CURRENTYour Touchstone Energy Cooperative Serving Morton, Grant and Sioux counties FEBRUARY2016 white NEWS type >>> Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative Rime Ice Stunning scenery, significant outages In this month’s local pages, nd out how rime ice (commonly mistaken for surface hoar frost), has been causing power outages across the Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative service area, and what factors help determine the restoration process. Mor-Gran-Sou Lineman Blake Reis In this issue: CARMEN DEVNEY BY PHOTO • El Niño’s mild weather pattern contributes to power outages • Mor-Gran-Sou offers student scholarships; holds safety poster coloring contest • Serve your cooperative as a board director • Meeting minutes and more www.morgransou.com MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC NEWS , FEBRUARY 2016 C1 MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. The Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative service area experienced heavy frost in December, as a result of El Niño — a climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean that has a global impact on weather patterns. When mild temperatures, high humidity and freezing fog form rime ice on power lines, it can provide stunning scenery — and a significant amount of power outages. WHEN THE ENEMY ATTACKS … ‘Doing the most amount of good for the most people in the shortest amount of time’ STORY AND PHOTOS BY CARMEN DEVNEY n December, Kevin Lawrence several power outages this winter and burn the line down. If that happens noted North Dakota’s mild caused by rime ice, which forms when and there is ice on the other spans, then temperatures on Facebook, stating liquid water droplets in the air freeze the poles have so much tension they Ithey were common during an El onto a surface, growing into combs, just start breaking,” Begger describes. Niño pattern. Lawrence, KFYR-TV’s needles or feathery forms. “There are a lot of factors, including the chief meteorologist in Bismarck, said Clint Begger, lead man with direction and speed of the wind, that residents may experience outbreaks of Mor-Gran-Sou in Mandan, says can cause power outages in these types cold in the coming months, but will outages related to rime ice can occur of conditions.” likely continue to see above-average when the weight causes tree branches Ressler says there isn’t anything the temperatures in February as a whole. above the power lines to break and fall, cooperative’s linemen can do to prevent Randy Ressler isn’t an expert on snapping the wire. Outages can also ice build-up on the lines. While they weather patterns, but he knows happen when the heat from the ground can attempt to remove the rime ice if it firsthand what can happen when causes the rime ice to fall from the hasn’t frozen and adhered to the power mild temperatures, high humidity bottom wire. With the weight removed, lines, the cooperative has 4,800 square and freezing fog form a heavy layer the wire may bounce into the line miles in its service territory. on power lines and poles. Ressler, above, which still has the ice. “It’s not humanly possible to go the manager of operations for “When the wires come together, it out and knock the ice off every span,” Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative, can either kick out the breaker because Ressler says. “It’s a battle similar to a says the cooperative has experienced it’s a dead short, or it can arc together military operation. Where the enemy is C2 FEBRUARY 2016 , MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC NEWS www.morgransou.com MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. Mor-Gran-Sou Leadmen Gary Fitterer While lineman can attempt to remove (left) and Clint Begger replaced a the rime ice if it hasn’t frozen and broken anchor that was damaged adhered to the power lines, the by rime ice and no longer holding a cooperative has 4,800 square miles in pole. Within minutes, they removed its service territory. It’s not possible the broken anchor, spun a new one to knock the ice off every span. When in and jacked the pole back so the a Mor-Gran-Sou line crew repaired distribution lines were no longer a broken anchor north of Glen Ullin, sagging. Lineman Blake Reis used his hot stick to remove ice from a distribution line that was sagging. In this instance, the ice fell like snow. attacking us the most, that’s where we doesn’t hold, we have a good idea of him. El Niño, which originates in the send our linemen — to where they can where the problem is,” Ressler explains. Pacific Ocean, typically occurs every do the most good for the most people “We can isolate that piece and reroute five to seven years. A KXMB-TV in the shortest amount of time. It’s a power from another direction to feed news story reported this is the second- judgement call.” that portion, and