Electrical upgrade in subdivision

Residents in the Lakewood area in Monett experienced power outages last week as Utilities crews worked to upgrade electrical lines in the neighborhood.

The outages lasted approximately two-and-a-half hours each on Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 23. The first outage was on the north side of Wellington and the west side of Lakewood, and the second outage, on Tuesday, impacted 24 meters on Troy Avenue, Morgan, and Monterey Court.

Utility crews completed this work to replace power lines that have deteriorated due to lightning strikes and age. New wire with fresh insulation has been installed in the area. Utilities Superintendent Skip Schaller said the new line will cope better when there are lightning strikes and the resulting surges in the area, protecting the power supply to residents and hopefully reducing the number of outages in the neighborhood.

The Utilities Department is also working on a plan to replace all wire in the subdivision in the near future to further enhance and protect service in the area.