Winter Weather Preparations

Tri-County Electric Cooperative is prepared for the predicted winter weather.

Stay up-to-date here, or on our Facebook Page.

Outage Map

Report an Outage

Contact the Member Service Team

 

Thursday, February 3

2:00 p.m. Update

First: Thank you to our members for your patience and understanding as our linemen worked through the winter elements to keep your lights on. The weather system is completely out of our service territory, and we are glad to report our system had limited damage and stood strong.

Next: Crews and employees are still on storm shifts staggered to serve you 24/7. The National Weather Service says temps will remain below freezing into tomorrow, meaning no ice or snow will melt today. This will still affect driving conditions and anywhere ice is accumulated, including our distribution system.

Last: We are ready for the days ahead. Please report outages online at oms.tcectexas.com or through TCEC Connect. Your co-op is here to take care of you, our members, and provide safe, reliable electric service.

11:45 a.m. Update

Linemen have restored all power and we do not have any outages at this time. Please report any outages online at oms.tcectexas.com or through TCEC Connect.

10:30 a.m. Update

We have outages in the Weatherford, Brock and Dennis areas. Crews are working to restore. Please ensure your outage is reported so our crews can get your power on.

8:50 a.m. Update

We have a few small outages throughout our service area, including Azle, Keller and Southlake. Crews are working to restore.

As a reminder, please report all outages through our online outage map or mobile app. These reports go directly to our system operators to dispatch a crew.

6:30 a.m. Update

Tri-County Electric Cooperative's distribution system faired well as the winter weather hit our area. Members experienced minimal outages and crews restored power as fast as safely possible, even though road conditions did extend travel times.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as our crews work through the elements to restore power.

OUTAGES - CURRENT

We currently have no outages. Please report any outages online at oms.tcectexas.com or through TCEC Connect.

OUTAGES - RESTORED

RESTORED: Members in the Weatherford, Brock and Dennis areas are restored.

RESTORED: Linemen restored consistent power to members in the Garner/west Weatherford area. Posted at 9 a.m.

OUTAGE: Approximately 500 members in the Garner/West Weatherford area are experiencing flickering lights/inconsistent power. Crews are responding. Posted at 7:31 a.m.

 

Wednesday, February 2

OUTAGE

RESTORED: Power has been restored to all members. Most outages were weather-related, some caused by vegetation. Posted at 5:24 a.m.

UPDATE: Linemen have restored nearly all members and are working to restore the last 30 in the Southlake/Keller area. Posted at 5:15 a.m.

UPDATE: Crews have restored an additional 400 meters across our territory. They continue to work hard to return power to the remaining 200 meters. Posted at 3:53 a.m.

UPDATE: Our crews have restored approximately 300 meters. Linemen will continue to work through the night to restore power to the other 600 meters affected. Posted at 1:52 a.m.

UPDATE: Crews are still working hard to fix the weather-related outages to approximately 900 meters. With roads iced over, we appreciate your patience as we try to keep our linemen as safe as possible as we work to restore your power. Posted at 12:16 a.m.

OUTAGE: Members in the Azle, Keller and Granbury service areas are experiencing outages. Crews are responding to restore. Posted at 11:09 p.m.

 

OUTAGE

RESTORED: All members are restored. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Posted at 9:08 p.m.

UPDATE: 1,60 members are restored. We are still working with the transmission provider to restore power to the remaining 190 members. Posted at 8:55 p.m.

UPDATE: We are working with the transmission provider to restore power. Our linemen are on standby. We do not have an estimated time of restoration. Posted at 8:35 p.m.

OUTAGE: Approximately 1,250 meters in the Munday area are out of power due to an issue on the transmission side. Crews are responding. Posted at 7:12 p.m.

 

6:00 p.m. update

The winter weather has hit our service area. Here are things to know:

Reporting outages

Outage Status

Contacting the Member Service Team

As always, you can reach us by phone at 817-444-3201. Hold times may be longer than normal while in storm mode, so please use online methods when possible.

Our website, www.tcectexas.com, has resources for our members, including safety tips and energy-saving tips.

