I&M’s customers are at the heart of everything we do. That is especially true when it comes to providing safe and reliable power. A recent series of power blips in the Muncie, Ind. area provided a good example of how we investigate customer issues and develop solutions.
Employees discovered a cracked and broken transformer cutout that was hanging from the riser wires. A cutout is mounted on power poles and aims to protect the transformer from power surges, overloads and faults.
After analyzing smart meter data, I&M’s power quality team noticed that customers in the rural area were experiencing frequent dips in service. The team dug deeper to fix the issue. After further inspection, employees discovered a severely damaged piece of equipment. The crew also talked with customers who said their lights were flickering and dimming, which confirmed the smart meter data findings.
If the smart meter data hadn’t proactively led I&M to the issue, the equipment damage may have eventually resulted in a power outage.
“The quick resolution of the customer issue showcases the value of smart meter technology,” said Jennifer Ellis, I&M’s vice president of Distribution. “Without the real-time data, it would have been more challenging to identify and fix the issue. This is a great example of how our employees work with innovative technology to ensure safe reliable power and great customer experience.”
I&M’s customers are at the center of everything we do and that’s why we’re proud to be an industry leader in reliability. Since 2019, outages are down nearly 50% and when outages do happen power is restored 55% faster.
To learn more about our reliability efforts for customers, click here.