On the evening of December 25, as North Dakota faced blowing snow, icy roads, and reduced visibility, line crews from Cass County Electric Cooperative's (CCEC) service territory, spanning several North Dakota counties, were dispatched to address emerging outages. By the early hours of Tuesday, December 26, over 150 unique outages were reported, prompting CCEC to acknowledge on their Facebook page, "With nearly 6,000 miles of line, patrolling and restoring power may take a while." Recognizing the challenges ahead, CCEC made the decision to seek assistance through mutual aid from other rural electric cooperatives.
Having experienced the impact of storms causing prolonged power outages three times in 2022, we at Crow Wing Power understand the significance of cooperation among cooperatives. When the call for mutual aid came, we joined forces with other electric cooperatives and utilities as part of the Mutual Aid Agreement within the State of Minnesota and neighboring states. This agreement ensures that additional hands can be deployed in the event of natural disasters leading to extensive and severe outages. On Sunday, December 31, eight of our linemen set out for North Dakota to assist CCEC in restoring power to approximately 1,300 of their members.
Upon reaching North Dakota, our crews encountered challenging conditions – not necessarily terrible weather, but a constant North Dakota wind. With over 800 broken poles and powerlines encased in over an inch of ice, the task at hand was formidable. A lineman on the ground reported, "It's crazy out here, we are working on a stretch that has five miles of 3 phase laying on the ground and only a few poles are standing." Despite these challenges, restoration efforts persisted, with the initial Crow Wing Power crew of eight aiming to return home soon while another six to eight linemen prepare to continue the assistance if needed.
Recognizing the difficulties of extended power outages, our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the outages in North Dakota. We extend our wishes for safety and strength to all the crews involved in the restoration and clean-up efforts. In times of adversity, we express our gratitude for the linemen and support staff who work tirelessly to bring back normalcy to communities facing the impact of severe weather events. If you’d like to know more CCEC restoration efforts, check out their Facebook Page.