The National Weather Service predicts frigid temperatures and sub-zero wind chills. Pictured are a few tips they provided. Stay home when possible!

Be safe out there. We are in this together.

Winter Weather Tips

 

3:20 p.m. update

President/CEO, Darryl Schriver went live on Facebook this afternoon with updates on how we are preparing for the winter storm. Click here to watch the video, or read the highlights:

  • We’re ready. Our employees are lined up in shifts, ready to go 24 hours a day until the storm moves out of our service area
  • We stay in touch with ERCOT and they have indicated the generation system and grid will perform well. ERCOT believes there will not be a need for load shed.
  • Our biggest concern about ice is primarily the transmission lines, the highest lines, making sure those lines don’t ice up. Tri-County Electric Co-op's distribution system is in good shape. We have a lot of lines buried underground, which is protected from the elements. The ones that are overhead, you’re going to find that the last three or four years, we’ve been working pretty hard on changing our poles out and trimming our trees. Ice on lines isn’t usually as big a problem as ice getting on limbs and the limbs falling on our lines.
  • If you see a power line down, treat it like a rattlesnake. Stay away from it, assume it is energized and call 9-1-1.
  • If you have an outage, you can report it directly online through the outage map or through the TCEC Connect and we can get it to the guys in the field faster. 
  • As an electric provider, it is our responsibility to remind you to conserve energy. Setting your thermostat at 68 degrees will keep the pipes from freezing and keep you comfortable.
  • If you’ve installed a generator, we caution you that you go by the generator safety rules. We don’t want you to get carbon monoxide poisoning, nor do we want your switches to switch open, backfeed and cause our linemen to go touching energized lines.
  • We will keep you informed. We’re going to do our best to stay on top of it.
     

11:00 a.m. update

Tri-County Electric Cooperative is ready for the winter weather and officially entering storm mode. We have linemen and employees staged in shifts to take care of you in the event of weather-related outages.

Additionally, we are working side by side with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to monitor grid conditions. Here is what we know so far from ERCOT: 

  • ERCOT is ready for the weather and does not expect to issue rotating outages
  • ERCOT is under watch through Sunday, February 6
  • ERCOT modeling shows a record winter peak to hit Friday morning, exceeding last year's peak electric use across the state. They still expect to have sufficient reserves to meet electric needs across the state.

ERCOT issued a press release today regarding the winter storm and their preparations.

While preparations were made over the past year and ERCOT does not expect grid issues, it is important to conserve where can during extreme weather events, cold or hot. Find energy-saving tips at tcectexas.com/seasonal-tips

Our system operators will continue to monitor the ERCOT grid. Member can monitor the ERCOT grid at ercot.com

We are in this together.

 

Tuesday, February 1

Winter weather is still on pace to hit our area tomorrow evening. As you prepare by wrapping your pipes, plants and bringing in those pets, here are a few energy-saving tips to help you keep a hold on your electric use:

  • Temp Down, Savings Up: the recommended thermostat setting is 68 is the winter. Save up to 5% for every degree you lower your heat.
  • Flip that Fan: Ensure your ceiling fan spins clockwise to push warm air down.
  • Get all Warm and Fuzzy: Have a furry friend? Snuggle up! Pets are like built-in heaters.

 

Monday, January 31

Tri-County Electric Cooperative is preparing for the winter weather predicted to hit our service area Wednesday, February 2 through Friday, February 4. The US National Weather Service Fort Worth Texas predicts cold temperatures, single-digit wind chills, and precipitation including freezing rain, a wintery mix and some snow that will impact travel through Friday. 

Tri-County Electric Co-op is prepared for the weather, and want to ensure you, our members, are as well. Our distribution system is strong, but we have linemen and employees on standby in case of ice accumulation on lines and trees cause outages. As always, our team will continue to monitor ERCOT grid conditions. 

Please get ready for this weather by preparing your vehicles, ensuring you have adequate food and water if you are stuck at home, and protecting your pipes, plants and pets. Consider reaching out to family members and neighbors who may need help preparing for the wintery weather.

We are in this together.