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How We Restore Your Power

snow-outage-repairs-1920x700 (1).jpg

OUR PRIORITY IS YOU

During an outage, Southwestern Electric works to restore service safely and quickly. How do we prioritize repairs?

  1. We begin by energizing our substations, which provide power to hundreds or thousands of members. 
  2. We move to large feeder circuits that serve multiple homes and businesses.
  3. We go to smaller, secondary lines that serve individual accounts.

The details vary from one storm to the next, but the overall objective is always the same, and that’s to restore power to the greatest number of members in the shortest time.

HOW IT'S DONE

During a storm, our outage response team reviews data from the co-op’s outage management system, survey reports from operations and engineering crews, and information from member outage calls. 

We combine those assets to build an overall damage assessment and develop our restoration plan. As our restoration effort moves forward, we review the plan and revise it, when appropriate, to incorporate new data and additional contract crews we’ve brought on to help.

The storm brings chaos, we answer it with order. We don’t want anyone to go without power a minute longer than necessary. That’s why we plan, prioritize, and repair and restore in the order we do.

This diagram illustrates the process.

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ABOUT US

Based in Greenville, Ill., Southwestern Electric is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative serving 24,745 residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial members in 11 counties along the I-70 corridor between St. Louis, Mo., and Effingham, Ill.

Southwestern Careers
Southwestern Newsroom

Southwestern Electric is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

RESOURCES

Southwestern Electric is a member-focused, not-for-profit utility. Our bylaws guide our business and daily operations. As your accountable energy partner, our mission is to improve the lives of the people and communities we serve.

Southwestern Bylaws
Southwestern Rates
Our Annual Report

CONTACT US

You can reach us at (800) 637-8667. We respond to outage calls around the clock. Our office hours are Mon - Fri., 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

You're welcome to visit our office at:

525 US Route 40
Greenville, IL 62246

©2025 Southwestern Electric Cooperative. Your Accountable Energy Partner.

  • Home
  • SmartHub
  • Your Service
    • Sign In to SmartHub
    • Apply For Electric Service
    • Paying Your Bill
    • Payment Programs
    • Electric Rates
    • Forms Library
    • Member Guide
    • Capital Credits
  • Energy Information
    • Understanding Your Bill
    • Energy Assistance
    • Technology Rebates
    • ERC Loans
    • Solar Energy
  • Electric Vehicles
    • EV Charger Rebates
  • Community
    • Operation Round Up
    • Scholarships
    • Economic Development
  • News & Information
    • News Releases
    • Outage Information
      • If You Lose Power
      • Outage Map
      • Outage Safety
      • How We Restore Your Power
    • The Southwestern
    • Board Meeting Minutes
    • Video
  • Safety
    • Indoor Electrical Safety
    • Outdoor Electrical Safety
    • Generator Safety
    • Storm Safety
    • Cyber Security
  • Careers
  • About Us
    • Mission & Management
    • Financial Information
    • Careers
    • Service Area
    • Contact Us