Skip to main content
Home
  • About Us
    • Annual Report
  • Powering the Future
    • Our Energy Mix
  • Electrify and Save®
    • On-Bill Repayment
    • Programs
    • Quality Install
  • Media
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Features
    • News
    • Newsletter
    • Podcast
  • Cooperative Benefits
  • Operations
  • Search
Menu

Search form

Winter Storm Readiness Ensure Reliable Power

02/12/2021

Winter Storm Readiness to Ensure Reliable Power

When a big winter storm hits, you can count on three things:

1.  Kids will start wishing for a snow day that cancels school.

2.  Skiers, snowboarders and snow-sport enthusiasts will head to the mountains.

3.  Utility crews at Tri-State and your local electric co-op or public power district will spring into action, braving the extreme weather to restore power as needed.
 

Keeping energy flowing to your home and business is a 24/7 job. Tri-State works closely with its 42 member electric co-ops and public power districts to deliver electricity to more than one million consumers across four states.

Tri-State’s transmission system includes 5,600 miles of high-voltage transmission lines spanning 200,000 square miles of diverse landscape, from craggy mountain passes in Colorado and Wyoming, to the arid plateaus of New Mexico and windswept plains of Nebraska. 

Utility Maintenance Begins Months Before Winter

Planning and maintenance starts months before winter weather season, which usually begins in November and can extend into late April. Crews perform line patrols using Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs) and drones, looking for damage and making repairs that strengthen the system against equipment-crippling weather. 

“We build our line projects to withstand extreme structural stress from heavy, wet snow to ice and wind,” says Sage Williams, Tri-State Transmission Maintenance Manager, East.

When severe weather does hit, we have a number of resources to help restore power quickly. The diversity of our generation resources—their location, technology and fuel source—allow us to respond and make adjustments as storms move through our territories. That strength, bolstered by the resiliency of the transmission system, helps us limit the impact of weather events on our delivery of power to our members.

“The heart and soul of delivering reliable power over our transmission system are the people who plan, operate and maintain this complex machine,” Sage says. “When the weather is at its worst, they are at their best.”

Tri-State has three maintenance regions, East, West and South, which coordinate how to dispatch resources and crews to safely restore power to the largest number of customers in the least amount of time. 

Power is typically restored first to emergency services and facilities critical to public health and safety, including hospitals, police and fire stations, water reclamation plants, and communication systems. 

At Tri-State, that usually means repairing the transmission structures and lines that feed your local electric co-op substations, which deliver power to neighborhoods, industries and businesses. 

Real-Time Response is Critical

Real-time situational awareness is of utmost importance during extreme weather. Our Resource Dispatch is continually monitoring the weather so that we can respond rapidly to changing conditions. When severe weather is forecasted, Tri-State deploys repair crews to strategic locations ahead of the storm.

“Often poor visibility and road conditions make it extremely difficult or too dangerous for our crews to reach storm damage,” Sage says. “By staging crews in strategic locations before the storm, we can respond faster and more safely.”

Once we survey the damage, in many cases we can reroute power around trouble spots. When it comes to Mother Nature, however, there are limitations to what we can prepare for, as was the case during the bomb cyclone of 2019, which affected infrastructure in several locations.

“When that happens, our whole co-op community comes together to ensure safety, and a quick restoration of power,” Sage says.

This winter and beyond, our team will be doing everything we can to weather the winter storms and keep the electricity on for you. 

To find out how your family and community can stay safe with storm and personal safety tips, read our blog, How to Prepare for Winters’ Worst Storms.

 

 

--

About Tri-State

Tri-State is a power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, serving electric distribution cooperatives and public power district member-owners in four states. Together with our members, we deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. Visit www.tristate.coop.    

