Electric department swiftly restores power

In an auto incident on Mill Road in Freeport, a tractor-trailer traveling westbound in the turning lane encountered a vehicle making a turn, resulting in a near collision on June 5. While the tractor-trailer managed to avoid leaving the road, the trailer tilted and made contact with a telephone pole, bringing it down.

The accident caused disruption to both high-power electric lines and main cable lines, rendering the road impassable until repairs were made.

“It was just a big accident,” Sergeant Robert Salisbury said. “The high-power electric lines belonging to Freeport Electric were positioned at the top, while the main cable lines for pretty much a large portion of the village ran across the road. All those lines were down low enough that we could not let any vehicles pass until the situation was rectified.”

Multiple police units were swiftly deployed to alleviate the resulting traffic congestion, ensuring the smooth flow of vehicles during rush hour.

Following the truck collision, the Freeport electric department, under the guidance of Al Livingston, superintendent of electric utilities, executed a complex restoration operation. The damaged truck was carefully removed from the pole, which was subsequently replaced. The department then coordinated with telephone and cable providers to transfer their facilities to the new pole.

The restoration process involved reinstalling a critical component known as a riser and re-energizing the connections. The gravity of the situation became apparent as the snapped pole left wires hanging precariously, resulting in the closure of the affected road until the cables were safely elevated. Immediate action was taken to address the issue of energized wires atop the pole, with circuits being de-energized and safety protocols strictly followed. Although the majority of the area maintained uninterrupted power, one company experienced a brief outage lasting approximately seven to ten minutes

The team worked tirelessly from the afternoon of the accident until the early hours of the morning, resuming the next day to complete their part of the restoration. The task concluded at approximately 5 a.m. when the riser was successfully lifted into place.

“The Freeport Electric Department has a reliability rating of 99.97 percent as certified by the American Public Power Association,” Livingston said. “We rank in the 25th percentile nationwide and the average is on our website. While the average outage duration across the country stands at 140 minutes, Freeport’s outage duration is just around a minute.”

No injuries were reported in the accident, and damage was limited to property. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the police and the electric team, the situation was rectified efficiently, ensuring the safety and convenience of commuters.

“I personally want to think the Village of Freeport’s electric department and for the services rendered and protection of our residence during this accident,” Mayor Robert Kennedy said.