Equipment Failures
Just like with your car, in spite of regular service, mechanical systems do break down occasionally. The same is true of even the best-maintained electrical distribution and transmission system.
Momentary Outages
A power outage is inconvenient, whether it lasts a second or an hour. But there is a difference between a prolonged power outage and a brief, momentary interruption.
"Momentaries" are split-second interruptions in service. They are an unavoidable part of power delivery systems that have always occurred. Today's sophisticated computers and other electronic equipment are super-sensitive, however, and can be affected by a momentary that lasts only one eight-thousandth of a second.
While annoying, momentaries serve an important purpose. For example, when a tree limb falls on a wire, Edmond Electric's automatic sensing equipment detects a potentially dangerous condition and temporarily breaks the flow of electricity protecting essential parts of our delivery system from major damage. Nevertheless, power may be out just long enough that equipment in your home, like your alarm clock or microwave, needs reprogramming when you return home.