 

 

Contributor:

John Brown

Blog Posts

How to Prepare Your Home for a Summer Heat Wave

How to Prepare Your Home for a Summer Heat Wave

During summer heat waves, air conditioning can be a real lifesaver.  Many homes in cooler climate states aren’t always equipped with air conditioning, so when an unexpected heat wave hits, many residents rely on other ways to stay cool without AC. No matter where you live, it’s important to be prepared for hot summer days with efficient cooling and a plan in place to stay comfortable.
Matt Fitzgibbon, Beneficial Electrification Manager
Read more >
E-Bike Friendly Trails in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska

E-Bike Friendly Trails in our Member Service Territories

Electric bikes are quickly becoming the fun, cost-effective and eco-friendly solution to inner-city commuting-and bike trails! Here's some important information to know before venturing out on your e-bike in our member service areas.
Read more >
tips to Save Energy, Money This Summer with Smart Thermostat

Save Energy and Money This Summer with a Smart Thermostat

Thermostats have evolved in the last eleven years, it’s time to take a look at what’s new on the market and there’s no better time than now as we transition into the hot summer months. 
Peter Rusin, Member Relations Manager
Read more >
How to Electrify Your Outdoor Camping Adventures

How to Electrify Your Outdoor Camping Adventures

If you’re heading off the grid for an outdoor adventure this summer you’re likely hoping to unplug and relax in nature. You may not be looking for ways to stay plugged in, but would you consider a few ways to power up your campsite in an easy, convenient way? If the answer is yes, keep reading.
Read more >
Tips for Installing an EV Charging Station at Home

Tips for Installing an EV Charging Station at Home

Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future, there’s no doubt about it. It’s estimated that more than 2.5 million EVs have been sold in the United States and it’s easy to understand why; they cost less to operate, require less maintenance, don’t need gas, they’re better for the environment and they’re fun to drive! If you’ve adopted the EV lifestyle or are considering it, keep reading for tips to help you install your own home charging station.
Read more >
Summer Storm Safety Tips for Camping

Summer Storm Safety Tips for Camping

If you’ve spent some time on the plains or in the mountains across the West, where electric cooperatives serve, you know all about spring and summer storms. Especially noteworthy are the intense storms that begin in March and can last into May. For those who enjoy outdoor activities during this season, it is especially important to be aware of the dangers and take precautions while camping.
Kent Mahanna, MPH, CSP Senior Manager Safety & Security
Read more >
5 Affordable Home Purchases to Help Save Energy

5 Affordable Home Purchases to Help Save Energy

With a handful of simple purchases, you can increase your home’s energy efficiency and cut down your energy bill each month. Here are five practical items and affordable home purchases to help save energy.
Peter Rusin, Member Relations Manager
Read more >
Home Energy Efficient Tips for Spring

8 Home Energy Efficient Tips for Spring

Do you want to make your home more energy-efficient, but don't know where to start? Spring is the perfect time to buckle down on home improvement projects before the summer heatwaves begin. Here are some simple, affordable home improvements to tackle this spring to help you cool off and save energy.
Matt Fitzgibbon, Beneficial Electrification Manager
Read more >
Winter Activities to Explore in New Mexico

Winter Activities to Explore in New Mexico

New Mexico is well-known for its thriving arts community and sunshine-filled outdoor activities. Our member areas offer some of the best history museums and art museums featuring world-famous folk art, sculptures and paintings. There's much to experience outdoors in New Mexico during the winter months, from skiing to national parks, archeological tours and spa getaways. This winter, explore everything New Mexico has to offer with these amazing winter activities in our member areas. 
Kristen Wurth, Communications Specialist
Read more >

Pagination

  • First page« First
  • Previous page‹ Previous
  • Page   1
  • Page   2
  • Currently on page   3
  • Page   4
  • Page   5
  • Page   6
  • Page   7
  • Page   8
  • Page   9
  • …
  • Next pageNext ›
  • Last pageLast »

Subscribe

* indicates required
Join our mailing list for
updates and member news.
 
 

Quick links

  • Leadership Team
  • Dark Fiber
  • Financials
  • Board Meetings
  • Member Tools
  • The Cooperative Difference
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Careers
  • Employee login

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association
Office: 303-452-6111
1100 West 116th Avenue
Westminster, CO 80234

Mailing address:
PO Box 33695
Denver, CO 80233-0695

©2025 Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. Power supplier to the rural west.

  • About Us
    • Annual Report
  • Powering the Future
    • Our Energy Mix
  • Electrify and Save®
    • On-Bill Repayment
    • Programs
    • Quality Install
  • Media
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Features
    • News
    • Newsletter
    • Podcast
  • Cooperative Benefits
  • Operations
  • Search