Outage Map
Ongoing Infrastructure Improvements Update
Central Electric Cooperative continues investing in upgrades to its infrastructure to ensure safety and long-term reliability to reduce outages.
Efforts include expanding capacity at existing substations, replacing 400 utility poles annually, and installing new underground cables in PVC conduit.
This fall, nearly 900 members in the southeast Bend, Sisters, and Black Butte Ranch areas will benefit from new distribution lines in PVC conduit that replace aging direct-buried lines.
In the early 1970s, industry standards for utilities—including electric, telephone, and cable TV—resulted in the direct burial of lines in the ground with little to no separation requirements. These lines lie side-by-side or on top of each other. Over time, extreme temperatures, moisture, and corrosion have contributed to prolonged power outages as crews need to locate the fault, excavate, and replace the damaged cable.
Under modern standards, the cable is placed in conduits requiring a minimum of 1 foot of separation from other utility lines. This extends the life of the cables, reducing future excavation, shortening outage times, and significantly reducing future maintenance and replacement costs.
CEC employs various technologies to record outage locations and pinpoint underground faults, including our automated metering and Geographic Information System maps. Nearly 300 miles of direct-buried distribution lines have been identified for placement in conduit, requiring ongoing efforts well into the future.
Prioritization of underground cable replacement projects is based on fault location and frequency in an area to manage time, finances, and personnel most efficiently.
Each project requires extensive planning with a multistep process, which can take months to complete. Before installing new facilities, CEC must conduct member outreach, surveying, engineering, permitting, and excavation. The co-op must work around water, gas, phone, cable, and sewer lines, as well as other utilities while adhering to county and city specifications. In addition, acquiring materials and equipment has been complicated by the supply chain and inflation, resulting in an 18-month delay and a 79% cost increase for underground cables.
As a member-owned not-for-profit utility, CEC is committed to providing high-quality service at a reasonable cost. We appreciate your patience as we continually upgrade our electric system to provide safe, affordable, and reliable power in your community.
President and CEO Brad Wilson