PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Dominion Energy is preparing for all the possible rain impacts in Hampton Roads Tuesday, from flooding to outages.
Dominion Energy says its storm preparation starts even before a raindrop falls from the sky.
Crews are using technology to monitor the grid to make sure their equipment is working correctly.
“They’re using intelligent grid devices or smart technology to be able to detect the wind speeds and how power or voltage is flowing through the lines,” said Cherise Newsome, a spokesperson for Dominion Energy.
Newsome says this helps determine where crews need to go.
“Pinpoint those areas a little bit more precisely in the event there are outages before storms come,” said Newsome.
She says the two W’s, wet and wind, will be the two biggest enemies when it comes to your power staying on.
“Wind definitely is a monster when it comes to power lines. The flooding is too. And downpours can cause issues as well because they soak the ground, and that makes trees fall. When trees fall onto power poles or power lines, that can cause outages,” said Newsome.
Dominion says keep an eye out on Mother Nature, especially if you commute.
“A lot of us commute across different cities, and there could be more rain in one area or another. Certain areas are more affluent and are more prone to flooding than others. So stay weather alert and see whether we’re also taking a look around your property,” said Newsome.
If you do experience a power outage, click here to report it.