Winter Storm Watch

A winter storm watch has been issued for our service area, with the potential for sleet and ice. While exact conditions are still developing, winter weather may cause hazardous travel and could impact electric service.

At Navasota Valley Electric Cooperative, one of our goals is to serve our members while also providing a safe workplace as we manage our day-to-day operations. However, like many others in our area, we are taking steps to prepare for the winter weather, and we are also encouraging everyone around us to be prepared.

Forecasters are predicting moderate icing.

Forecasters are predicting the dangerous conditions could last through Sunday.

Forecasters are warning that weather conditions could cause power outages.

In advance of the storm we will be making preparations, including reviewing our safety procedures for employees and reviewing our contingency plans.

Currently our crews are staging repair equipment and supplies and contractors are on standby.

Residents are warned that the weight of ice accumulation could cause power lines to fall and could cause trees to fall.

The weather conditions may result in extensive damage to our electrical system, numerous road closures, unusually hazardous conditions, and unusually hazardous conditions for our crews.

When an outage occurs, power is first restored to substations and major lines, as well as to critical infrastructure in our area, such as hospitals, police departments, and other emergency responders.

Please be aware that sometimes during complicated repairs, you may have your lights come back on, only to have them go off again because we discover another problem that must be fixed.

For your safety, please stay away from any downed power lines.

Because this is a winter storm, you should prepare to properly heat your home while you are without electricity. The source might include a propane heater, a wood burning stove, or a fireplace. Make sure you have ample firewood or propane for heating.

If you are heating with wood, have enough cut wood available for weeks and store the wood in a dry area. Make sure you have a clean chimney to avoid a chimney fire. If time permits, inspect your chimney for cracks to make sure smoke does not enter your home or attic.

If you are using propane, make sure your propane tank is full. Make sure gas heaters are vented properly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure gas heaters are clean and operating well. Also, please remember to remove flammable objects that are near gas heaters. As a further safety precaution, please make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have fresh batteries.

If you are using a whole-home generator, it must have a transfer switch, installed by a licensed electrician, to prevent the generator from back-feeding into our electrical system.

For the safety of everyone, if you are using a portable electrical generator, do not tie it into your circuit panel. An improperly wired generator can send power into downed lines causing serious injury or death to you, a family member, a neighbor, or one of our repair crews. A generator can only be tied into a circuit panel if a licensed electrician has installed a transfer switch.

If you are using your own electrical generator, make sure you have ample fuel for the length of the power outage.

Please store your fuel in a safe place away from the generator or any heat source so there is no accidental fire.

If you run extension cords from your generator to your appliances, make sure your extension cords meet code.

Do not attempt to run too many appliances off one generator because this could cause an overload and fire.

Road conditions may keep you from leaving your home. Now is the time to stock up on necessities, such as water, non-refrigerated foods, medications, and medical supplies.

Although we post service updates to social media, we do not monitor social media for reports of outages. All outages must be reported by phone.

To report an outage or a downed power line, you can call 800-443-9462.