Electric Commission Okays New Outage Reporting System
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The Water Valley Electric Commission met Monday night, Sept. 15, at Everest.
WATER VALLEY – Water Valley residents will soon have a new tool to report outages and track electric service restoration in real time. The Water Valley Electric Commission voted Monday night to enter a contract with HomeTown Grid, a system designed to cut response times and improve communication with customers.
Commissioners present at Monday’s meeting were Chairman Brandon Presley, Terry Allen, Barry Weeks, Raymond Hawkins, and Vickie Person. John Pettit with HomeTown Grid joined by Zoom to demonstrate the company’s software.
Pettit explained how customers can call or text a single number to report outages. The system uses a customer’s phone number and service address to place a pin on a live outage map, while an AI auto-attendant responds instantly and dispatches linemen.
Customers will also be able to submit photos to help crews gauge the extent of damage. Crews can group outages on a digital map, and restoration notices are texted back the moment service is restored. Pettit said other utilities using HomeTown Grid reported restoration times were up to 25 percent faster. The company provides similar services for 39 electric companies across the southeast.
The new service is scheduled to go live Wednesday, Sept. 24, with more details to be published in next week’s edition.
“This is part of our mission from day one to modernize the Water Valley electric grid and interaction with our customers, especially during outages,” Presley told the Herald after the meeting. He added the tool will also allow customers to report streetlight outages, giving the commission the ability to measure and track response times for those repairs.
The new service costs $3,500 upfront plus $750 per month paid by the electric commission. Presley said the new option is expected to produce overall savings as the commission currently pays $1,700 monthly for dispatching, with calls reporting outages currently flowing through the county’s 911 dispatch center.
The commission will also begin integrating smart meters into the HomeTown Grid system so outage alerts can also be generated automatically as the meter can send a signal alerting the grid about the outage. About 80 percent of residences already have updated smart meters, and work continues to convert the remaining 20 percent.
The city-owned electric system was placed under independent oversight on August 1 with the appointment of the commissioners. Since then, the commission has worked to tackle long-standing issues such as line loss, outdated equipment, and reliance on a single substation, while also setting new policies and introducing modern technology.
Staffing Updates
Commissioners reviewed applications for a part-time clerk and will narrow the list to make a hire during the Sept. 25 meeting. On the search for a permanent general manager, Presley reported that the American Public Power Association had agreed to circulate the posting nationally. The board voted to extend the application deadline to Oct. 15 to build a stronger candidate pool.
