When the Lights Go Out, So Do We

WHAT CAUSES OUTAGES? 

The chart below summarizes the outages we have experienced in the FreeState Electric territory over the last year. 

NATURE 

This category is the largest because it includes trees, animals and weather. Lightning led among the weather phenomena with 162 outages, followed by wind with 44. Animals and birds added another 253 and trees led the charge with 296. To reduce these risks, we:

• Trim trees along rights-of-way.
• Install animal guards and raptor protection.
• Employ construction methods designed to deter wildlife. 

EQUIPMENT FAILURE 

A number of outages are actually planned on purpose to safely maintain and upgrade our lines, or build infrastructure to new construction. Less often, the equipment can fail unexpectedly because of material defects or deterioration. Finally, during peak power usage, an overload can take down electric service. This is why we encourage conservation during typical peak hours. 

ACCIDENTS 

Digging, construction, or car accidents can damage poles or lines. In our rural area, it’s quite common to have farm-equipmentrelated outages, such as large harvest equipment getting tangled in the wires. It is essential to be aware of your surroundings while working on the farm. It not only ensures your safety but can limit damage-causing accidents. Look up and live. 

POWER SUPPLY 

As a distribution cooperative, we rely on Evergy and Kansas Electric Power Cooperative (KEPCo) for power supply. If one of these suppliers experiences a problem, we may not have any power to distribute. 

WHAT IS THE OUTAGE RESPONSE PLAN? 

When FreeState has an outage, we follow a protocol for restoring power quickly. Relatively small outages or isolated outages are dispatched in the order they are received or the availability of a crew. However, during significant outages, the priority is emergency management, fire stations and critical services. 

During an outage, we begin by determining the source. We assess our generation facilities and determine the source to begin repairs. There is a standard protocol for repairing and restoring during an outage. Our infrastructure is the backbone of delivering power. Transmission lines that carry electricity from generation stations are first on the list, followed by: 

• SUBSTATIONS where high-voltage power from a transmission line is reduced for member usage.
• DISTRIBUTION LINES that carry electricity from substations to each neighborhood, or distribution hubs.
• TAP LINES that serve direct homes and businesses.
• INDIVIDUAL LINES TO MEMBERS are the most difficult and time-consuming in the restoration process.

REPAIR TIME ESTIMATES 

• A transformer repair typically takes about 45 minutes.
• Replacing a power pole may take around 4 hours, depending on size and type. 

Outages can last seconds, hours, or — in severe conditions — days. Sometimes crews must walk along the lines during storms to find the exact location of the problem. 

Above all, our crews’ safety is our priority. 

WHAT DOES FREESTATE DO TO PREVENT OUTAGES? 

While we cannot control the weather, we can work to limit outages by investing in our infrastructure and maintaining clearance around our equipment. 

SYSTEM UPGRADES & MAINTENANCE 

Investing in modern equipment and technology helps us: 

• Replace aging components.
• Increase system efficiency.
• Meet growing energy demands. 

TREE TRIMMING 

Tree trimming is one maintenance practice we can do to help limit tree damage. FreeState has a designated tree crew at each office to work specifically on right-of-way clearance. They can also be called out to remove damage so that lineworkers can access an area safely to begin working. 

PLANNED OUTAGES 

The most important thing we do to mitigate the impact of outages is to be trained and ready to respond. Preparing for the worst is what we do. We train our employees to provide the safest, most efficient service to our members, and put extra crews on call during weather events. We also have backups built into our infrastructure, and keep an inventory of materials on hand, so we are ready whenever a replacement is needed. 

TRAINING & PREPAREDNESS 

The most important thing we do to mitigate the impact of outages is to be trained and ready to respond. Preparing for the worst is what we do. We train our employees to provide the safest, most efficient service to our members, and put extra crews on call during weather events. We also have backups built into our infrastructure, and keep an inventory of materials on hand, so we are ready whenever a replacement is needed. 

WHAT SHOULD I DO DURING AN OUTAGE? 

We appreciate it when our members call in about blinks or outages at any time of day or night. While advanced metering systems are built to report an outage instantly, they can, in rare instances, fail, and they often don’t capture blinks. They also can’t distinguish why a meter has stopped. Maybe you saw or heard something that could provide clues to determine the cause of an outage. 

After reporting your outage, monitor FreeState’s Facebook account for updates, which we strive to provide during outages that are for an extended time or that affect over 100 members. If you don’t use social media, the updates can be found at https://freestate.pub/updates. 

The most important thing you can do regarding outages is to prepare for them ahead of time, especially when a significant weather event has been forecast. Make sure your emergency kit is well-stocked and your electronics are fully charged.

This content was featured in the January 2026 issue of Kansas Country Living.