Power Restoration Process

How does NES restore power? NES uses an automated reporting line to quickly capture outage information. When you dial 234-0000, your call is routed through a computer. The system identifies the outage location and a crew is assigned to restore service.

Crews rely on a three-step process recognized as an industry standard best to get power back on as quickly as possible. Hospitals, police departments, fire stations and other public health and safety facilities are priority one.

The order in which repairs are made follows the path that electricity takes as it comes from TVA to NES to customers. Get a birds-eye view of NES’ storm restoration plan with our How NES Restores Power animation on YouTube. Follow “Lineman Joe” as he gives an easy step-by-step tour of the typical outage repairs that are made from substations, to neighborhoods, to homes.

Step 1 - Substations
NES repairs any damage on the main distribution lines that leave the substations. This initial step restores power to the largest number of customers.
Step 2 - Neighborhoods
NES repairs damage on the tap lines that branch off the main line into groups of homes or neighborhoods.
Step 3 - Individual Service
After the larger main lines and neighborhood lines are repaired, work begins to restore power to individual residences.

Substations feed circuits that provide power to transformers that serve neighborhoods and streets. Individual wires come into your home from poles that are served by the transformer. Those individual outages are repaired last. If we tried to repair individual outages first, there would be no power coming into your home because the circuit or substation is still down.