Message from Lake Worth on our Electric Power

September 15, 2017, 11:53pm

Hurricane Irma Special Update 31

Post Day 5 another good day.

Lake Worth Electric Utility was able to energize 5 more system circuits, that means that out of the 41 circuits within the Lake Worth Electric Territory, 1 circuit is left to re-energize. Approximately 84% of the system has been restored, which equates to 22122 customers. This leaves 4288 customer outages. For those of you that are still without power, please continue to be patient, we are on our way.

Tomorrow (Saturday 9/15/17, Post Day 6), we’ll hit it again, continuing to restore power.

As we move into the final phase of power restoration we understand that some residents still do not have power restored. To better help those businesses and residents who are still lacking power today we created an online power outage reporting system. This is accessible by clicking here. The form will only take a minute to fill out but will immediately notify us that you are still without power. This will allow us to better target our recovery efforts. Please note the form will not let you proceed without entering the address of the location that lacks power, this is the most important piece of information for crews so please take the time to enter it and ensure it is correct. The final option on the form is a text box where you can describe any visually obvious problems so crews can arrive with an idea of what they need to correct.

If you prefer you can still contact us by phone at 561.586.1695

One thing you can do to help speed up your recovery is take a look at the service wire running to your house follow it to the house (without touching or making physical contact) and if there is visible damage to the weatherhead (marked) or the pipe carrying the entrance cable (marked) to your electric meter, such as it hanging off the wall, then contact an electrician so that when power is restored you are not delayed in getting yours back. Otherwise when crews come through they will cut the service wire and take it back to the pole for safety purposes and then move on to the next house. You will still need to call the electrician but it will add time to your power being restored. Under NO circumstances should you try to conceal damage to the weatherhead, the pipe or the entrance cable if it is hanging off your wall-- call a certified electrician to make the repair. If you put it back yourself you risk electrocution or house fires which the City will not be liable for.

Please give linemen some space. They are unable to give time estimates on power restoration and time spent talking with you is time not on the lines. Just give them a shout of support and a thumbs up and let them continue to restore the power.

We started with the circuits which will bring the most customers online in the shortest period of time. This does mean though that there is a possibility that your neighbors will have power before you if the line to your house took damage but rest assured we will be back and get every customer back on line as quickly as possible.

As power begins to be restored you can help by turning off your AC unit, if you do not have power and ensuring that sensitive electronics are unplugged. These two actions can greatly help a smooth transition to your power returning. Once power is restored please wait 15 minutes then feel free to turn AC back on and plug your electronics back in. If you have a downed power line on your property remember to leave it alone and call us at 561.586.1695

If you still don't have power please also check your oven and stove now and make sure they are turned off to avoid accidental fires when power is returned. City employees working hard to restore the cemetery to its former tranquility. For those worried about paying late fees on City related bills such as your Lake Worth utility bill we have suspended all late fees incurred due to the storm and while municipal offices are closed. You can expect multiple information releases to come from the City through the recovery. If you haven't already please follow the City on Twitter (@LakeWorthPBC & @LakeWorthCasino).