re-energize the other strongest El Niño on record, according When an outage occurs, the portion. Once we’ve narrowed down to Michael Mathews, meteorologist restoration process begins immediately. the area, we have to physically go out at the National Weather Service Mor-Gran-Sou works with its power and look for it — and that can take in Bismarck. providers, Basin Electric Power some time.” So, like any military operation, Cooperative and the Western Area Thankfully, the outages caused by Mor-Gran-Sou prepares for the worst Power Administration, to reconfigure rime ice this winter haven’t been nearly — and counters the ice with all of the system by identifying and isolating as bad as they were in 2010 — when our available resources and outside transmission line sections that have snow and ice storms hit the Mor-Gran- resources when necessary. We thank been affected. Sou service area in January and April, our member-owners for their patience, “To figure out where the problem causing severe and widespread damage as lineworkers repaired power lines and is, we break the system down into to the electrical system. poles that have been damaged by rime pieces. We try a breaker. If it holds, Ressler says this year’s weather ice. And we hope El Niño has mercy, it’s not that piece. We close a switch patterns remind him of what was and we don’t experience the system and open another, and try again. If it experienced in 2010, and that concerns damage that occurred in 2010. n www.morgransou.com MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC NEWS , FEBRUARY 2016 C3 MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. Mor-Gran-Sou line crews patrol power lines s time allows, the Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative line crews set aside time to patrol line. Our linemen concentrate on certain areas of the Mor-Gran-Sou power system and look for possible line maintenance issues, safety hazards or other problems that may affect the Adistribution lines that bring power to your home or business. Line crews are currently patrolling line throughout the system. Because power lines are on and off the beaten path, you may see employees in a Mor-Gran-Sou truck, an all-terrain vehicle or a snowmobile. When you see them out and about patrolling line, thank them! They are out there for your safety. n Keeping our electric system as reliable as possible ree trimming is a regular part of your electric cooperative’s operations. Mor-Gran-Sou, like all electric utilities, is required Tto maintain appropriate clearance between trees and electric transmission and distribution lines. Trees need to be trimmed, and in some cases removed, to minimize potential power outages and to eliminate fire and safety hazards due to trees contacting energized electric lines. Mor-Gran-Sou typically uses local contract tree-trimming crews to perform this task. Bullinger Tree Trimming will have crews operating within our service area again this year. Please know that they are working on your cooperative’s behalf to help keep our electric system as reliable and safe as possible. ¢ FirstLink’s 2-1-1 helpline is a free phone DIAL THE service available 24/7 to the public. Call FOOD VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES DISABILITY WE ARE BASKETS DO UTILITY ASSISTANCESOMETHING STANDINGA DAY GRIEF specialists offer supportive, non-judgmental RECREATION SEXUALITY GAMBLING HEALTH RENTAL ASSISTANCE CARE ASSAULT SUPPORT GROUPS ABUSE 211 24 HOURS PASS IT ONTRANSPORTATION BY MEAL listening ears and information about MILITARY SUPPORT PARENTING MEDICATION ASSISTANCE MEDICATION SITESUNITED WAY ABOUT community programs statewide. To reach the RELATIONSHIPS IT 7 EMPLOYMENT helpline dial 2-1-1 or 701-235-7335. ADDICTION THERE DAYS A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FINANCIAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE SUBSTANCE HERE EMERGENCY ISHELP WEEK BE WE’LL SHELTER COUNSELING MENTAL HEALTH WHEN TIMES MEDICAL ARE ROUGH FRIEND In 2015, First Link handled DISASTER DURING TIMES SUICIDE OF CRISIS YOUTH almost 53,748 calls, and 3.5 percent of those calls were HELPLINE suicide-related. www.myfi rstlink.org Helpline: 2-1-1 OR 701-235-7335(SEEK) Suicide Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255(TALK) C4 FEBRUARY 2016 , MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC NEWS www.morgransou.com MOR-GRAN-SOU ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. Managers’ Message BY CHRIS BAUMGARTNER AND DON FRANKLUND, CO-GENERAL MANAGERS BAUMGARTNER FRANKLUND Mor-Gran-Sou’s power suppliers joined a Regional Transmission Organization. What does that mean for the member-owner? After many years of discussion apply to wheeling power across the 2016, the member-owner is front- and analysis, Mor-Gran-Sou Electric high-voltage transmission system. and-center in our decision-making.